A life in table tennis
Town league continues to bring enjoyment to more than 100 people
“OOH, I can play table tennis. In fact I’m very good!”
Fivers for each time I have heard someone say something on those lines would add up to a virtual cash mountain by now.
Yet I can’t remember anyone uttering those words going on to play a competitive match.
Let’s face it, ping pong, to coin a regularly misused phrase, isn’t the most glamorous of sports – and offers little prospect of a financially rewarding career.
But for more than 100 local folk it represents a competitive and largely enjoyable part of our leisure time – thanks to the local league.
The Loughborough and District Table Tennis League was formed following meetings in October and November 1961 with a regular winter league being held annually ever since. There has also usually been a summer league.
As with almost all sports, social and entertainment organisations, there have been bumps along the road and maintaining a good standard of competition in today’s climate when people are so busy entails time and effort.
The Loughborough league hosted more than 20 clubs in its pomp.
Names including Brush, Fisons, 3M Labs, William Moss and Cottons highlight that there have been many changes in the town generally over the decades let alone in table tennis.
There was also the loss of the former Granby Street Sports Centre, home to the league’s championships and coaching sessions as well as several clubs. Charnwood Borough Council decided on a change of use after a lengthy battle. Today the land forms part of a car park.
Oh, how I loved that sports centre! It was there that my table tennis journey started in the late 1960s.
Parents Maurice, the former Loughborough Hospital administrator and Shepshed Charterhouse’s dedicated reporter, and Joyce introduced my brother Paul and I to the sport early.
Friday nights were spent playing matches for Pioneer against the likes of Quorn, Fire Station and Rolls Royce in a murky broom cupboard of a room barely big enough to house a table. Win or not, there was always the reward of a bottle of Vimto.
Back then, I didn’t catch on why one or two players ensured all games ended before 10.30pm. If Chris Orton is still knocking about, that one’s for you!
There was regular and dedicated junior coaching available but nothing the likes of John Oxbrough or Ron Forster could do to get me to play ‘properly’. In a nice piece of continuity, I play with Ron in the Leicester League now and he provided the historical background for this article.
His carefully kept records feature names such as Dave Arterton, Reg Billson, Dick Johnson, Terry Jeffcott, Barry Ball and Fred Glover, stalwarts all from the town’s table tennis past.
There were fond mentions too of Anita Stevenson, a Loughborough player who ranked highly nationally.
Minutes of committee meetings over the year chart struggles to keep Loughborough
men’s and junior teams competing at Midland League and intertown level. Travel as much as selection was sometimes an issue for the youngsters – the prohibitive cost of £1.70 to get to Birmingham made me smile.
After the demise of the Sports Centre, respite came in the form of Queen’[s Hall, the former swimming baths, but again that was time limited.
Today the league doesn’t have such a useful base and the sole Loughborough venue to host league matches sees Unicorn and Students play at the University. Watch this space for that may not be for much longer…
Currently the league consists of nine clubs and 32 teams, figures that owe much to attracting newcomers Goons, Melbourne and Packington in recent seasons.
One bonus in the 2019/20 season was the emergence of a team of first-time players, Charnwood Gladiators, through regular coaching sessions run at the Deep End at Rawlins in Quorn. Sawley have also nurtured newcomers, both adult and junior, in recent seasons.
The Loughborough league now consists of four divisions, which compares well with how others have shrunk over the same period.
There is plenty of genuine talent among the ranks. Draycott, one of the few clubs in the country with their own premises, develop youngsters into nationally ranked stars and a resurgent Students, organised and motivated by Jordan Tweed, also nurture excellent and fast improving players.
One of the main reasons the league continues to do so well has been its willingness to be flexible.
Instead of 10-set three player matches lasting deep into the evening, the league was a true pioneer in introducing shorter matches consisting of four singles and two doubles.
Now matches end around 9pm, much more convenient for youngsters and their parents and just right for those of us who now appreciate the social side as much as the sport!
The Loughborough League is friendly as well as competitive and welcomes both new teams and individual players.
Mr Forster remains very much part of the furniture on the administration side and this article would not be complete without mention of David Green.
Due to stand down at the end of this season after 25 years as chairman, his name is almost synonymous with the Loughborough League.
It would certainly be much the poorer without him winning the town versus gown battle to keep the university in the league again bucking the national trend.
Fancy joining us and really having a game? Drop me an email to jbrinders@ yahoo. co. uk
and we’ll be in touch.