G.S. Squash UNDER-11 INTER-COUNTY FESTIVAL 2017
I am delighted to now be in a position to provide details of this year’s U-11 Festival, scheduled for Sunday 30th April, and to invite your County to participate in the Event. As usual, where I am uncertain of the U-11 Organiser, I am contacting either the U-13 Organiser (details provided by England Squash), ‘trusted contacts’ from past years, or simply the County Organiser, and trust that the information can either be kindly forwarded to the appropriate person, or their contact details can be provided, please. Please accept my apologies for any confusion in those instances where I have contacted more than one person in a county – better safe than sorry!
For anyone who has not been involved before, the Festival utilises the splendid facilities of The Bluecoats Centre at Christs Hospital School, aims to provide an opportunity for this young age-group to become familiar with playing and officiating in a full-team Inter-County Competition, in a friendly and hopefully enjoyable busy day’s Squash, which should prove to be a most positive experience. There is a Challenge Trophy for the winning team, and there will be the usual Presentation at the end, when all players and managers/coaches will receive a Commemorative Medal.
As you will see, I have kept to the same date as in previous years – Sunday 30th April 2017 – which once again gives everyone the Bank Holiday Monday to recover!
The plan is to run the Competition over a single day, as usual, on a Round-robin basis, and it is likely to involve a 10.00am start, with the Presentation no later than 7.00pm. The exact format will be tailored to the number of entries, but the aim will be to ensure that all teams play as many matches as possible in the course of the day. There has to be an Entry Fee, to cover all court fees, trophy expenses, and my time to organise and run the event, but I have again been able to keep this at £120 per team, as in past years, and is on the basis that, if a county is not in a position to meet the entry fee, and needs to pass it on to the players, it equates to £20 per head, which I hope will be seen as fair and reasonable for such a full day’s Squash.
Full details are as follows:
Date: Sunday 30th April 2017.
Venue: Bluecoats Sports Centre, Christs Hospital School, Horsham, Sussex.
RH13 0YP.
Tel. 01403 247572 Graham Stevenson mobile – 07941 52 20 10
Directions: Please refer to the Bluecoats / Christs Hospital School website.
Times: To be finalised, depending on the number of teams, but probably 10.00am to 7.00pm.
Format: Teams of 5 players (Boys & Girls) + a Reserve (all 6 to play – first 5 to count).
Round-robin basis, in leagues if necessary.
Age: Under-11 = born on or after 1st May 2006.
Prizes: Challenge Trophy + Commemorative medallions for all Players & Managers.
ENTRY: To enter, please e-MAIL YOUR INTEREST/INTENT, and then CONFIRM/SECURE YOUR
PLACE by returning the attached ENTRY FORM/FEE of £120 (cheques to
‘Graham Stevenson’ please, or ask re. bacs) a.s.a.p., and by 5th APRIL at the latest.
Food: A Cafe´will be open on the day, serving light lunches + drinks, or simply
bring packed lunches.
I very much hope that all is clear, and that your County would like to join us for this unique event, which I promise will be a great day’s Squash – needless to say, do get back to me right away, if you have any queries at all.
Although it is not essential to the enjoyment of the event, it is ideal if there can be a degree of seeding, so the closest clashes are perhaps later in the day, and so if you are able to nominate your team, in likely playing order on the Entry Form (not binding at this stage), together with any National Rankings and/or a comment re. the overall strength, perhaps relative to last year etc., that would be really useful.
Also, depending upon the number of counties entering this year, it may be possible for a county to enter a Second Team, or if they have a few Reserves who don’t quite make the Team, I may be able to put together an ‘All-Stars’ Team, made up of players from more than one county, so do let me know (on the Form), if you have spare players, who may be keen to be involved.
Once I have the list of entrants, I shall circulate a detailed Schedule of Play to all concerned prior to the day.
I thank you for your interest, look forward to hearing from you soon, and very much hope your County would like to participate in this year’s Festival.
Best Wishes,
Graham (Stevenson)
entry Form u-11-fest-entry-form-2016
