April 2017 enewsletter

SUBSCRIPTIONS:
The deadline for the discounted subscription rate was 31st March. For anyone who still wishes to renew their STC membership, full rates now apply. Please let us know if you will not be renewing your membership this year.

Next Committee Meeting:
This will be held at Ash and Jon’s house on Friday 12th May at 7pm. If you have anything you would like to relay to the committee prior to the meeting, please either contact a committee member directly or use the suggestion box in the clubhouse. We are still very keen to recruit any members who would like to support us by becoming a “Friend of the Committee”. Please get in touch if you would like to volunteer.

Maintenance Day:
This will take place on Sunday 7th May between 1pm and 3pm, during which time both courts will be closed for play. If you are able to spare some time, please come along and help spring clean the courts and clubhouse.

Adult Social Tournament:
This will take place on Wednesday 24th May starting at 9am. The sign up sheet will be appearing on the clubhouse noticeboard very soon.

President’s Cup:
The date of this tournament has been changed once again, but hopefully will now stick. It will take place on Saturday 27th May starting at 2.30pm and will include a Fish and Chip supper. Sign up sheets will be appearing soon. Apologies once again for the fluctuating dates.

Hospital Cup:
The draws are now up for this year’s Hospital Cup competition. If you are involved, please arrange your first round matches as quickly as possible.

Club Tournament:
The sign up sheets for this year’s Club Tournament will be up on the clubhouse noticeboard for the whole of May.

Housekeeping:
Please do not forget to take down Gavin the hawk and place him at the edge of the court before play. Whoever is last to leave the courts is responsible for putting him back up. New members might be interested to know that Gavin is in place to put off the local pigeon population.

Please can all used match balls from Essex Small Club matches be returned to 105 Cambridge Road immediately after each home match.

When the key is used to operate the floodlights for Essex Small Clubs matches, it is imperative that the key is turned back to the off position and the floodlight are not just left to go out at 10pm. There was an incident when this happened after a match last week and the lights automatically come back on at 10am the following morning.

Please regularly check the increasing number of initialled tennis balls which are left for inspection in the plastic box just inside the clubhouse.

You may have noticed that the new hanging baskets are up and the garden area behind the clubhouse has been replanted. As we shall once again be entering Stansted in Bloom, please could all members try to water the area, especially if you are sitting out at club sessions.

Ladders:
The ladders are now underway. Don’t forget to challenge your opponent before someone challenges you.

Wimbledon Ballot:
The STC Wimbledon ballot will take place at 7pm next Wednesday, 26th April. The sign up sheets will be taken down at 5pm on Monday 24th April. Don’t forget that to be eligible to enter the ballot, you MUST be a fully paid up member of STC, be a British Tennis Member linked to STC and you need to have opted in for the Wimbledon ballot. Those who do not meet all 3 of the above criteria will be removed from the lists before the ballot takes place.

Ladies’ Night:
The next Ladies’ Night will be on Monday 8th May starting at 7pm. All ladies welcome!

Coaching:
Chris is compiling a list of any Year 2 or Year 3 children who are keen to start coaching in a group. If your name is not already on the waiting list, please get in touch.

Used tennis balls:
Don’t forget that you can purchase a tube of 4 used tennis balls for £1. Please call in to see Jan at 105 Cambridge Road.

Essex Small Clubs League:
Results:

Ladies’ 1
Sawbridgeworth 13 Stansted 3

Mixed 2
Stansted 14 Castle Hill 2

Ladies’ Premier
Pleshey 8 Stansted 8
Stansted 10 Henham 6
Stansted 7 Dunmow 9

Mixed Premier
Stansted 2 Harlow 14
Sawbridgeworth 6 Stansted 10
Quiz:
AND FINALLY!
Thanks to all of you who responded to last month’s first e-newsletter quiz. Congratulations to Felicity Shakespeare who won a bottle of bubbly.
Please have a go at answering the four questions below and emailing your answers to me within the next 48 hours. There will be a prize for the member with the most correct answers. If there is a tie, names will be drawn from a hat. You can use any technological device to help with the answers.

1. In tennis, what is the difference in width (in feet, please) of the measurement of the singles court and the doubles court?

2. The inscription above the entrance to Centre Court reads, “If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same” – which poem and by whom do these lines come?

3. Compete this sequence,
I.Dodig (CRO) & M.Melo (BRA), B.Bryan (USA) & M.Bryan (USA), J.Murray (GB) & J.Peers (AUS), …………………………………………

4. When will the STC Wimbledon ballot take place?

Good luck and best wishes,
Chris