BUDMOUTH C took home two trophies at the Annual General Meeting and trophy presentations of the Weymouth & District Table Tennis League (WDTTL), which also saw the league pay tribute to fallen friends.
Springfield A took home the trophy for winning Division One, while Budmouth C won both Division Two and the Handicap Cup.
The evening was kicked off by chairman, Neil Hardisty, delivering a fitting tribute to two of the league’s stalwarts it had lost in the past year.
Val Bundy played at and for the Colliton Club in Dorchester for many years and she was a pleasure to play against but always gave her best. Hardisty quipped that the late Bundy was partly responsible for the rise of Budmouth over the last few years in being defeated by a young Tom Cherry back in the Division Three doubles final at the 2012 league tournament.
That win for Cherry inspired him to bigger and better things and subsequently a conveyor belt of youngsters from the school followed him to league success.
Last summer saw the passing of former league treasurer, Steve Rook, who served the league in the role for an incredible nineteen years from 1995 having played in the league since 1989 and was looking forward to another campaign.
Hardisty went on to say that it had been another successful season for the league with more teams of youngsters in the league than ever before and wanted to thank their parents for their support and transportation to training, matches and tournaments.
He also thanked coaches, who have given up a lot of their own time to develop themselves via coaching courses, which, along with their experience, then passed on to the aforesaid youngsters through training sessions.
He then mentioned the new Dorset Table Tennis committee introduced inter-league fixture, which pitted our league against those from Bournemouth, Blackmore Vale and Wimborne. Ray Cody, Mick Hogan, Tim Scott, Raj Lehal and Richard Wilshere represented WDTTL very well and ultimately won the fixture.
The committee were then thanked and in particular two of its ranks: Andy Millar, Development Officer, for his commitment, dedication, vision, planning and organisation have seen the league standard of play rise and also seen success of players both locally and all over the country.
Fixtures secretary, Andy Crouch, thanked all teams, especially those in the larger Division Three, for getting all their matches played despite disruptions from the bad Winter weather, and Ken Brake had worked tirelessly to get the league clubmark accreditation this year.
Mike Richardson, league president, presented the trophies on the night and the Mainstop Trophy, given out annually to those who have contributed a lot to the league over the years, was won by Gil Roberts of Shipton Gorge.
Trophy winners: Division One winners: Springfield A, runners-up: Park District.
Top of averages: Jeff Rigby of Springfield A.
Division Two winners: Budmouth C, runners-up: Springfield B.
Top of averages: Josh Clarke of Budmouth C.
Division Three winners: All Saints B, runners-up: Colliton C.
Top of Averages: Richard Wood of Springfield D.
Handicap Cup winners: Budmouth C, runners-up: Budmouth.
CONTACT US:
t: 01305 830990
e: sport
@dorsetecho.co.uk
twitter: @EchoSportNeil
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here