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The 2005-2006 Season
Fawley Construction Closed Championships
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Referee -:
Ken Armson MBE
Tournament Organiser -:
Arthur Garnett
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supported by
The City Sport
Development Unit
at the
Wavertree Tennis
Centre
Sunday January 15th 2006.
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Organising Committee
Ken
Armson MBE, Don Davies, Arthur Garnett, Dave Oakes,
John Langton, Ray Lavin,
Graham Rollinson
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and
once again thanks to the small band of helpers who miraculously change the
layout of the Tennis Centre into what the competitors see on the day,
then make it all disappear again at the end of the day when everyone else
has gone!!!
Thanks to League Chairman Don Davies for his many comments
and
historical information used in the following pages.
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Welcome
to the 78th Closed Championships' finals, the tournament, again,
generously sponsored by Fawley Construction and supported by the Liverpool City Council Sport
and Recreational Services.
On behalf of the League, I wish to pay
regards to SRS Manager Dick Johnson, who has shown great interest in
the sport, and has put the use of the Tennis Centre and prior to that,
Everton Park, at our disposal, Fawley Construction's Leo Crone, a
League Vice President. Our League President Bill Fawley, who has
relinquished day to day involvement with the company, must also be
sincerely thanked, without the assistance from each of
these gentlemen, the Closed championships, would be the poorer,
for
that, the League is grateful
With the demise of
the Liverpool Junior Open, the Committee decided to retain the long
standing Tennis Centre booking, rather than wait until the end of the
season, as we did last year, when it was held in May. With a veteran
event being held in Hereford this weekend, it didn't suit everyone,
but the decision was taken in the interest of the majority of League
members
Eighteen ladies are registered to play in the league, but by the closing
date, only two had entered the singles event. Last season, the event was
determined after a four players round robin, which was far from
ideal. Again, this is how two finalists' were arrived at. The event was
only rescued, when holder Clare Peers, who has recently been unwell,
decided to enter. Of the previous nineteen tournaments, only Clare (4
wins), Alice Howard (3), Brenda Buoey (1), Paula French, (1)
and Cherith Graham (1), are regular League players. Perhaps a more
surprising fact to emerge, is that since 1976 when Paul Tsang beat Dave
Roberts, only Kevin, Keith, Wayne and Dave, still play in the League,
although, of those thirty finals, sixteen have been annexed by the two K's.
In last year's programme notes, I highlighted the problem of the poor
Closed entry. Fortunately, sufficient 'late entries' arrived which
enabled Referee Ken Armson to stage the event. This scenario occurred
again over the past week or so and at one time, the Closed was in danger
of cancellation for the first time since 1939. The closing date for
accepting entries, was ignored by many and only via dogged perseverance
and total endeavor by Ken, are we here tonight.
Dogged perseverance and endeavour has recently been taken a bit further by
Ken Armson, as an ETTA Referee, his skills at organising Tournaments are
well known and asked for in the UK, not being satisfied with that, he has
now sat and past a most testing exam to become an "International Referee",
no easy life for Ken it seems. Tom Purcell also passed the "International
Umpires" exam this year, so congratulations to both Ken and Tom
Tournament Organiser Arthur Garnett, together with Ken Armson, should be
congratulated on what I'm sure, will be another successful Closed. John
Langton's diligent assistance on the Referee's table was appreciated by
the referee, as was the unstinting effort from Faith Moore, who carries
out a number of tasks, while George Smith, painstakingly keeps the wall
charts up to date.
Don Davies
Chairman
the slideshow photo's on each page can be controlled by
the "play/stop" buttons above each set of photo's |
