There has been growing interest in recent years in bringing together the various codes of Fives and Handball. Various British schools are now playing at least two codes of the sport. The act of striking a ball with gloved hands is, of course, common to every form of Fives/Handball that is played in its various forms in over fifty countries in the world. Each country has a very different code of game, using courts, rules, balls and gloves that bear little resemblance to those used in other countries. Fives has always been a globalsport, but never a truly international one, since it isimpossible to create an arena in which all Fives/Handball Players can compete on level terms.'Fives', as we know it is, therefore, just one of a huge number of official handball sports played throughout the world.

British Fives players can play each of Rugby, Eton and Winchester Fives and undoubtedly enjoy themselves enormously even though they are unlikely to enjoy as much success whilst playing a less familiar code. However, the eight Fives courts at Rossall School are the perfect natural arena on which to bring together players of any form of Fives, since the courts are a hybrid of Rugby, Eton and Winchester Fives.

After a reception on the Saturday, a complimentary evening was enjoyed at the Blackpool Pleasure Beach, thanks to the kind sponsorship of Pilling Cloves, Rossall School and the Blackpool Pleasure Beach itself. This brought together all the competitors and coaches, underlining the importance of enjoying each other's company, as well as trying to demolish each other on courtl! All accommodation and food was provided at Rossall School, the quality and convenience of which was very much an important part of the whole event.

There were seventeen doubles entries, and thirty-four for the singles. Malvern, St Olave's, Rossall, Giggleswick, Lancing College, Stoke Newington, Aldenham, representing all three codes of Fives, together with representative Irish and Welsh Handball teams, took part. A leather-covered Eton Fives ball was used, thus providing a moderately hard, and fastbouncing ball (similar to the G8 Rugby Fives ball). The Doubles and Singles Championships were contested throughout the Sunday, culminating in the doubles final at 4 pm. Whilst the Rugby Fives players enjoyed familiarity with the serves the court was wider than usual, and the ledge a few inches higher. The Winchester players enjoyed their buttress, but it was several feet further back from the front well than usual. The Eton players enjoyed the small back corner buttresses and the lack of a back wall, but the ledge was two feet lower and no enormous buttress to aim at! The courts were less familiar to the Irish and Welsh, but the Irish in particular thrived in this neutral arena.

The Irish Handball Doubles Youth Champions lost in the semi-finals, whilst St Olave's 1 (Sebastian Cooley and James Toop) won the event against St Olave's 2 (Peter White and Stuart White), taking away with them the 'Pile of Balls' Trophy.

The Singles Championship saw Dessie Keegan, the Irish Youth Singles Champion, emerge as the competition favourite, having arrived at the quarter-finals with the loss of only a few points. Keegan had to play very well to overcome a strong Giggleswick player (Chris Small) in the quarter-final, and then an Olavian in the semi-final (Peter White). The final was eventually between the Irish Champion, and 'the Eton Fives Champion, James Toop. The totally different styles and tactics made for a fascinating final, which saw an apparently even contest for the first ten minutes, pull away to a 15-6 victory for James Toop from St Olav's School. The 'Good Shot' was presented for the singles title.

This inaugural event enabled players of all abilities to relish an enjoyable weekend together, on courts which did prove to be ideal neutral ground for all Fives players. James Toop, winner of the singles and doubles, has since commented that the fact that this tournament was open to all Fives players from any code, made it feel like the most important tournament that he had ever taken part in at school level. (James won the Eton Fives Schools Open for the third year in a row and reached the final in the Rugby Fives Schools Open in the same season).

This annual event will next be held on Sunday 17th October, and is suitable for U16s and above. It is a Schools' Open event. There will also be a similar adult Open Championship event at Rossall next season and there is every likelihood that Rossall may soon become the host centre for a Northern Schools League, to include schools of all codes of Fives. Rossall will be available as the neutral home and away fixture between two schools of different of different codes.

Rossall Schools International 1998-1999 by Howard Wiseman
Created 8th February 2006 by Mike Fenn
efa@etonfives.co.uk

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