Administration Officer's Report
(1999/2000 Season)
Welcome news at the time going to press is that four new courts are under construction at the Westway Sports Centre, Shepherd’s Bush. The courts are to be used to coach pupils from inner city schools as well as to provide facilities for Clubs.
Eton Fives continues to flourish at school level with record numbers of boys and girls playing the game. The EFA and Eton Fives Charitable Trust, with the help of Howard Wiseman’s Coaching Agency, have helped to kick-start the game at several schools and financed an increasing number of coaches working at Fives playing schools.
The game is now being played at St Edwards, Oxford, who are using the courts at Summer Fields; Sevenoaks, who play on the Orpington courts; and High Wycombe Royal Grammar School, who have put their courts back into use. The game continues to thrive at Emanuel and City of London (the latter using Westminster courts); Marlborough has a coaching programme in place; and Rossall, which has its own style of courts, now holds two annual tournaments in the autumn, one an open tournament and the other for schoolboys, in which Eton and Rugby Fives and Irish hand-ball players all take part.
On the downside the Eton, Winchester and Rugby Fives Courts at Horris Hill Prep School are no more; Wrekin College has decided not to bring their courts back into use in the near future; and the new courts at Cambridge are still a few years distant.
With a thriving base at school level concern has been expressed at the poor state of Old Boys Fives. Several clubs in recent seasons have failed to meet their fixture commitments, mainly due to the work pressures of the match managers and players with a resulting lack of time available to organise teams. Match Management may be the way forward and I am delighted that four clubs will be making the system available for their members during the current season.
During last season we were fortunate to secure at low cost our own domain name for the website (www.etonfives.co.uk). The site has given an excellent boost to public relations being well received by various sporting bodies, the media and the general public. It has led directly to participation in Carlton T.V.s childrens ‘Pump It Up’ team knock-out competition; an article in the GQ Active magazine; increased membership; and provided an excellent source of information in answering enquiries from the general public.
Membership continues to grow; the transfer to the "Company" has been completed; school Fives is thriving; and the website has taken off in a big way. Administration work to be completed in the future includes a sponsorship drive; sale of advertising space in the new A4 sized report: and compilation of a welcoming pack to new members.
My thanks to club secretaries, masters-in-charge, members of the Board, the committee of the Charitable Trust, Howard Wiseman and all those who have provided me with such valuable support during the past twelve months.
Mike Fenn
Constructed by Mike Fenn
28th October 2000
efa@etonfives.co.uk