Stage is Set for Fourth and Final 2026 Season
The final season of competition for players in the open grade fixture at the Leichhardt Park Table Tennis Centre hits off this week and there will be a few regular participants of weekly matches who will be wanting to have their name on a trophy early in December at the local club’s presentation function after missing out during the other three seasons for the year.
Two weeks ago, at the conclusion of season-three, the combination of Matthew Pettett, Joel Gifford, Linda O’Sullivan and Dave Milverton narrowly won that flag but only after a tie with the side consisting of Rayden Smith, Glen McDonald and Julien and Oliver Wright. These teams had to be separated via the rules of the sport and due to Pettett’s outfit beating Smith and his team-mates when they met earlier in the comp the gold medals were decided.
In a season that saw many more developments than usual unfold with the most interesting being that three weeks ahead of the final fixture matches where the victorious team was to be declared on the first past the post finish Pettett went down with injury whilst playing Smith in the final of the men’s singles event at the Closed Championships and he has not hit a ball since. Pettett’s team was in the box-seat at that time as with a seven-point lead on the field but this advantage was whittled away due to the captain’s unavailability to the point that going into the final bout the team was in danger of missing out on this gold medal.
Other regular activities at the local table tennis club continue including junior coaching from 4.30pm on Thursdays where qualified coaches are always on hand to assist with the development of youngsters in the sport including new comers. This is followed by the Top Table session that hits off from 7.00pm and players of all standards and ages are welcome to take part in this singles competition where players are pitted against all attendees on a time-based match allocation schedule.
Club Night from 7.30pm on Mondays offers another opportunity for players to engage in a social hit-out while the session on Wednesday morning from 9.00am provides a similar situation with a view to improving the consistency of playing ability for adults. The long-standing Saturday afternoon practice session that hit-off at 2.30pm is very popular with people wanting to improve their games while the Monday morning Bat and Chat session continues to be popular with people over-50 years of age with varied experience in the sport.
Local players are reminded to make themselves available for the annual battle against the Bundaberg Club which is being staged in the Rum City on Saturday 14 November. In this year’s installment of the inter-city competition that has been in place for over fifty years it’s Rocky’s turn to do the travelling. Entry details will be available this week at the local club.
