Sport

Meads wins Club of the Year

Published

5 years ago

October 14, 2016

Squash Club of the Year: Meads Squash Club

THE WALES SQUASH AND RACKETBALL annual presentation evening was held recently at the Angel Hotel in Cardiff.

One Pembrokeshire club received its fair share of awards. Meads Squash Club, who run out of Milford Haven Leisure Centre, for the first time ever a Pembrokeshire club received the WSRB Squash Club of the Year award. The club was against the largest clubs in Wales and were selected eventual winners not only for the work they undertake at the club but also the help and support they show to other clubs within the county and the work they carry out within the local community.

The club has worked hard over the past three years to achieve a player pathway out of the county, not only for club players but for any Pembrokeshire player to enjoy. They now have five teams playing league squash in Pembrokeshire, South Wales and in the Welsh Premier Divisions.

As well as a player pathway, the club have put into place a coaching pathway and, again for the first time ever, Pembrokeshire has regular coaching courses being run in the county at the club from Leaders, Level One and the first Level Two coaching course run this year.

As well as coaching at the club, the coaches go out into the community on school and club visits, giving children within the county the opportunity to have a go at the sport using portable rebound walls. They are also active with disability sport and again using the rebound walls, they have run a series of sessions with the Lets Get Active Milford Haven group whose participants achieved the club’s Green Squash Skills Award this year.

The quality of the coaches coming from the club has not gone unnoticed; for the third year running, a coach from the club has received an award at the WSRB presentation evening and, this year, Alfie Wheeler received Young Coach of the Year – a fantastic achievement at 16. Alfie has also completed his UKCC Level 2, which shows the level of support the club gives to their coaches.

On the junior front this season, the club has 25 attending regular coaching sessions only limited by the number of courts. Out of these juniors, the club have a number who play within the adult leagues through to premier division; six juniors attend the WSRB Academy training programme, four attend the WSRB National Squad training programme, four juniors were selected to play in the English inter counties and two juniors have received the Young Coach of the Year award this year.

Not limited to juniors, two of the club’s adult players received Welsh representational caps this year. James Walters, Manager of Milford Haven Leisure Centre, represented Wales in the home nations over 50s held at Aberdeen, whilst Nick Dyer, Headmaster at Huberston and Hakin junior schools, represented and captained the over 45’s side in Cardiff this year.

The club also received the WSRB Silver charter award this year for running good policies, procedures and practices at the club, including ensuring all coaches are DBS checked and have undergone safeguarding courses. The club is also working towards their insport ribbon award.

Pete Crook, Head coach at the club, commented: “It has been quite a year for the club and receiving the Club of the Year award is a fantastic achievement, knowing the size and quality of the other clubs throughout Wales within the category. This shows testament to all the good work being carried out at the club and beyond and by a lot of people behind the scenes.

“The player pathway has been put together for all Pembrokeshire players to enjoy the highest level of squash on offer in Wales, whilst the juniors have surpassed our expectations. Not forgetting the most important part for myself, the coaching pathway the club have put in place, this really is the backbone and the only way clubs can remain sustainable in the future. I am proud to be a part of such a dedicated group of people who have achieved so much in a short period of time.”

Sport

Sutton steers Cresselly into second round

Published

9 hours ago

May 13, 2021

James Hemingray

CRESSELLY set up a Harrison Allen second round clash with Hundleton as they beat Haverfordwest on Wednesday night (May 12).

It was a clash between the 2019 winners (Haverfordwest) and the 2018 winners (Cresselly) with both harbouring hopes of again reaching the final.

Cresselly won the toss and elected to field which looked to be a good decision as they restricted Town to 124-7 from their 22 overs.

Tom Murphy and Mike Shaw each picked up two wickets while Ryan Lewis and Tom Arthur also took a wicket each.

In reply, Cresselly lost Ryan Lewis and Iwan Izzard for single figure scores but Dan Sutton and Alex Bayley got the visitors going again.

Bayley hit five fours in a knock of 42 while Sutton top scored for his team, hitting nine fours in a score of 64.

That saw Cresselly over the line in the final over as they booked their place in the next round of the Bowl.

Sport

Dock too good for Laugharne in Harrison Allen

Published

10 hours ago

May 13, 2021

James Hemingray

PEMBROKE DOCK booked their place in the second round of the Harrison Allen Bowl on Wednesday (May 12) as they beat Laugharne by 134 runs.

The Dock won the toss and elected to bat and that looked to be a good decision with openers Jake Davies and Jake Griffiths sharing 102 runs for the first wicket.

That partnership was eventually broken by Tyler Reynolds who had Griffiths caught by Andrew Edwards. Griffiths had thumped eight fours and three sixes in his knock of 66 from 44 balls.

Davies hit five fours in a score of 46 but he was then bowled by Shaun Lynch.

Lynch also bowled Scott Griffiths but a knock of 34 from George Smith kept the scoreboard ticking over before Billy Wood’s late flurry (1 four and 1 six) saw the Dock to a score of 189-5.

The home side knew they would need to bat well to knock off the runs needed but the Dock had other ideas as Laugharne opener Andrew Edwards was ran out early on.

Billy Wood and Nick Daley bowled well as they sent the stumps flying to leave Laugharne on 20-4.

It was soon 23-5 as George Smith bowled Carl Smith.

There were further wickets for Smith and Jamie Wright as the Dock’s victory drew ever closer.

A score of 26 from Simon Davies wasn’t enough for Laugharne as they finished all out on 55.

Sport

Llangwm seal dramatic Harrison Allen win

Published

21 hours ago

May 12, 2021

James Hemingray

LLANGWM booked their place in the second round of the Harrison Allen Bowl as they beat Llechryd in dramatic fashion on Wednesday night (May 12).

In a low scoring game, Llechryd reached 104-9 in their 22 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat.

Llangwm were steady in their reply but they needed five runs off the final two balls. The first of those saw Llangwm take three and they were able to run two on the last to win the game.

Llechryd started well with John Curran hitting a four and a six in a score of 19 before he was bowled by Chris Inward.

Johnny Lewis reached a score of 13 but that proved to be unlucky as he was caught by Phil Llewellyn off the bowling of Joe Phillips.

Phillips also had the wickets of David Dunfee and Adam Betts while Inward bowled both Graham Keen and John Lumb as all four batsmen returned with ducks to their name.

Joe Mansfield spared Llechryd’s blushes as he hit four boundaries in a knock of 38 as they set Llangwm 105 to win the game.

Llangwm were in trouble early on in their reply as David Dunfee bowled Phil Llewellyn for a second ball duck and Joe Kiff on a score of 4 to leave them reeling on 10-2.

However, a third-wicket stand of 84 between Steven Mills and Noah Davies set Llangwm on their way to victory.

Llechryd hit back though as Andrew Fletcher denied Mills his half century as he was caught by Jonny Lewis on a score of 49.

Fletcher then trapped Luke Brock leg before wicket with the next ball to reduce Llangwm to 94-4.

Davies had made a good score of 30 but he was bowled by Graham Keen as the visitors were left needing five runs to win with time running out.

On the penultimate ball Chris Inward ran three and on the last, Matthew Kiff ran the two runs needed to win Llangwm the game in a thrilling finish.

The result also represented another mini shock as Division 1 side Llechryd exited the competition at the hands of their Division 2 opponents.