An important development this past season on the international front was the sudden appearance of a roof on three of the Lyceum Alpinum courts in Zuoz.

The Lyceum pupils have worked very hard and with great enthusiasm for many years now, but have been confined to playing during the Summer Term only - certainly play is brought to a complete standstill due to snow by mid October. This roof will of course enable year-round use of the courts and will significantly improve the Lyceum's ability to maintain their form for the National Schools' Championships in England at the end of each season. The roof itself is a very impressive structure, beautifully crafted as one would expect of the Swiss, and clearly up to the job of holding up tons of snow for many months of the year. The roof even came into play this summer, ensuring un-interupted play throughout the three weeks of touring to Zuoz by British schools.

Fives at the Lyceum is as popular as ever. The Lyceum have played in a tournament in Geneva, in the Engadin Challenge, have played home matches against players from St.Olave's U14's, U16's & Seniors, Oakham, RGS High Wycombe, Lancing College, Berkhamsted, Darrick Wood, Emanuel School and recent leavers from Highgate, St.Olave's and Merchant Taylor's schools. The Ladies Champions, Erica Tadman and Kerry White have also been joining in with the match programme at the Lyceum, alongside Matt and Howard Wiseman and Sebastian Cooley, Mark Herring, Doug Foster and George Campbell. Recent progress with the Fives has inevitably led to a welcome increase in membership of the Lyceum Old Boys Club in Zurich.

The Old Boys from Malay College are hoping to see Fives being played again at their old School. REFCA have put forward a package that would bring a coaching scheme into the school on a regular basis, as well as bring a tour to Malay College to play with the school and Old Boys. We shall see!! Malay College does still possess two courts which are in very good condition.

Handballers from Ireland and Wales competed in the Rossall Schools' Championships in October. It is so good that there is an annual event that brings Fives/Handball players together on an international footing. The Irish players were amazingly strong, and it was good to see their success in winning the singles and doubles for the second year running, having played in several finals beforehand, but always coming out as runners-up to star British players such as James Toop and Alick Varma. There are strong links with the Irish Handball Council. It would be good to see another joint RFA & EFA Youth or senior England Team put together in the near future for the purpose of competing in an international event.

The World Handball Championships will be taking place in October 2003 - some twelve hundred players will be entering from all over the world - Dave Hebden, Hamish Buchanan (both top Rugby Fives players) and our own Matthew Wiseman will be taking part. There will no doubt be reports from them in the next magazine.

Fives in Nigeria continues to thrive driven by the boundless enthusiasm of their administrators. The Nigerians take their Fives very seriously and proposed last year that Eton Fives be demonstrated at the Commonwealth Games and that attempts should be made to have the game recognised as an Olympic Sport. Their Association has recently been re-organised and now goes under the title of the Fives Federation of Nigeria (FFN). A new Minster responsible for Fives, Dapo Akinyele, has recently been appointed and regular e-mail contact established with Alhaji Nasiru Isa, Chairman of their Technical Committee.

During the past twelve months serious consideration has been given by the Nigerian Fives Federation to send a touring party firstly to the London Tournament and secondly to the 2003 Kinnaird Cup. Sadly in each case the lateness of their initiative gave scant time to process the necessary visas and for the moment their plans have had to be put on hold. For their part I am sure the Nigerians would welcome an English tour to Nigeria. If any Club or School is interested, with a twelve month lead in time, I am sure that a tour could be accommodated.

The game in Nigeria is played with tennis balls but requests have recently been received for Eton Fives balls and equipment. The recent regular contact and exchange of ideas is to be welcomed as development of the game and interpretation of rules may differ as witnessed by the interesting article to be found on page x on the interpretation of ‘Lets’.

International Report 2002-2003 by Howard Wiseman and Mike Fenn
Created 9th September 2003
efa@etonfives.co.uk

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