Westway's four Handball Fives courts have a NEW programme. There is something for everyone. Come and try this great new sport for West London on the only public courts in London. Call Westway and ask for Howard Wiseman who can introduce you to Fives with a free session! You can call Howard direct on 0779 2226036.

FIVES AT WESTWAY GETS LONDON RADIO RECOMMENDATION!

November 2004 saw Fives at Westway getting a mention on Robert Elms BBC London radio show. Westway coach Howard Wiseman was interviewed about the courts and why these novel facilities exist. The sport was recommended as an enjoyable new way to get active and as a great sport for all ages!

LATEST NEWS ON THE YOUTH ACADEMY AND FIVES PROGRESS AT WESTWAY...
Westway also took a significant part in the National Schools' Fives Championships, held at Highgate School. Some 350 pairs entered this six-day event from all over the country. Westway proudly put forward eighteen pairs of girls and boys to take part in the whole range of age groups from U12 through to Schools' Open (over 18s).

Seven local schools were represented - none of whom had played Fives before this year. All of their training had been received at Westway, and the participation in this great event was just reward for the hours of practice that these new young players had invested in the sport. Although one year of play proved too little to win any of the National categories, everyone improved their competitive play enormously as a result of the experience. Our top womens pair, Dominique Redmond and Jemma Turner, came very close to winning the Ladies Open, losing very narrowly in the final to a pair of three-times previous champions!

Earlier in the year Westway player and part-time worker Dominique had caused a stir in the Fives world by winning the National Ladies Winchester Fives Singles Championships, held at Malvern College at the start of March.

NEW UNIVERSITY CLUB NIGHT STARTS ON THURSDAY EVENINGS

The new club night for students (and lecturers / staff) at London universities runs from 7.30pm - 9.30pm. No need to book just come along - students pay ?3 per head. Any lecturers or university staff who want to join the action pay ?5.

So if you work or study at a london university come and join us - it might be the first night of the weekend but you can hit the bar afterwards if you want to!

Whether you are an experienced player or simply fancy a new and exciting game that offers the chance to exercise, have fun and improve hand-eye coordination we can find a session to suit you or you can simply hire a court yourself (Adults £4 per hour, concessions £3, juniors £2). We also offer special deals for schools, youth groups and run a league betwen the local housing blocks surrounding the Centre. These sessions are free to residents of Whitstable, Dixon, Lancaster West, Markland and Frinstead - call 020 8969 0992 and ask for Howard Wiseman to find out more!

This year's national Fives Schools' competition was played at Highgate School (see reports of Westway's successful participation above).

But it was back in 2003 that Westway's coaches started taking our new local Fives community national. 2003's competition was hosted by Eton, home of Fives, and a team of Westway regulars from City of London School decided after all the coaching from Westway it was time to try out their skills against the best in this week-long tournament. At this stage all they could offer the newer players at local schools was a fine example and lots of enthusiasm but by 2004 they were starting to see the local schools getting competitive!

The competition in 2004 saw many our new Fives recruits from local schools taking part. St Francis School, across the road from the Centre is just one of the local Borough School currently demonstrating great enthusiasm for Fives which joined the established players in 2004 and contributed pairs to the 2004 competition!

But back in 2003...

With 5 under 15 pairs and 3 open pairs (under 18s) City of London School were small fry compared to the big guns of Highgate, Eton, Shrewsbury and many others. But they started well with 2 pairs of 15s who only started playing in late September getting into the last 32 in the country! A further 2 got to the semi finals and another pair reached the runners-up finals, where sadly they lost to a strong Shrewsbury pair.

The open pairs did just as well, with 2 out of the 3 getting to the last 32, one of these pairs kept going and managed the last 16 - a great effort as previously they lost to Westminster and considering this, it was obvious what huge strides they had taken! The week was enjoyed by all the City pairs and they did their school and Westway Fives very proud.

On Sunday the 6th the City of London Fives Master offered to pair up with Mark Herring a Westway coach to play in the Kinnaird Cup, the biggest Fives tournament of the year, as "Team Westway!" Sadly they were knocked out a round before the quarter-finals by the No.1 seeds. They were then entered into the "Plate" competition where they were runners up to the Oxford University first pair. All in all a successful tournament that has helped put Fives at Westway on the map!

Mark Herring our first coach sponsored by the Fives Association to work at Westway during his pre-univerrsity gap year is pictured above with the City of London team, alongside a picture from one of the matches the City under 18 team competed in.