Prospects For The season

Table Tennis Club

The Agm was held on Thursday, April 21. The club captain Ron Barber mentioned in his annual report that last season was the moat successful in the club's history. The club had had thirteeen teams in the interclub competitions, and had won the Jackson Shield for the club with the moat points. The A grade team performed well, and finished fourth in the competition.

The winter tournament team was to be congratulated on its success in winning all events. An important feature of the season had been the amalgamation of the club with the Weir House Table Tennis Club.

Prospects

The club looks forward to a successful season. With probably fourteen teams this year we have a good chance of retaining the Jackson Shield for the interclub competitions, won by VUC last year for the first time. The club is by far the largest in Wellington and probably in New Zealand.

The standard of play is the highest it has ever been. Whereas three years ago there were hardly five players of B grade standard, this season there are about 25. We propose to have one A grade team, one A reserve, two B grade teams and probably two teams in every grade down to G.

The A grade team this season consists of Alan Robinson, NZU'singles and doubles champion and a semifinalist in the 1955 Wellington men's singles; Dave Marple, a well performed player in Tournaments over the last three seasons; Desalt Catley, a newcomer, who has played A grade for Technical for two seasons, and Bex Davis, a player who is a danger to the very best players. Dave is the only member of the team who is not playing with sponge rubber on his bat. There are no real weaknesses in the team, either in the singles or doubles combinations. We expect it to be highly placed in the competition this year.

The A reserve team will probably consist of Roly Woods, Herman Cattell, Colin Deacon and Rod Grubl. None of these use sponge. We are hoping for two A grade teams next season and whether we do have two depends upon the success of these two. Present indications are that it will come very close to winning the grade.

It should be mentioned that two members of the club, Tony Darroch and Alan Robinson, have been elected to the executive of the Wellington Table Tennis Association, where it may be certain they will look after the club's interests.