Dolphin VC Newsletter

2007-2008 SEASON
Well we’re over half way through the season now and it’s time for an update. We welcome our new players to the fold and hope they enjoy their volleyball with us.

TRAINING
There are a couple of Wednesday matches coming up so watch out for the emails. On those nights if you are not down to officiate there’ll be training on the other court from 20:00-21:00 and then you can support the team after.

OFFICIATING MATCHES
Can team secretaries who have re-arranged home games and sorted out officiating let Tracey Henneker know so she can update the website please. We now have plenty of players in the club so please help share the load by making it to your officiating when you are down to do so. Remember that others give up their time to ref your games so it is only fair to do the same. Please don’t leave it to the usual suspects. Many people come down to support the team and end up reffing. Let’s stop this so we can get supporters down to matches.

SVA CUP 2007-2008
The SVA cup is on the 20th April this year. Team secretaries will be in contact shortly to sort out who can and can’t play on that date. Remember Dolphins are running the cup again this year so your help and support would be appreciated.

SOCIAL EVENTS
Toward the end of the season we will have an AGM. It is your voice and input into the club that makes it what it is. Please make sure you attend if you can. Details will follow shortly.

The end-of-season do will be 17th May 2008. It will be held at the Eight Bells in Bolney and will cost £24 per head. Please confirm by email to myself and Vicky if you wish to come. Money will be collected before the evening.

The menu is as follows:

Starters
Smoked Salmon and crabmeat parcels (dressed with lemon and balsamic vinegar)
Or
Rustic Game and Cranberry terrine (served with Melba toast)
Or
Portabella Mushrooms (filled with onions, garlic & sage breadcrumbs topped with Stilton)

Main Courses
Pan-Seared Noisettes of Lamb (dressed with a minted black cherry and port gravy)
Or
Sussex chicken purse (chicken breast filled with brie, wrapped in bacon and served with a mushroom and garlic sauce)
Or
Whole Baked Seabass (stuffed with prawns and pine nuts and dressed with cherry tomatoes)

Desserts
Banoffee Pie
Or
Bread and Butter Pudding with Whisky marmalade
Or
Strawberry and Raspberry Pavlova

I think the menu looks outstanding and Waz and Em have said they’ll throw in a few bottles of wine for the tables. It’s first come, first served. If you want an award you’d better be sure to be there!!

Remember that after training we tend to go to the Eight Bells in Bolney for a socialable drink. Make the time to come down and get to know your club mates better.

The last quiz and curry night at the Ansty Cross was a good evening. We’ll be watching to see if they do another and if so we’ll try to get a few teams in from the club.

SUMMER TOURNAMENTS
There is normally a raft of summer tournaments. We will not be entering teams as Dolphins but I will pass details through as and when I get them. Adur doubles and triples are usually the last weekend in May, Ashcombe 21/22 June (confirmed). Gloucester the 2nd weekend in August and Richmond has now replaced Poole the last weekend of August. Seems like a long way off but these events tend to get booked up early so start thinking about them now!

SHIRTS & STUFF
As we have had a number of new players and a few leave us I am trying to keep a track of who has what. Shirts are on loan to the player whilst they are with the club if they decide to leave and wish to keep the shirt they need to pay £10 toward the cost of a replacement (shirt cost £26).

There will be another order going in for hoodies and t-shirts shortly with the Dolphin logo, club name and player name, nickname on. If you would like one please drop me an email. Money up front please so I’m not out of pocket!

CLUB NEWS
Most of you will be aware that we have a couple of club marriages coming up soon. Dean proposed to Liz just before Xmas and are soon to tie the knot. Sophie and Dodge got engaged over New Year and are marrying in June. Good luck to both couples and best wishes for their futures together. It’s also Sarah Wood’s 30th birthday on 28th February. Please buy her a drink when you see her next!

Sadly we’ve had a number of injuries. Rich broke his ankle at the end of November in an NVL game and has been out for some time. Gareth damaged his shoulder and will be out indefinitely and Sarah has got so many things broken at the moment the list would last a page! A speedy recovery to all. Hope to see you back on the court soon. Sarah in particular as I’m making a right arse of playing through the middle!

WEBSITE
Don’t forget this website! If you have ideas that you would like to see included then let myself or Tracey Henneker know and we can get that on here. We’d also like to get player profiles on here. Send me a mail with some details for you! Also added this year are pages for the national league. There are match reports for each match so please take a look if you get the chance.

The Dolphins teams are having a bit of a mixed season. Mainly down to changes in team members and work commitments stopping people making training. Hopefully we can end the season well.

NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS
As you are all aware Dolphins started a men’s and a ladies national league team this year attracting players from Adur, Worthing and Brighton. Both teams have the potential to finish high in their respective leagues in the coming seasons and both teams can still contest for third/fourth place in their respective leagues this year – a fantastic achievement in our first season. Thanks to those of you who have come down to support or officiate the matches.

Both teams were entered into the Cup competition. The Ladies lost their first round match to University of London who have gone on to beat London Malory to reach the semi-finals. The Ladies went into the Shield competition and beat Wandsworth White Eagles in their first round. Then had the long trip up to Loughborough to play ex-Div 1 team Loughborough Dolphins. Sadly they lost in 3 sets but the scoreline 24-26, 21-25, 27-29 showed how close the game was. Loughborough Dolphins are now through to the semi-finals of the Shield.
The men also lost their first round match in the cup against the RAF in a closely contested game. Sadly the men could not get a team out for the next round in the Shield and had to default the game to Danes Watford.

That’s it for now. Anything you’d like included next time let me know and I’ll make sure it gets in.
Hope to see you at training or a match soon.

Cheers,
Tracy