York Road TTC is the latest club to go under ITTAWeb’s Club Spotlight. Club Coach Ted Bollard provides us with an insight into the history and current status of the Dun Laoghaire club:
Records in the form of minute books for York Road Table Tennis Club go back to the year 1953. Previous documentation has unfortunately been lost, but a former member of the club remembers playing there in 1950. It is entirely possible that the club existed in the 30’s and played at that time in The Presbyterian TableTennis League.Since then the club has competed in The Bray and District TT League and the United Churches TT League, in both of which it remains to this day. An exceptional happening of note in the playing history of York Road was when one of our teams comprising of Paul Dilger, Jean-Pierre Hivet and Tara Bollard entered the Leinster League Premier Division 1998/1999 and duly won it. This was the only season the club ever had a team in The Leinster League.
York Road has had a long and chequered history. In the early days it struggled to survive, membership fluctuated,and at one stage in 1984 it had degenerated almost into a social club where the members just played darts and board games.All of the serious players had left the club by this time.Fortunately this low period finished when a number of good junior players complete with coach joined York Road from a neighbouring club who had decided shortsightedly not to pursue a youth policy.This new blood invigorated the club, and gradually former members returned, new members senior and junior applied to join, and within a year York Road was again a vibrant club.
Since then success has piled on success. Our junior teams were regular winners of the UCTTL Junior League (which is now defunct ) whilst the seniors did likewise in all divisions of the U.C.T.T.L. The club has hosted teams from Italy,Belgium, England,Spain ,and Wales, and
in turn has visited clubs in England, Scotland, Spain, and Wales. Over the years right up to the present time very many excellent players have come out of York Road. Many of our juniors have represented Leinster and Ireland in their respective age groups,whilst the seniors not to be outdone have had top ranking players on the Irish team on a long term and regular basis.We are more than proud to have been the home club for no less than two Senior Womens National Champions.
At the moment the club is thriving. Our senior section is strong -both numerically and competetively, whilst the junior section has some great quality( six Leinster Junior Interprovincials last season) and a lot of young talent on the way through, some of which will debut at competitions next season. With the use of two halls, nine tables,and five coaches we look forward hopefully to another sixty years.
Anybody wishing to be part of this progressive club should contact the Hon.Secretary, Mrs H Bollard at 01 2801312.
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