IDTTL News:

AGM and Awards Evening. May 2024

Another Successful AGM and Awards Evening Tonight!
Thank you for all that came and thank you to ISC for hosting.
🍕 🍻 🍷 🍕
Our winners from this evening:
Presentation of Trophies 🏆
Presented as follows:
Premier League: ​Woodbridge A​​​​
Div 1:​​​Britannia Gladiators ​
Div 2: ​​​Baylham Blaggers ​
Div 3: ​​​Britannia Sparrowhawks ​​

Doris Fox ​(services to the league): Steve Branton

Jim Kenworthy ​(most improved Junior): ​​Tarun Vignesh​

Players Player of the Season! Voted for by the players:
Premier: ​​Joe Fortnum-Adams​
Div 1:​​​ Jimmy Farrow​​​
Div 2​​​: Davie Goffin
Div 3: ​​​Johnny Clougherty

Handicap Shield: ​Woodbridge E ​​​​

Bernie Studd Performance Award from the Championships: ​Tarun Vignesh​

Division 3 Championship trophy: Rohan Richardson-Todd

Division 2 Championship trophy: Mark Thorpe

IDTTL AGM & AWARDS EVENING!. May 2024

The Ipswich and District AGM and Awards Evening will be held this Thursday, the 30th of May, 1930 start Ipswich sports club on Henley Road.

We look forward to seeing you there!

2024 Championships Schedule. Apr 2024

Date - Saturday 6th April 2024
Location - Indoor Tennis Centre, Ipswich Sports Club, Henley Road, Ipswich, IP1 4NJ
09:00 - Open Doubles; Mixed Doubles; Non League Singles
10:40 - Divisional Singles; Cadet (U15) Singles
11:40 - Junior (U19) Singles
12:40 - Vets (O40) Singles
13:00 - Under 11's Singles
13:20 - Ladies Singles
14:20 - Super Vets (O60) Singles
14:40 - Junior Doubles
16:00 - Mens Singles; Cadet Doubles
17:00 - Plate Singles; Under 13's Singles

We have full access to showers, changing rooms.

Bar will be Open from 08:00
Breakfast available from 09:00-11:30
Lunch available from 12:00-14:00

**Please Note - No Food inside main hall and only drinks in Sports Bottles allowed inside main hall**

Match Postponements. Jan 2024

Going forward we ask that Team Captains copy Sean Gridley in on any match postponements to opposing teams.

Sean's email as follows: seangridley@hotmail.com

Championships 23/24. Jan 2024

The Championships have been booked for Saturday 6th April at Ipswich Sports Club. Further details to follow! We will need volunteers to help set up and run the day. Please get in contact if you are able to assist on the Friday evening or Saturday.

Rumour Mill

  • The following waiver of ETTA Rule (2003/4) 57.1 is to allow the staging of handicap competitions, hard bat tournaments etc. The waiver is not intended to cover the normal league competition, only an "additional competition". Under ETTA Rule (2003/4) 57.1 all Competitive Table Tennis must, subject to any waiver granted, be played under the ETTA Approved Laws of Table Tennis, which are at present as set out in this leaflet.

    National Council resolution dated 9th July 1994 under Rule (1994/5) 42.7.1, to remain in force until further resolution, states: "Any County Association, Local League or club may, without specific permission, organise and conduct an additional competition or competitions solely among its own members and players on a knock-out basis , wherein the normal provisions of the Approved Laws are varied in one or more of the following ways:

    (1) by reducing or increasing the number of points required to win a game, either for all players or differentially under a system of handicaps

    (2) by restricting the type of racket covering or by otherwise diverging from the normal requirements as to equipment."

    To answer Adrian Clarke's suggestion of finding a method to allow people to play 21pt matches without breaching the ETTA regulations, we find the above WAIVER quite restrictive:
    We cannot run a 'league' type event, it must be knock-out.
    The event must come second to the main 11 pt league - this effectively means that players must be registered and involved in the main league.

  • Being a regular cleaner of his bat, the Registration Sec' was challenged the other night for cleaning his bat between games of a match. In such a situation there's only one person to ask... Chairman Bert with his umpire blazer on. Bert ruled that there is no regulation against cleaning your bat. Footnote: The magic cleaning fluid was none other than good old Suffolk tap water bor.
  • The three week grace afforded teams to play outstanding matches at the end of the season will be enforced so that matches played after that date will not count for the final league table.
  • The Ipswich league is currently trying to increase the number of people playing the league, especially those of a younger age group. Players usually enter the lower divisions of the league at an age of 13 - 14, however, by that time they will have been playing non-league Table Tennis for a couple of years and the earlier they start the easier it is to improve. Having said that, the league welcomes players of all ages.
  • In the summer of 2000, the ETTA decided to follow the ITTF ruling on using a larger 40mm ball, as opposed to the existing 38mm ball. If you are just starting or about to get into playing again after a break, you might want to check you're using the right size. The larger ball is easier to see and is slightly slower. Great for the old'ns!.
  • Another rule change of note for those who haven't played for a while, is the one concerning bats and the rubbers. Without getting into the finer points, it basically means those playing league and competition games have to play with a Red rubber on one side and Black on the other of the bat. If you are a pimple rubber user, you will need to check the current legal pimple types, (the old grass type pimple is out!).
  • Still trying to perfect that ultimate serve that no one can return? Watch out because the ball has to be visible to the opponent for the whole of the serve. No dangling the free arm in front of the ball!
  • Think the 40mm ball is big?. In Japan 44mm balls are making an impact - will we see the same?
  • Do you keep your tracksuit on until you are properly warmed up, i.e about the middle of the first game. Soon you may have to start the warm up clothed in the manner you wish to complete the whole game.