We have had another enjoyable season on the Winchester Courts, although sadly one that like everyone else’s was cut short. We have enjoyed playing with the next generation of promising school boys from the Winchester College fives factory as we make the most of these fabulous courts before they are turned into classrooms. Luckily for us, new courts are currently being built in a state of the art brand new sports center.
On the courts we welcomed some faces returning to fives after a long long absence- Charlie Milton had not played since leaving school in the mid 1990s but quickly rolled back the years. Julian Kingsbury was over visiting from his home in China in early February when COVID was still just a problem over there, but when the flights all stopped his inability to return home was our gain as he had an extra 6 weeks of fives from what he originally planned! The Kennedy brothers (Will and Charlie) were regular attenders this season, some 15 years or so after leaving the school and they brought plenty of athleticism and talent along with them. Neil Sherriff became a regular player again and a further eight newcomers, having entered the courts for the very first time, put up with the swollen hands and came frequently enough to ensure that the four courts were busy for the whole evening throughout the season.
The club was well represented in the RFA vs WFA match which this year was a fantastic affair (271-264 to the RFA) and also on the annual Jesters Tour. COVID and the early close to the season sadly meant that for the first time since the 1980s we were not able to have our annual Letchworth Bowl doubles tournament but we are looking forward to returning to a full 2020-2021 season once Boris and the School will allow us.