SussexSport 15 by Global Sports Media

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Issue 15 Spring / Summer 2013

ED JOYCE

The Exemplar

szczak • Worthing Thunder Ku z as m To • s er ip Ku el ich M • Joe Marler Gymnastics Active Sussex • Brighton & Hove eedom Leisure Fr • e id gu e nu ve e at tim Ul • cy Olympic Lega

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Photography: Paul Hazlewood, Mike McNamara, Pinnacle Photography, Sussex CCC, Grounded Events, Breathe Unity, Eastbourne Eagles Speedway, Sussex FA, Worthing Thunder Basketball Club, John Stean.

ose Mourinho may have returned for a second spell as Chelsea manager, but whoever you support, the signs are that the remainder of the year for Sussex Sport fans could be a Special One.

The cricket season returns with Sussex CCC holding high hopes for a successful season,while the football season has come to a conclusion,with a steady level of frustration across the Sussex sides. Brighton & Hove Albion endured a heart breaking Championship playoff semi-final defeat to Crystal Palace, which ended their hopes of top-flight football for the first time since 1983, and we caught up with their goalkeeper Tomaz Kuszczak and stand-in skipper Liam Bridcutt to get their take on the season.

Contributors: Daniel White, Clare Nichols, Bruce Talbot, Dave Brayley, Tony Cottey, Michel Kuipers, Andy Stewart, Nick Saloman, Kevin Rogers, Andy Duck, Dan Tester, Richard Neale.

While footballers jet off to enjoy the summer holidays, the cricket season gets underway and we sat down with Ireland batsman Ed Joyce to see how he has prepared ahead of his first full season as the team’s captain. Sussex and England rugby forward Joe Marler tells us about pink hair, his World Cup dream and his hopes for 2013, while we also report on Emma Taylor-Gooby’s experience as she smashed the Brighton Half Marathon record.

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We preview the basketball season with Worthing Thunder’s coach, Daniel Hildreth, after a near miss in this season’s EBL Division One final as well as all our other regular columnists– Michel Kuipers, Mike Donovan, Tony Cottey and Mr Angry – all as entertaining as ever.

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SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /3

Editorial

this is issue fifteen of Sussex Sport, your FREE magazine available throughout Sussex.

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c0ntents Columns in influencing Example is not the main thing others, it is the only thing

Ed JoycE tElls daniEl WhitE about thE challEngEs ahEad

Michel Kuipers

This memorable quote from Pulitzer Prize winner Schweitzer offers an of inspiring insight into the realm taking leadership, one that Ed Joyce is

very seriously. This season the Sussex dressing room won’t hear any rousing speeches like that of Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday,or Kurt Russell in Miracle, however, they certainly won’t be full lacking in inspiration.In his first is season as club captain, Ed Joyce the looking to be a leadernot only on sets pitch but also in the example he every day. be “I think my personality is just to by lead to as consistent as possible, of example,” Joyce said with a sense quiet confidence. “I’m not a massive one for shouting and making big that. like anything or speeches set of “You can live by a very specific job values we have at the club and the those of any leader is to try and live by values and make sure that the young by players coming through are abiding them as well. So try and be the fittest, and try runs, most the try and score as be the one who does the right thing much as you possibly can and people

as sussEx captain.

Tony Cottey

The Big Interview

Pictures by SUSSEX CCC

Liam Bridcutt Tomasz Kuszczak

THE BIG INTERVIEW 2 WITH JOE MARLER

here was a twinkle in his eyes and a smile forming. Joe Marler, a rising Sussex and England rugby star, is recalling his various out-there hairstyles. “My favourite was probably the red one with the red stars and stripes. Pretty stupid looking back. Then there was the one which depicted sausages to advertise a mate’s sausage company. That was different. I’m still waiting for some free sausages as part of the deal!” But Marler, from Heathfield, insisted to SussexSport that the “stupid” follicle arrangements, during which he was fast-tracked by Stuart Lancaster’s England set-up, have gone for good, although that implied he did not deem the eye-catching style, with full beard, during last month’s Six Nations Championship “stupid”. The prop says: “It was probably the ridiculous haircuts that got me noticed. The ‘plan’ certainly worked!

Freedom Leisure Mid Sussex Golf Club W0rthing Thunder Albion In The Community

The Big Interview

MARLER PROVES HE’S A CUT ABOVE

The Big Interview

Brighton Half Marathon

BY MIKE DONOVAN

competition to be played on these down to my rugby club. You are shores in two years with the nation a bit of a big lad’. My dad (Paul) had played hoping its rugby team can emulate for Hellingly and said to me ‘if you the achievement of our football side in fancy it we’ll go down’. So I started 1966 on a global scale. going every Sunday. I played from He says: “I loved playing in the under-12s to under-16s. Six Nations after being a travelling “I enjoyed it. A load of good lads. reserve last year and it’s a massive Had a laugh. Never took it seriously. dream of mine to go on and play in the Not great for the team, because I was World Cup in my own country. That’s always mucking around. what I’m striving for. But there’s lots “But rugby was a good release of tournaments, lots to learn between for me. Something constant with me now and then to give myself the being best just an average teenager growing possible chance of possibly playing up, going out with my mates, causing in it.” a bit of trouble and getting told off for The former Maynards Green it. “Will Stadler, my first coach at Primary and Heathfield Community Eastbourne, was probably my biggest College pupil, who played a handful influence growing up. A big South of games for his old secondary school, African guy. He was good in the sense has come a long way since a friend that his No.1 thing was ‘enjoy what suggested he gave rugby a go. you do. There’s no point in being here He moved through the juniors if at you are not enjoying yourself’. Eastbourne and Haywards Heath, “Eventually I fell out with the club developed at Harlequins Academy, and moved on to Haywards Heath enjoyed a loan spell at Worthing, to and play for their colts for two seasons. It

Marler’s World Cup dreaM began in developed froM england under-1 earnest When he 8s and under-20 to Make that full debut against south afriCa in front of his faMily. They were frowned

Nuffield Health

upon. I was told all became a professional alongside the time ‘you’ve got s**t hair and you the likes of England captain Chris need to cut it’. I went ‘okay, although Robshaw and former fellow Sussex I’m not going to because I really like players Jordan Turner-Hall, Ross it’. Chisholm, Charlie Matthews and Rob “But I can’t be arsed with it anymore. Buchanan at the Stoop. I enjoyed it while I could but, even But it has been – and remains - a though I’m only 22, I’m receding a bumpy ride with Marler blowing bit. Also the referee was more hot likely and cold about rugby. to point and say ‘there he is’ if I was The forward, who helped England on the wrong side of a ruck or at the defeat Scotland in the Calcutta Cup bottom of a scrum. I’m just looking to clash at the start of the Six Nations crack on with my rugby now.” with fellow Sussex players Joe His words seemed symbolic of a Launchbury, try-scoring debutant boy becoming a man. A growing Billy up. A Twelvetrees and Dylan Hartley, says: coming of age. “It is just my bi-polar nature that has Along with the maturity has come made me fall in and out of rugby. a cementing of his place in the I still full do it now. I don’t think that will ever England set-up and playing in the stop, although I’m more control 2012 autumn internationals as of that well now.” as the latest Six Nations, which could Marler began playing rugby at 11. all prove steps towards a World Cup He says: “I played football but dream coming true. To be part my of a best mate said ‘why don’t you come

Active Sussex Preston Insurance Gymnastics

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Your fitness coach

was a good set up. There were a lot of county boys who wanted to play decent rugby. Then it was Quins, where I enjoyed my loan to Worthing early on. But Marler started to feel “burned out” through increased rugby commitments, with an international career also taking off. Former England player Will Green, from Sussex, who coached at Worthing’s Roundstone Lane, convinced him to keep going. Marler says: “There were times I was a bit down. This is actually a hard work. I’m not enjoying it. I went to Will and asked him ‘did you ever get like that’. He said ‘of course. Anyone is going to get like that, with any job they do. But you’ve just got to appreciate the good times’.

“

I loved playing in the Six Nations after being a travelling reserve last year. It’s a massive dream of mine to go on and play in the World Cup in my own country. That’s what I’m striving for.

”

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SussexSport

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Golf

AND CO IT’S ACADEMIC TO HENNING S S FOR THE FUTURE . DAN WHITE REPORT YOUNG MID SUSSEX FOCUS ON LESSON

26 Olympic Legacy: Cycling

“

of our We literally ‘hold the hands’ t them Academy members and instruc rules and on their swing technique, the matters etiquette of the game and other table and that make them feel comfor welcome in the club.

plus

it.” they had taken to golf and enjoyed The Academy is run by Henning and made up of three PGA golf professionals and three PGA teaching professionals with a wealth top delivering in experience of and advice on the physical, mental physiological aspects of the game. many Together they have completed of all standards. training programmes on technique, Henning, who won the PGA. Trainee goal- setting and course management to of the Year award in 1982, has coached and helped hundreds of beginners thousands of golfers and, in January the game of golf. with love in fall 2011, moved his Academy from Inspirations such as Rory McIlroy and Haywards Heath to Mid Sussex. (£88m) Westwood (£150m), Lee as He said: “I started the Academy Justin Rose (£87m) not only taking I felt it an ideal route for a non-golfer home multi-million pound pay and to try the sport in a cost effective to the cheques in 2012 but also rising informal way. sat in top of their field, with all three the “It seemed a perfect stepping stone the PGA world top ten, have given once into, potentially, full membership, sport a boost. the new customer determined whether

id Sussex Golf Club opened its doors to the public in 1995 yet, despite its relative adolescence, is one the top teaching centres in the country. Resident PGA head professional 25 Michael Henning has more than years experience in coaching golfers

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Ed Joyce

SussexSport

faces in it like Rory and young players Wells) like Ben Brown and Wellsy (Luke now looking to progress, so it’s Ed’s role to almost father some of those players the through. It’s a different time for club now with a new Chief Executive new etcetera, it feels exciting, it feels and that’s healthy. “ and With high hopes for the season a well-balanced squad of players, the pressure is on Joyce to deliver, play although, with everything still to his for this season, he won’tbe turning him back on the methods that have got this far. “I’ve been here for four years now perform and try I’ll and the lads know be said by myself.When things need to to they will be said and I’m just going and try and add consistency and try is get the best out of individuals, which the something Sussex have done over will be last few years. Lead by example my mantra.” SXS

/21 www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15

SussexSport

Sussex County FA

6 Snippets 38 A-Z

copy.” As the club captain and one of the older members of the squad, the responsibility on Joyce to lead by example has never been more prevalent and, as the season swings it is into full flow, coach Robinson feels up to Spud to help them progress. “Ed now takes over on a different

with the veteran players in the squad and will follow you.” such as Michael Yardy, Chris Nash in a Joyce, 34,is undoubtedly a leader Steve Magoffin, the squad contains his actions, with over 12,000 first-class and comfortable mix of experience runs in county cricket, two winners youth. A combination, Joyce believes, and a medals from the Twenty20 Cup work ethic in the strong a installed has Pro40 National League title, he certainly team. belly. his in fire the hasn’t lost “I think fundamentally the strongest With the loss of, arguably, the is a great Sussex, thing we have at the club we greatest batman ever to play for team ethic and great team values, the following Murray Goodwin’s move are without a doubt, in my opinion, the to Glamorgan in the off-season, hardest working team in the country. onus will be on Joyce to hit big scores If you ask any other team they would play consistently. say we’re not particularly nice to Goodwin, of loss the Following the against because we do things in air an the Sharks have made a number with explained right way,” Joyce of signings in the close season, of conviction. with former Sussex batsman Rory As the full-time captain Joyce, or will Hamilton-Brown returning and Surrey ‘Spud’ as he is known to teammates, all-rounder Chris Jordan and Andrew with Sussex head closely working be Miller signing on at the newly-named coach Mark Robinson and, despite the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County differing in leadership techniques, Ground. confident is batsman former Middlesex While such additions are sure to the two will work well together. first help as the season progresses, at “We are very different and I think right He’ll it will be Joyce’s job to create the that will actually be a good thing. he is harmony within the squad, a task

Features

The games

”

probably lead more in the dressing one out room than I would and ill be the making on the pitch doing the decision there. I’m probably a little bit calmer thing. than he is but I think that’s a good I think the team needs both.” on a Joyce took on the role as captain temporary basis in July 2012, following down Michael Yardy’s decision to step lead and, while he will be looking to be also will he way, own the team in his of the recycling his favourite methods in his ICC World Twenty20 champion own leadership style. “He feels very passionately about very the club and out in the field he’s calm, always making rational decisions and no matter what happens, if you’re that winning or losing a game, I think those always came out in him, so I think to are the biggest traits that I’d like

now and the lads know I’ll “I’ve been here for four years try and perform by myself.” fresh stage where he’s got some quite

48 Joe Marler

11 12 17 20 22 24 28 30 32 34 37 42 44 47

on. slightly apprehensive about taking He said: “It’s my first season properly captaining a county so I’m a little bit nervous about how we’re going to go,”pausing for a moment before clearing his throat and continuing. “But I feel like we’re finding ourselves to and we’ve got a squad of players ” compete in all three competitions. in The signing of Hamilton-Brown, particular, is one that excites Joyce ahead of the 2013 season. The 25-yearto old right-hand batsman moved Surrey in 2010, however, personal issues mixed with an unsuccessful shot of return to the Surrey side left him confidence and feeling isolated. After being released from his 2012, contract with Surrey in September he re-signed with the Sharks andJoyce and feels he is now back to his best raring to go. anyone seen ever I’ve “I don’t think life,” more up for a cricket match in my “He he said with an enthusiastic smile. had a tough couple of years so there he’s might be a few scars from that but to be a quality cricketer and he seems in a great place right now.” up linking additions With the latest

Pictures by PINNACLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Mr Angry

“

THE EXEMPLAR

Cricket

Mike Donovan

Cricket

9 14 15 19

”

So, with more talent than ever before coming out of the UK, it is logical that young people are becoming more interested in what was once considered an ‘old man’s game’. the At Mid Sussex, it is clear to see with forward-thinking system in plac of the a heavy emphasis on the future great game through the junior golfers. on The club place high importance be becoming the very best you can sport a is it that forget but does not that is about having fun. With enjoyable group and individual lessons available, beginners are able to learn the game in a relaxed also environment with friends but can take part in more focused one-on-one sessions. Lee Andrews is currently the lead coach for the Sussex Junior

Development Academy and has turned numerous golfers into PGA professionals, including Hayleigh Wigmore, David Andrews and Alastair Malins, who are all tutors at Mid Sussex. His focus on the development of only youth at Mid Sussex is crucial not a for the club but also as it provides better future for golf. Andrews said: “They are the future of the club. To make sure all golfers receive excellent service we have seven PGA golf professionals and the golf balls are free to Academy members to help practice and improve. “We have set up free Academy their clinics and competitions to help golf swing and step to going onto the The course and getting a handicap.

the more people we get to play golf the better for us and the better for sport.” of To ensure they get the best out their members, the Academy has at installed Flightscope technology the club, allowing tutors to gather data about equipment and swing efficiency. The Flightscope launch monitor the accurately records the flight of ball, giving true spin and launch the data, which enables tutors to use information to improve a golfer’s swing and, therefore, all-round performance. As well as improving the handicap of a golfer, the Academy also provides instructions on course decorum, assistance Henning feels helps incorporate players into the club.

He said: “We literally ‘hold the hands’ of our Academy members and instruct them on their swing of technique, the rules and etiquette make the game and other matters that them feel comfortable and welcome

in the club.” In a struggling market, membership at Mid Sussex is up and, with the golfers Academy helping hundreds of knew finding a love of golf they never they had, it has clearly been a success. Henning said: “My team and I felt it our duty to encourage new golfers So into the game and into the club. and through the teaching programme still Academy this was realised - and is being realised - with incredible results.” SXS

SussexSport /49 www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15

Daniel Hildreth The Future of Worthing Thunder Page 30

Man United to The Amex

12 SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /5

Contents

ashed the course sm by oo -G or yl Ta a m Em . record. 1hr.18min.06sec

Snippets

Eagles on the outside track The Eastbourne Eagles start the 2013 Elite Speedway League as rank outsiders for the championship but with a squad that is competitive from beginning to last hopes are high at Arlington Stadium. Despite the losses of Lewis Bridger, to Lakeside, and No.1 rider Joonas Kylmakorpi, the Eagles have balanced their squad. Adam Shields has returned with Bjarne Pedersen, the new No.1. The season begins on March 25 and, following a fifth-placed finish last year, team boss Trevor Greer is confident of a successful season. He said: “We are pleased to piece this side together. It’s a team we believe can challenge at the top end of the table. We were there or thereabouts last season but hopefully these guys can push us on a stage further.” The Eagles were runners up in Pedersen’s last season at Arlington in 2011, and Greer is hoping to go one step further with the Danish rider back. Greer said: “He had a fantastic season getting us into the play-offs two years ago but then we blew it at the last stage. “I think he comes back this year looking to make up to the fans to a certain extent. “Bjarne didn’t ever really want to leave us in the first place. He always made that clear. He really enjoyed his time here and he’s said had he not come back here, he wouldn’t have stayed in England.” The one potential weakness is Shields who announced his retirement from the sport last year during his time at Belle Vue.

Grant secures Academy spot Sussex have added Sam Grant to their Academy programme for the 2013 season. Grant, 17, is an all-rounder who bowls left-arm seam and bats in the top order for his club side, Steyning. The Brighton College student caught the attention of Cricket Performance Manager Keith Greenfield following an impressive year last season in which he scored 354 runs at an average of 35 and took best figures of 3-36.

Since then the Australian has returned to the track, stating family reasons surrounded his departure, and re-signed for Eagles after an impressive try out. Cameron Woodward has been made captain for the fourth straight year. Greer said: “Cameron was the obvious choice again this year. He’s well-liked and has the riders’ respect. He comes across very well and whatever you need from him, he will do it for you. He’s a great team rider.”

Batting coach Les Lenham recommended Grant. Greenfield said: ”Les approached me earlier in the year about Sam and how well he was developing. We kept an eye on him and invited him to practice with our Development Squads and Academy. “He performed very well and we had no hesitation in offering Sam a place. He clearly has the drive to improve his skills and we look forward to helping him achieve his goals and aspirations.”

Feathering nest Boxer Ben Jones, 30, from Crawley, is aiming for a world title shot after securing the vacant WBO European superfeatherweight belt with a unanimous decision over Scot Kris Hughes at the K2. He told The Argus: “It’d be nice to get a world title shot in America. “

Crawley claim top ten finish Crawley Town recorded their highest ever league finish after a 2-2 draw against Hartlepool secured a 10th place finish in League One. Crawley boss Richie Barker said: “To finish in the top 10, having been in non-league two years ago, is an amazing achievement. We’re in the bottom few in terms of budget but we’ve finished 10th. It’ll be harder next year with a smaller budget.”

SussexSport 6/Issue 15 www.sussexsport.co.uk

Grinstead back at the top East Grinstead have returned to the top level of European indoor club hockey for 2014. They were promoted after winning the B Division of the European Hockey Indoor Club Trophy in Vienna with the help of Olympic ace Ashley Jackson.

Albion have made a double signing with imposing centre-back Rohan Ince and highly-rated goalkeeper Christian Walton joining with their development squad. Ince, 20, joined Chelsea on an 18-month deal after having his pro contract cancelled with Chelsea. Walton, 17, had attracted the gaze of a number of Premier League clubs but will sign a professional three-year contract in the summer.

Murphy retires

ove fighter Ben Murphy (9-6-1) has quit boxing after a six-year career and 16 bouts. Murphy, 32, lost his British lightweight challenge fight against Martin Gethin in January. He said: “I’ve neglected things in the rest of my life and I feel like I want to dedicate myself to my family, my daughter Coco who is four and my missus Mahi. They are everything to me.”

CMS a winner Craig Mackail-Smith has won the Brighton & Hove Albion fans’ favourite goal of last year for his acrobatic overhead kick against Burnley on September 1. The former Peterborough striker beat Inigo Calderon’s screamer against Bristol City and Bruno’s half volley against Bolton to claim the prize.

Kuipers leaves

rawley Town goalkeeper Michel Kuipers has left the club after his contract was cancelled by mutual consent. Kuipers, 38, made 51 appearances for the club during their back-to-back promotions but had not featured for the Reds this season. He had taken on a coaching role in the summer.

Shepherd’s story Former Brighton & Hove Albion striker John Shepherd has published a book entitled ‘In and out of the Lion’s Den’. Shepherd, top goalscorer for the Seagulls’ in the 1958-59 season, tells how he overcame polio to become one of the most prolific goalscorers in English football.

Brighton secure title at Twickenham

he Brighton Blues won their third title at Twickenham in five years after a 30-22 victory over Bridlinton in the RFU Intermediate Cup final on Saturday. Three conversions, two penalties and a try earned Alex Finch the Man of the Match award as they added the Intermediate Cup to the 2009 National Junior Vase and the 2010 National Senior Vase.

Bridge in Team of the Year Brighton & Hove Albion defender Wayne Bridge has been named in the Professional Footballers’ Association Championship team of the year. The former England international, on loan from Manchester City,has excelled this season at left-back, playing 39 games for the Seagulls.

Reds loan Lion Crawley Town have signed striker Aiden O’Brien on loan from Millwall until the end of the season. O’Brien, 19, has failed to make a first team appearance this season for the Lions, despite scoring twice against Holland in his Republic of Ireland Under-21 debut.

Thunder suffer play-off final defeat Worthing Thunder fell at the final hurdle as they were overcome 88-57 by the Reading Rockets in the EBL Division 1 play-off final at the Amaechi Basketball Centre in Manchester. Daniel Hildreth’s side had reached the final after a controversial goaltending call in the semi-final against Northumbria gave the Thunder a 54-53 win. However, their season ended in disappointment with a poor night from beyond the three-point arc (19%) contributing to their heavy defeat.

Compilied by Daniel White

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Snippets

Double signing

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Bring the Tennis Back!

he crème de la crème had a ball in the city which provided fun, good food and the sea besides tempting toffees and chocolate and tennis. Let me tell you a story from back in the day which illustrates the vibe I want to bring back with the event. There I was with bunch of journalists and sat amongst us was Steffi Graf. We were upstairs in English’s Fish Restaurant and Oyster Bar in East Street. Steffi was happy to be there. She was a big music fan and she and I chatted about bands of the time as diverse as Simple Minds and Inspiral Carpets. There was never any aloofness from the tennis superstar, no pedestal to climb down from. She was relaxed, easy to talk to and genuinely interested in what you had to say (even in my case). The mere fact you were able to get that close up and personal with a sporting icon - a totally alien concept in so many sports these days - reflected the difference between the Brighton Women’s International (with the men taking it over in 1996) and pretty much any other tennis event on the pro tour. The late George Hendon ran it (and the Eastbourne event, as it

“The crème de la crème had a ball in the city which provided fun, good food and the sea besides tempting toffees and chocolate and tennis.” happens) and was responsible for creating such a feel. The players loved him. Steffi was a special favourite and won the tournament a record six times. But Martina Navratilova – a two time champion – and Chris Evert – who collected a hat-trick of crowns – enjoyed coming back year after year, popping in to the tournament officer where George’s wife Eileen and daughter Nola would be dispensing confections of Quality Street from its famous box. Our own Sue Barker, the lone British champion and now a rival to Clare Balding for top sports presenter, was also a big Hendons fan. It would be a tall order to find another person with George Hendon’s charisma and, indeed, to convince the powers-that-be that it would be worth finding a slot for Brighton and Hove somewhere on the professional tennis bandwagon. But who would have thought the city would be able to stage matches in the Rugby World Cup – which they will do at Brighton and Hove Albion’s Amex in 2015 – or welcome the Tour de France, with Lance Armstrong, in the 1990s (I still remember

the blur of bikes and coloured tops whizzing down Dyke Road)? If you don’t dream nothing happens. Surely there is someone out there who can combine all the good things that makes the city what it is and have it all reflected in a tournament which would continue to put it on the sporting map. Albion have done their bit. So has Sussex Cricket Club. So have the organisers of the Brighton Marathon and Half Marathons. It might be greedy to give one English county two international tennis tournaments to put on each year. But Brighton and Hove is, afterall, LondonOn-Sea. And London has hosted countless major sporting events, most notably the Olympic Games last year. While we are discussing how to attract sporting superstars to Brighton, I am reminded of two who featured in a League Cup tie at the Goldstone Ground on 23rd September 1992. Some footballer called David Beckham came on as a substitute for the Manchester United of Alex Ferguson – preknighthood – against Albion (it was 1-1 for the record). Now what happened to those two? Oh yeh, one promotes underpants and the other could only hack it at the top for 27 years at Old Trafford before retiring as the greatest British footballer manager of all time.

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /9

Comment

DONOVAN Mike

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Football

GUS THREW ME A LIFELINE BRIDCUTT THANKS POYET. DANIEL WHITE REPORTS

Pictures by Paul Hazlewood

n the last three years Liam Bridcutt has experienced the highs and lows of life as a professional footballer. After his release from Chelsea without playing a top-flight game in the summer of 2010, Bridcutt found himself unemployed and unfit until Gus Poyet gave him a lifeline with Brighton & Hove Albion. “At the time I didn’t have many opportunities,” Bridcutt said.“Gus was good enough to give me an opportunity to come in and prove myself and I think I did that, that’s why I’m here today.” Following an impressive debut season at the club, during which time Albion became League One champions, the former Watford midfielder signed a new two-year deal at the club. He said: “The first season I came in on a short term contract and I had to work hard to get in the team and play regularly, I managed to do that and get promoted.” A year on and the former Chelsea trainee was voted the Seagulls’ 2011-12 Player of the Season as they achieved a 10th placed finish in the Championship.

midfield and back-line, Poyet believes he is one of the country’s elite performers in central midfield. “I know he’s the best in that position and he does the job that I want the best way. There is no better player in that position with the understanding of Liam.” While his former club Chelsea have received criticism in abundance for their focus on high-price foreign imports rather than producing home-

League, the dream of top flight football is gradually becoming a reality as Brighton look to challenge for promotion again next season. “It’s always been my dream to play in the Premier League,” he said. “Hopefully we can do it with Brighton but you never know in football. You’re never certain in football what can happen but as long as I work hard and keep putting in some performances hopefully I can get to the Premier League.”

“It’s always been my dream to play in the Premier League, Hopefully we can do it with Brighton but you never know in football. You’re never certain what can happen” Now Bridcutt, 23, is considered one of the league’s best talents but while he is attracting the gaze of some of the country’s top clubs, he will not forget how much Poyet has impacted his career. “Massively,” Bridcutt explained. “Gus gave me a great opportunity to come here and show what I can do and he showed great faith in me and he does every game. It’s helped my career massively and I owe a lot to Gus really.” Albion manager Poyet is certainly a fan of the versatile footballer, recently stating he is good enough to play for Real Madrid. While Bridcutt’s versatility allows him to play anywhere across the

grown talent from their youth academy, Bridcutt will always be grateful for his time spent with the reigning Champions League winners. “I learnt a lot at Chelsea,” he enthused. “We had some great staff members there and some great coaches, we had the best of the best really. “I was learning from some of the best players in the world, playing with them everyday and some of the best managers and coaches in the world.” While Ryan Bertrand and Scott Sinclair, teammates of Bridcutt’s at Chelsea’s youth academy, are both making an impact in the Premier

Now a regular in the first-team and a fan favourite with the Amex faithful, Bridcutt is growing attached to Sussex. With the birth of his son, Jacob, last year, the defensive midfielder has developed sentimental feelings about the seaside city. He said: “At the moment football’s being good to me so as long as I keep performing, hopefully I can have a few more good years here. Obviously (Jacob) was born here, my girlfriend loves it here now so it’s a place we call home now.” SXS

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /11

Football

LIFE’S A BEACH FOR KUSZCZAK MAN U TO THE AMEX, TOMASZ TELLS ALL TO MIKE DONOVAN

IMI Hendrix, the late legendary rock god, once sang that “castles made of sand fall in the sea, eventually”. Brighton’s beaches are largely bereft of the material with which to construct one. The blond man mountain with the personality to match, towering over Sussex Sport in the bowels of Albion’s Amex home, seemed unconcerned by what might be viewed as a shortcoming in a seaside resort. Indeed the eyes of Tomasz Kuszczak twinkled and a wry smile played about his lips when mentioning the absence of the result of rock disintegrating into granules.

to be. That is because of the way the club is built. The professionality. The facilities. Everything is Premier League level. It is just a question of time.” Kuszczak, ex-West Bromwich Albion and Watford, sees United in Brighton. He said: “Manchester do well with the fans. Are close to them. Brighton are close to the supporters too. They do nice things for the fans like give them and their kids time at Christmas to meet the players. It means if things go wrong and you need their support you will get it.” Last season comparisons were made between then Brighton chief Gus Poyet and Sir Alex Ferguson. Tomasz rejects this but believes Poyet has the potential to become a great manager.

respected given the experience he had at over six years at Old Trafford. Firstteam appearances were limited, largely by the form of Edwin van der Sar, but being around household names was a boost to his career. He said: “It was tough training every day and not playing very much, but Edwin gave me little chance to push him off his No.1 position. “I learned so much from him and all the big boys, like Giggs, Scholes and Rooney plus Pique, such a big player for Barcelona now. Experience that would have been difficult to collect somewhere else. Every day I needed to be prepared to deliver in training. They raised the bar.”

“When I joined I could see that this club wanted to go places and after two promotions and the excellent cup runs everyone can see what we have achieved.” The 6ft.3in Seagulls goalkeeper loves Brighton’s “beautiful” beaches, the “holiday feel in comparison to Manchester” and the rest of the city. He said: “Myself and my family want a nice place to live and Brighton is a nice place to be. We enjoy it. It is important because I’m not always training and playing.” And the stopper who moved from Manchester United last summer adores being part of the city’s major club. Kuszczak believes his hopes and dreams when moving from the dizzy heights of one of the world’s most famous and successful outfits to one aspiring to one day challenge them are built on firmer foundations than sandcastles. The 30-year-old Pole is convinced the whole Seagulls set-up is geared for Premier League football. He said: “This club will end up in the Premier League, whenever it is going

SussexSport 12/Issue 15 www.sussexsport.co.uk

Kuszczak said: “Sir Alex has been a great manager who has stayed on top for many years and built successful and exciting teams with sometimes a smile and sometimes a ‘hair dryer’. “But you can’t compare him my gaffer now because they’ve worked on different levels as managers. “Certainly Gus has the potential to be a great manager. He gets the team to play really exciting, attractive and attacking football. He expects you to be prepared every day. You don’t go training to have fun. You go to work hard to be better. “Before the season started I had a meeting with Gus which made me want to come to Brighton. We talked about what he wanted and expected from me. That he wanted to build something. I thought he was a fantastic coach and capable of building something. I’m enjoying it.” Kuszczak’s opinions should be

Cristiano Ronaldo, now rated the second best player in the world behind Lionel Messi, regularly helped Ronaldo practice his free-kicks. The stopper said: “After training he asked me to stay to practice his freekicks. And he just fired his gun. It was good. “He got a lot of important and exciting goals for the Manchester fans (before moving to Real Madrid), He succeeded because of hard work as well as talent. People forget that. “His spirit and motivation was amazing. He came into training early and worked out in the gym. Stayed after to try new tricks as well as his freekicks. He was a completely professional player. “I’m proud of what I learned and I’m trying to use that experience 100 per cent to move on with my career and help Brighton.” SXS

Pictures by Paul Hazlewood

Football

SXS

two-year a t o g e v I’ r. e g n lo it “I don’t want to wa ear and then y is th k c a b o g e w contract and hope next year.” k e e w ry e v e s m a te challenge great

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /13

Comment

angry Mr

MR ANGRY GETS HOT UNDER THE COLLAR AND SHOOTS FROM THE LIP

r. Angry here again to wish you a seething hallo. So what, I hear you ask, is getting the miserable old codger hot under the collar this time? Well, it’s cheating. Nobody likes a cheat. Nobody likes the snivelling little rat who tries to achieve success by circumnavigating the prescribed rules. And yet... that’s not always the case is it? Muhammad Ali is revered as the greatest ever pugilist, and there’s absolutely no doubt that he triumphed over our ‘Enery Cooper by cheating. The name Maradona, even today, is mentioned in awestruck tones of wonder, but the celebrated ‘Hand Of God’ incident is to my mind, still one of the most heinous example of cheating ever seen on the field of play. Let’s not forget that paragon of fair play Thierry Henry, whose blatant handball denied Ireland a place in the World Cup finals. Somehow these fellows have transcended the shame of exposure, and are still seen as heroes. Of course, the history of sport is littered with rumbled cheats. One has only to look at the furore surrounding Lance Armstrong at the present time. The public outrage would, I believe, have been somewhat mollified had Armstrong been a little more convincing when confessing to his everexpanding and contracting praeposita Oprah Winfrey. But blaming his dope-taking on the fact that he’s a ‘flawed individual’ (thereby insinuating that the cheating was somehow genetic, and therefore beyond his control) was not a smart move. It seems that Armstrong has gone beyond forgiveness. Similarly, the public had no sympathy whatsoever for the Spanish Paralypmic Basketball team in Sydney 2000. This was when, having won gold in the ‘Intellectual Disability’ category (for which competitors must have an IQ of less than 70), it

SussexSport 14/Issue 15 www.sussexsport.co.uk

“Rip up your boxing scrapbooks, throw out your Wills cigarette cards and face up to the fact that unless you condemn cheating you’re just as bad ” was revealed that only two of the ten team members actually had any disablity at all. It was also revealed that Spanish medal winners in athletics, swimming and table tennis were not in any way disabled. Martin Vincente, president of the FEDDI, the Spanish Federation for Mentally Handicapped Sports, at first denied the allegations, but then, under mounting evidence, accepted that there had been an ‘error’, and resigned. Then we have the laughable antics of Rosie Ruiz, who won the 1980 Boston Marathon in a time that made her the third fastest woman in history, until it was revealed that she’d run out of the crowd to join the race just a kilometre from the finish line.

Perhaps this was influenced by a certain Frederick Lorz, who won the 1904 Olympic Marathon in St. Louis by travelling 11 of the 26 miles in a car. Other names leap to mind: Ben Johnson, Boris Onischenko and his magic fencing foil, Tonya Harding (whose ex-husband smashed rival figure skater Nancy Kerrigan’s kneecap), and Harlequins’ Tom Williams, disgraced in the notorious ‘Bloodgate’ incident. There’s Dora Ratzjen who represented Germany in the women’s high jump at the 1936 Olympics who later turned out to be a man, a somewhat lesscelebrated cheat due to the fact that she/he only managed to come fourth. But the point is that cheating is reprehensible, and sport, as a consequence, becomes stained and complicit. I can think of few things more demeaning than knowing your fame, wealth and respect is the product of dishonesty. So why when football defenders commit obvious fouls, do pundits frequently refer to it as ‘clever defending’? Why are Muhammad Ali (called Cassius Clay when fighting ‘Enery) and Maradona still adored? I’m afraid to say I don’t know. I love my sport, but I hate cheating. You know I’m right...rip up your boxing scrapbooks, throw out your Wills cigarette cards and face up to the fact that unless you condemn cheating you’re just as bad! See you next time. Mr. Angry

former Crawley Town and Albion goalkeeper ON HIS CRAWLEY TOWN EXIT

he last three years have been another successful period in my football career. When I joined Crawley Town in 2010 the football club was hovering in midtable of the Conference. The manager and everybody at the club had high aspirations but to achieve the current level of success was more than anybody could have hoped for. I was one of a group of new players who joined that summer. The likes of Matt Tubbs and Sergio Torres are just an example of the quality of players that were brought in. We got on well and the team spirit grew strong quickly during pre-season. We demanded the very best of each other on and off the pitch. This winning mentality was the platform to achieving the highest Conference points tally in history. We were also battling in the FA Cup. After knocking out Newport, Guiseley, Swindon, Derby and Torquay we faced the Premier League champions Manchester United at Old Trafford in front of an audience of 76,000 and millions at home. We would have walked out of Old Trafford with a 1-1 draw and replay if it wasn’t for the crossbar in the 89th minute but as players we put Crawley Town on the map with a great performance. The following season was the first time Crawley played in the Football League but the players were determined to make history with a second successive promotion. “Project promotion the sequel is underway” we joked in the changing room but quietly we all believed we could do it. And we did in an amazing season which saw another run to the fifth round of the FA Cup. Incredible. What a success story this has been and I am happy I played my part as a player and more

“It wasn’t easy to leave and I offered to stay for next season but the restructuring of the club meant I wasn’t going to be offered a new deal this summer.” recently coach before leaving the club tenth in League One. It wasn’t easy to leave. I offered to stay for next season but the restructuring of the club meant I wasn’t going to be offered a new deal this summer. It was disappointing but I appreciated Crawley told me this at the end of January. I thank the owner and chief executive for this. I would also like to thank all the staff, players and supporters who made my time at the club so enjoyable and hope the team will continue to prosper.

I joined Crawley after an amazing playing career with Brighton & Hove Albion, who I represented for a decade, winning three promotions and playing in the Championship. I was grateful they gave me a testimonial match, which I played in, at the Amex this season. I have watched Brighton at home recently and been really impressed with the way the team has played. A style suited to the Premier League. I hope that promotion can be achieved next season. Great credit to the supporters who are turning up in big numbers and really get behind the team during the home games, something that as a player during my time at the Albion had always been such a driving factor in our success. At the moment I am weighing up different options to continue my career in football. I have had offers to play and chase my sixth promotion as a player but have not yet decided my next move at the time I am writing this column. Coaching is something that I would love to do in the long run. I really enjoyed doing it at Crawley this season. I feel I can do a really good job. Whatever it is I am going to do, I will be as determined and motivated as I have always been doing what I love doing most working in football. See you around the games and up the Sussex!

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /15

Comment

Kuipers Michel

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Football

WORK TO DO

CLARE NICHOLS LOOKS AT GROWTH OF OPPORTUNITIES

pportunities for players with a disability to access football at various levels in Sussex is growing but there is plenty more work to do to ensure opportunities mirror those in mainstream football. Whether you are an enthusiastic grass roots player who enjoys a kick about with their friends and enjoys the social aspect of participation or whether you have ambitions to develop as a player and potentially play for your country – the good news is that the pathway is developing for you to access football at the level that meets your needs and aspirations. Grassroots Football Sussex County FA administer a 7 a-side pan-disability league (a variety of different impairment groups playing together), which runs at a central venue in Hassocks on the third Sunday of each month. Ten teams are currently competing in the Adult League and plans are in place to expand the league to two divisions for the 2013/14 Season. This will enable ability based divisions and make the competition more accessible to a wider ability group. Teams from across Sussex including Bexhill, Brighton, Crawley, Horsham, Eastbourne and Worthing areas compete. The league also offers opportunities for Youth Players to play matches and is an area the league is keen to expand. Young people have so much potential that we need to ensure that having a disability does not exclude them from participating and where possible excelling in their chosen sport. The following clubs in Sussex offer affiliated Disability Football: • Brighton & Hove Albion Football in the Community Scheme offer youth and adult football in various areas across Sussex • Forest Flyers FC offer youth and adult football in the Horsham area • Cissbury United FC offer adult football in the Brighton area Out There North and South offer adult football as part of the Out Reach 3Way programme in the Crawley and Worthing area

• Langford Tigers offer adult football to their Langford House residents in Bexhill • Selsey Seals FC offer youth football as part of their FA Charter Standard Community Club programme in Selsey • 1066 Specials FC offer adult and youth football in the Hastings and Rother area and are an FA Charter Standard Club For more information and contact details visit www.SussexFA.com/ Players/Disability-Football Developing Talented Youth Players As part of the FA Talent Pathway for players with a Disability The FA and Sussex County FA in partnership with Brighton and Hove Albion in the Community run an annual Talent Identification Day. Players aged 11 to 16 years old who show potential talent through involvement in school sport, disability specific clubs or mainstream football are invited to take part in the day where they will be observed in coaching and matches and recommended where possible to regional Player Development Centres and Impairment Specific Centres of Excellence. The FA Talent Pathway is for: Players with Cerebral Palsy; Blind Players; Partially Sighted Players; Players with a Learning Disability; Deaf Players; Amputee Players. Extended Competition for Adult Players

The FA have this Season introduced an exciting new National FA Competition entitled ‘The FA Disability Cup’.

For season 2012/13 the FA Disability Cup will be run as a pilot for adult males and will take the form of a traditional 11-a-side knockout competition, with ties arranged on a home & away basis. The competition will be split into northern and southern sub sections, with the regional winners competing in the overall FA Disability Cup Final in May 2013 at St Georges Park. The great news for Sussex is that Brighton and Hove Albion FC have been accepted to enter a team in the competition; the team will play their matches at the Withdean Stadium. Involvement of a Sussex based team in this competition has brought additional benefits to the football workforce as three Sussex County FA registered referees have been nominated and invited on to the National Pool of Referees for this competition. Long term it is hoped that the competition will become the FA Cup of Disability Football, positioned alongside other prestigious grassroots FA competitions such as The FA Vase and The FA Sunday Cup. The competition will showcase disability football at its very best. With other exciting initiatives in the pipeline including a Blind Football project with Chichester University and a possible partnership with Special Olympics, 2013 is an exciting year to be involved with Disability Football in Sussex.

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /17

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FORMER SUSSEX BATSMAN BELIEVES NAMING-RIGHTS LINK-UP IS JUST THE JOB

ast season was a bit of an “if only “ season. We came so close in all three competitions and if only we weren’t rained off in the Championship against Somerset at Taunton when we needed less than 100 to win. If only that day wasn’t the day before the t20 Finals Day at Cardiff. If only the players didn’t get to their hotel until 11pm the night before t20 Finals Day due to the Taunton match. They are not excuses I assure you, but pretty valid reasons why we tailed off a little at the end of another very competitive season. It’s been a really exciting winter in the commercial department with quite a lot of changes occurring. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Feisal at PROBIZ for his fantastic support as ground naming rights sponsor over the last two seasons. For the next three seasons, the County Ground will be known as the BrightonandHoveJobs. com County Ground. Local businessman Gary Peters, the chief executive at BrightonandHoveJobs. com, first got involved with Sussex CCC last season as sponsor of our hospitality suites, The Boundary Rooms. This winter he moved his offices on site at the ground and now is the proud sponsor of the County Ground. I first got to know Gary over a beer at a home match. His

“The trouble was Gary aka Stevie had to play the next day! Suffice to say his batting prowess was more akin to Stevie Wonder than Stevie Peters.” sporting playing background is more in line with football than cricket, it has to be said. He was a teenage protégé at Bournemouth under Harry Redknapp. Now the reason I say his sporting prowess is more akin to football than cricket is that during this winter I took a cricket team from Sussex over to Sarasota for a six-a-side competition. Our team consisted of staff from our commercial department, recreational cricket department and sponsors of Sussex CCC. Gary was on the trip. The other teams came from far and wide. Our first game was against NYPD, our second was against Sarasota, our third versus a Surrey school called Old Cranleighans and our fourth match against the Cayman Islands. Over many beers and before our first match, we convinced a “ cricket anorak” from Worcester Police that we had opening

batsman Stephen Peters ( ex Essex, Worcestershire and Northamptonshire ) and not Gary Peters in our squad. Gary played his part beautifully in the bar and they both decided that it was indeed “ The Worcester Mafia “ that forced him out at Worcester CCC. The trouble was Gary aka Stevie had to play the next day! Suffice to say his batting prowess was more akin to Stevie Wonder than Stevie Peters. And never more apt is the comment “He couldn’t bat an eyelid” when applied to our very own Stevie P. Gary spent most of the rest of the week avoiding the Worcester Police side, especially “Mr Anorak” . Anyway a great time was had by all on the week-long Florida and trip I’d like to think some life-long friendships made. It’s with this in mind I’d like to extend a massive second-season welcome to BrightonandHoveJobs.com and all the team. Their office is just across the pitch from us by the main scoreboard and I always get a cuppa and a great welcome from Charlene, Georgina and Charlotte. So if our new chief executive Zac Toumazi doesn’t know where to find me, that may well be my hiding place. Just better hope he doesn’t read Sussex Sport! Hope to see you soon during another great season at Sussex. Cheers Cotts

SussexSport

Comment

cottey Tony

Cricket

THE EXEMPLAR Ed Joyce tells Daniel White about the challenges ahead

Pictures by SUSSEX CCC

as Sussex captain.

SussexSport 20/Issue 15 www.sussexsport.co.uk

This memorable quote from Pulitzer Prize winner Schweitzer offers an inspiring insight into the realm of leadership, one that Ed Joyce is taking very seriously. This season the Sussex dressing room won’t hear any rousing speeches like that of Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday,or Kurt Russell in Miracle, however, they certainly won’t be lacking in inspiration.In his first full season as club captain, Ed Joyce is looking to be a leader not only on the pitch but also in the example he sets every day. “I think my personality is just to be as consistent as possible, to lead by example,” Joyce said with a sense of quiet confidence. “I’m not a massive one for shouting and making big speeches or anything like that. “You can live by a very specific set of values we have at the club and the job of any leader is to try and live by those values and make sure that the young players coming through are abiding by them as well. So try and be the fittest, try and score the most runs, try and be the one who does the right thing as much as you possibly can and people

slightly apprehensive about taking on. He said: “It’s my first season properly captaining a county so I’m a little bit nervous about how we’re going to go,”pausing for a moment before clearing his throat and continuing. “But I feel like we’re finding ourselves and we’ve got a squad of players to compete in all three competitions.” The signing of Hamilton-Brown, in particular, is one that excites Joyce ahead of the 2013 season. The 25-yearold right-hand batsman moved to Surrey in 2010, however, personal issues mixed with an unsuccessful return to the Surrey side left him shot of confidence and feeling isolated. After being released from his contract with Surrey in September 2012, he re-signed with the Sharks and Joyce feels he is now back to his best and raring to go. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone more up for a cricket match in my life,” he said with an enthusiastic smile. “He had a tough couple of years so there might be a few scars from that but he’s a quality cricketer and he seems to be in a great place right now.” With the latest additions linking up

”

probably lead more in the dressing room than I would and ill be the one out on the pitch doing the decision making there. I’m probably a little bit calmer than he is but I think that’s a good thing. I think the team needs both.” Joyce took on the role as captain on a temporary basis in July 2012, following Michael Yardy’s decision to step down and, while he will be looking to lead the team in his own way, he will also be recycling his favourite methods of the ICC World Twenty20 champion in his own leadership style. “He feels very passionately about the club and out in the field he’s very calm, always making rational decisions and no matter what happens, if you’re winning or losing a game, I think that always came out in him, so I think those are the biggest traits that I’d like to copy.” As the club captain and one of the older members of the squad, the responsibility on Joyce to lead by example has never been more prevalent and, as the season swings into full flow, coach Robinson feels it is up to Spud to help them progress. “Ed now takes over on a different

“I’ve been here for four years now and the lads know I’ll try and perform by myself.” will follow you.” Joyce, 34,is undoubtedly a leader in his actions, with over 12,000 first-class runs in county cricket, two winners medals from the Twenty20 Cup and a Pro40 National League title, he certainly hasn’t lost the fire in his belly. With the loss of, arguably, the greatest batman ever to play for Sussex, following Murray Goodwin’s move to Glamorgan in the off-season, the onus will be on Joyce to hit big scores consistently. Following the loss of Goodwin, the Sharks have made a number of signings in the close season, with former Sussex batsman Rory Hamilton-Brown returning and Surrey all-rounder Chris Jordan and Andrew Miller signing on at the newly-named BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground. While such additions are sure to help as the season progresses, at first it will be Joyce’s job to create the right harmony within the squad, a task he is

with the veteran players in the squad such as Michael Yardy, Chris Nash and Steve Magoffin, the squad contains a comfortable mix of experience and youth. A combination, Joyce believes, has installed a strong work ethic in the team. “I think fundamentally the strongest thing we have at the club is a great team ethic and great team values, we are without a doubt, in my opinion, the hardest working team in the country. If you ask any other team they would say we’re not particularly nice to play against because we do things in the right way,” Joyce explained with an air of conviction. As the full-time captain Joyce, or ‘Spud’ as he is known to teammates, will be working closely with Sussex head coach Mark Robinson and, despite differing in leadership techniques, the former Middlesex batsman is confident the two will work well together. “We are very different and I think that will actually be a good thing. He’ll

stage where he’s got some quite fresh faces in it like Rory and young players like Ben Brown and Wellsy (Luke Wells) looking to progress, so it’s Ed’s role now to almost father some of those players through. It’s a different time for the club now with a new Chief Executive etcetera, it feels exciting, it feels new and that’s healthy. “ With high hopes for the season and a well-balanced squad of players, the pressure is on Joyce to deliver, although, with everything still to play for this season, he won’t be turning his back on the methods that have got him this far. “I’ve been here for four years now and the lads know I’ll try and perform by myself.When things need to be said they will be said and I’m just going to try and add consistency and try and get the best out of individuals, which is something Sussex have done over the last few years. Lead by example will be my mantra.” SXS

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /21

Cricket

“

Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing

Marathon

T GH I L E D S ’ EMMA UN R Y R O GL R E OV T PAYS OFF.

TO DEBU H C IT W S E T A L S A E D A TAYLOR-M S MIKE DONOVAN REPORT

“

Emma Taylor-Gooby did Sussex proud when she claimed the women’s title and smashed the Brighton Half Marathon record.

mma Taylor-Gooby did Sussex proud when she claimed the women’s title and smashed the course record at the 23rd Brighton Half Marathon in her first ever race over the distance. The Worthing and District Harrier clocked 1hr.18min.06sec after completing the course in sunshine under blue skies with a record attendence numbering thousands. Taylor-Gooby, 32, confessed she only decided to run a week before

SussexSport 22/Issue 15 www.sussexsport.co.uk

having been scheduled to compete in the South of England Cross Country Championships in London the day before. But the Sussex cross country champion was “glad” she made the decision after being crowned champion and record breaker in a run that was “a case of trial and error” due to her lack of experience. Taylor-Gooby was cheered on by a large number of spectators lining Brighton & Hove seafront, including

”

Madeira Drive, and the streets of the city with Sarah Hill (Farnham Runners) 17 seconds behind and Kate Mapham from Ful-On Tri third in 1hr.21min.27sec. Ian Leitch from Phoenix AC, the club part-formed by Olympic legend Steve Ovett, was the first Sussex finisher in the men’s race. Leitch took third place in 1hr.08min.32sec behind winner Paul Martelletti (1hr.07min.30sec) who was almost a minute ahead of runner-up Tom Aldred (London Heathside Runners).

Pictures by Breathe Unity

Marathon

Crawley Town football manager Richie Barker, raising money for the Reds’ charity Chestnut Tree House, finished in 1hr.51min.28sec. Former Albion defender Guy Butters and Downton Abbey actor Ed Speleers also took part. And Danny Price, elder brother of celebrity Katie, ran in jeans for the Jeans for Genes charity, and Downton Abbey actor Ed Speleers. The one mile youth races featured 383 youngsters from seven to 17

with Benedict Pugh and Brighton and Hove’s Nancy Jones (Y13-14) the winners. The event was organised by Brighton charity The Sussex Beacon, the main fund-raiser, who thanked sponsors, partners, supporters, volunteeers, runners and other contributors to the “best ever” Brighton Half Marathon. WaterAid, RISE and Have a Heart were the official charities. Associated ones included Macmillan, Teenage

Cancer Trust, Rockinghorse, Shelter, Brighton Housing Trust, Family Helpline, Blind Veterans UK, Amaze, The CAIRN Trust, Chestnut Tree House, HEART UK, British Paralympic Association, CMT (Charcot-MarieTooth Disease), Grace Eyre, The National Brain Appeal, TB Alert, Young Epilepsy, Hamilton Lodge and The Lily Foundation. SXS

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /23

Freedom Leisure

s m a i l l Wi Zara

sport of the g puttin is Zara Williams . Lifesaving on the map

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In a typical week I have five or six swimming sessions with my swimming club, which in total is about 10 hours.

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How did you get into your sport?

I’ve been swimming A competitively since the age of 10 but a couple of years ago I found it was getting a bit repetitive. Gary Lee, the water-polo coach at Crawley Swimming Club, suggested I give the sport of lifesaving a try and I haven’t looked back.

What do you enjoy most about lifesaving?

I love competing and being A part of a team. I have been lucky enough to travel to many countries including South Africa, Australia, and Japan. I also enjoy the UK School Games which is an annual multi-sport event to get teenagers at the top of their sport used to the environment of competitions.

What would you say is your biggest achievement to date?

In November 2012 I won a silver medal at Rescue in Adelaide. Rescue is a very important event on the lifesaving calendar so I’m delighted to have achieved this.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career and how did you overcome it?

I’ve had a number of injuries over the years. Last summer I broke three ribs whilst playing water polo which led me to miss the Olympics swimming trials in Sheffield, which were a week later. Ialso started training too soon afterwards which caused me to change my swimming stroke and resulted in tendonitis in my shoulder. I had to miss training for about three months.

What does a typical training week consist of?

In a typical week I have five or A six swimming sessions with my swimming club, which in total is about 10 hours. I also train in the pool with my lifesaving club, do three sessions in the gym and three sessions on

my exercise bike at home. In total I train for about 20-22 hours a week. My swimming training is based at K2 Crawley and the gym I normally use is East Grinstead Sports Club.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like to go out for pizza (though A not too often) and to the cinema. I also enjoy watching the Welsh rugby team, especially when they are winning and when Shane Williams is playing.

Do you have to pay special attention to what you eat? What does your diet typically consist of?

I love chocolate but I try not to A eat it too often. I try to have a bowl of porridge with honey for breakfast; a selection of fruit at lunch time; and something like pasta with chicken breast for tea in the afternoon. In the evening, after I get home from training, I will often have a bowl of cereal with a few grapes. I also have a protein drink straight after training.

My first aim is to retain my top girl title at Lifesaving Commonwealths (in Australia) – I obviously need to get selected first! My second goal is to medal in two individual events at this competition as well as help my team to medal in the three relays and finish in the top three overall again. I also currently hold two British lifesaving records and I would like to improve both of them and add a third.

What advice would you give someone keen to take up lifesaving?

Give it a go! Lifesaving is a fantastic sport with many different aspects to it. There is a real range of events from the SERC (Simulated Emergency Response Championship) where you need a good knowledge of lifesaving skills, to the ironman/woman where you have to be immensely fit and skilled in a number of disciplines. It’s a sport for all ages and you make friends from all over the world.

Is there another athlete that you look up to? Why?

There are two people I look to: Michael Phelps - for his A up fantastic achievements over the years –and Shane Williams, who is the top try scoring Welsh man of all time.

Do you ever get nervous before a competition? If so, how do you deal with it?

I do get nervous, but I have a set routine which helps me to get through. I start by thinking about my events the day before the competition and imagine how the race will go. I’ll look at the programme to decide when and how much I can eat. I’ll listen to my music and just get into ‘the zone’. I know that once the race starts I can only do my best.

Is there a motivational quote that sticks in your mind?

Never a failure; always a lesson.

What are your hopes/ aims for 2013?

Zara Williams has a place on the Freedom Leisure Talented Athlete Support Scheme, supporting emerging sporting talent in Sussex, for more information visit www. freedom-leisure.co.uk

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /25

Freedom Leisure

he 20 year old from East Grinsteadis already scooping up national titles and setting British records and is set for international success this year.

Olympic Legacy

B M I L C O T T U SAM’S O NS I A T UN O M S I ALL H

RTS O P E R N A V O N O D E IK M . FOCUS ON CYCLING

AM Stean spends two hours of each day in his conservatory pedalling furiously and getting nowhere. He finds it “boring and monotonous” The 17-year-old from Eastbourne fires himself up for the sessions on his fixed-bike by having Radio One blasting out its dance tunes (“songs that are motivational I like such as Titanium by French DJ and music producer David Guetta”.) The national junior mountainbike champion would rather be on natural terrain hurtling over rocks and vegetation round a five- kilometre loop competing on a course marked by tape. But needs must in the off-season if you want to realise your dreams and for the Park College computer programming student they are about representing Team GB at the Olympics. He says: “ Realistically I hope it will come in the Olympics after Rio. I’ll be 25 and that’s when mountain bikers peak. I believe I can get there with plenty of training.” Sam is motivated in several ways. One was spectating as home mountainbike riders competed in the London Games. And by watching the television and seeing the likes of Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton, Jason Kenny and Laura Trott collect a golden haul on the track in the velodrome. Or Bradley Wiggins on the road fresh from his Tour de France triumph. He says: “I was impressed by it all. It made me feel

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inspired. That if they can do it, so can I. It’s my ultimate goal.” Most of all he is driven by basic instincts. He says: “I like to win, I like to show off. It’s also different every time and you get to have fun.” Stean believes he has the potential and will compete in the World Junior Championships this year having underlined it as the first Brit to finish in his first year at the level in Saalfelden, Austria, in 2012. His national title triumph was also a pointer. He says: “Winning the nationals was surreal and it was wonderful to be part of the British team at the worlds. “I’d had bad results before it but now having good ones has made me think my dreams are possible. It gives me hope that I can do it. “When I started I used to look at everyone else like they were amazing. Now I can beat them. “But I know I have to keep myself fit. There is an element of skill but the main thing is fitness. You can’t win without that. The majority of my training in the summer is out on a bike, around

Friston Forest, otherwise it is on that fixed bike. There has also been the assistance of coach David Trunkfield. He says: “David has helped me improve so much. I’m grateful to him.” Stean’s not put off by any inherent dangers, like the close-to-vertical slope on the Yorkshire course at the concerningly-titled Worry Gill in North Yorkshire. Even though his only protective gear is a helmet and he has witnessed stricken competitors being airlifted out after accidents. He says: “Generally most know what they are doing. Those who crash aren’t very skilled. Worry Gill is infamous because it is so steep down the side with little drops you almost get sent over the bars but it doesn’t require skill. It is more a commitment thing.

Olympic Legacy

Sam Stean bumps down a hill and (inset) with younger brother Oliver (right)

I’ve never come a cropper on it. “ I’ve only ever had small mishaps. Nothing serious. That’s to do with the techniques I picked up when I was younger and into extreme sports. As long as you are competent enough you don’t need body armour. You’d rarely want it and it is extra weight.” Pursuing excellence comes at a cost, of course. This is where his dad John comes in useful. The season entails about two to three events a month for Southern and national events.

And dad estimated each one sets the Stean family back £300-400 and that over the season he drives 15,000 miles all over the country to ensure his offspring gets the level of competition required in order to develop at a sufficient rate. John Stean says: “It’s expensive and we have a bike shop which backs him. But we could do with more sponsorship. I believe he is really focussed on getting to the Olympics and hopefully others will recognise that and help to back him.

“On the safety side, as a parent, I can see it can be dangerous . It is a risk but not as risky as other activities. “ It was John who instilled the mountainbiking bug inside Sam and his younger brother Oliver when he brought them light aluminium bikes four years ago. Sam is the first of the siblings to emerge as a prospect. Now watch this space. SXS

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /27

Golf

IT’S ACADEMIC TO H

YOUNG MID SUSSEX FOCUS ON LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE . DAN

“

We literally ‘hold the hands’ of our Academy members and instruct them on their swing technique, the rules and etiquette of the game and other matters that make them feel comfortable and welcome in the club.

id Sussex Golf Club opened its doors to the public in 1995 yet, despite its relative adolescence, is one the top teaching centres in the country. Resident PGA head professional Michael Henning has more than 25 years’ experience in coaching golfers of all standards. Henning, who won the PGA. Trainee of the Year award in 1982, has coached thousands of golfers and, in January 2011, moved his Academy from Haywards Heath to Mid Sussex. He said: “I started the Academy as I felt it an ideal route for a non-golfer to try the sport in a cost effective and informal way. “It seemed a perfect stepping stone into, potentially, full membership, once the new customer determined whether

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they had taken to golf and enjoyed it.” The Academy is run by Henning and made up of three PGA golf professionals and three PGA teaching professionals with a wealth of experience in delivering top advice on the physical, mental and physiological aspects of the game. Together they have completed many training programmes on technique, goal- setting and course management and helped hundreds of beginners to fall in love with the game of golf. Inspirations such as Rory McIlroy (£150m), Lee Westwood (£88m) and Justin Rose (£87m) not only taking home multi-million pound pay cheques in 2012 but also rising to the top of their field, with all three sat in the PGA world top ten, have given the sport a boost.

”

So, with more talent than ever before coming out of the UK, it is logical that young people are becoming more interested in what was once considered an ‘old man’s game’. At Mid Sussex, it is clear to see the forward-thinking system in place with a heavy emphasis on the future of the great game through the junior golfers. The club place high importance on becoming the very best you can be but does not forget that it is a sport that is about having fun. With enjoyable group and individual lessons available, beginners are able to learn the game in a relaxed environment with friends but can also take part in more focused one-to-one sessions. Lee Andrews is currently the lead coach for the Sussex Junior

Niel WHITE REPORTS

Development Academy and has turned numerous golfers into PGA professionals, including Hayleigh Wigmore, David Andrews and Alastair Malins, who are all tutors at Mid Sussex. His focus on the development of youth at Mid Sussex is crucial not only for the club but also as it provides a better future for golf. Andrews said: “They are the future of the club. To make sure all golfers receive excellent service we have seven PGA golf professionals and the golf balls are free to Academy members to help practice and improve. “We have set up free Academy clinics and competitions to help their swing and step to going onto the golf course and getting a handicap. The

more people we get to play golf the better for us and the better for the sport.” To ensure they get the best out of their members, the Academy has installed Flightscope technology at the club, allowing tutors to gather data about equipment and swing efficiency. The Flightscope launch monitor accurately records the flight of the ball, giving true spin and launch data, which enables tutors to use the information to improve a golfer’s swing and, therefore, all-round performance. As well as improving the handicap of a golfer, the Academy also provides instructions on course decorum, assistance Henning feels helps incorporate players into the club.

He said: “We literally ‘hold the hands’ of our Academy members and instruct them on their swing technique, the rules and etiquette of the game and other matters that make them feel comfortable and welcome in the club.” In a struggling market, membership at Mid Sussex is up and, with the Academy helping hundreds of golfers finding a love of golf they never knew they had, it has clearly been a success. Henning said: “My team and I felt it our duty to encourage new golfers into the game and into the club. So through the teaching programme and Academy this was realised - and still is being realised - with incredible results.” SXS

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /29

Golf

HENNING AND CO

Basketball

BRIGHT FORECAST FOR THUNDER Daniel White reports on what lies ahead for Worthing

s I enter through the double doors at Worthing Leisure Centre it’s peak time and tough to make your way though the crowd of people. Amongst all the exercise enthusiasts stands Daniel Hildreth, a tall, smiling man undisturbed by his surrounding. Although we’ve never met before, his aura is unmistakeable. As we settle down in the canteen we begin to talk about how he has settled into his role as the head-coach of the Worthing Thunder, a team he played for during his days as a professional basketball player, with his passion for the club instantly recognisable. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” said Daniel. “It’s always been

SussexSport

my my

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intention to be involved in coaching in and around Sussex so I took on the role with the intention to be here for a long time.” After guiding the 2011 Under-18s side to the national championship, Hildrethtook over from Gary Smith in the summer of 2012 and was faced with a tough task. In his firstever senior role, he led the youngest Thunder side in the club’s history to an EBL Division 1 playoff final before defeat to the Reading Rockets. Fully aware of the current financial restrictions afforded to an EBL Division 1 side, Hildreth is looking to build for the future, with instant success currently taking a back seat.

appeared to gain greater significance, with the notion of a ‘community club’at the forefront of his vision. With 9 of the 11 first team members locally sourced and a system now in place to ensure the juniors develop within the club, Hildreth’s dream of a team built around the community is starting to take shape. He said: “It’s a community based club and we want it to filter through from the junior programme all the way up into the senior programme so they have a natural pathway to play basketball at an elite level, from under-13s age group all the way up to men’s senior basketball.” However, with a side that has an average age of 23,the team lacks the experience that was so influential

Fully aware of the current financial restrictions afforded to an EBL Division 1 side, Hildreth is looking to build for the future. “Our goals are not set by success in regards to winning and losing games,” he explained. “In the past the club has put money into the club, they’ve had sponsorships and different kinds of funding, with the intention of winning games and bringing players in from out of the area, to try and in a sense ‘buy success’. “Now we have taken on a completely different role. We are generating our players’ recruitment through the junior programme, which is an extremely strong junior programme with the local players.“ As the conversation developed, the word ‘community’

in their 2007 championship winning squad. Although he recognises the limitations of his side, he is unwavering in his belief that this team can still have a successful season. “Obviously youth can play a big factor in success, the guys are extremely fit, they’re in great shape and they’re willing to learn,” he said.“I feel that they’re responding and they’re playing great team basketball which ultimately will always do well over individuals trying to win games.” Despite its limitations, the club had its most successful season in years and, although success on the court is not forgotten, for now, the Thunder will continue its progression into a club run for the community. He said: “We’re in a process of transition where we’re getting these younger players into the system, giving them opportunities and maybe we will see the benefits, maybe not this year but certainly in the near future.” SXS

Basketball

“

We are doing it completely differently. Generating our players’ recruitment through the junior programme

Pictures by Andre Nichols

”

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /31

Community

PELE LINKS UP WITH SEAGULLS AITC PLAYER and FUTSAL STUDENT. DAN TESTER REPORTS

alisa ‘Pele’ Chipendo is a first-year futsal student and also plays for Albion in the Community’s women’s team. The 17-year-old, who collected the Football Achievement award at the Kickz Awards last year, has been sidelined with a gashed knee. “A through-ball was played and the objective of the game was that everyone had to touch it before scoring,” recalls Pele. “The pitch was wet and skiddy and I was trying to clear the ball off the

SussexS32/Issue 15 www.

line. I thought the only way I could realistically stop it was to slide. “I was the last one to touch the ball and I managed to find the only bit of concrete, at the side of the pitch! I got the ball but hurt my left knee, and I’m left-footed. Luckily, it was just a flesh wound.” In a recent visit to see her mother in Zimbabwe, Pele played in a local football tournament and was spotted by a representative of the national women’s football team, who invited her to a trial with the under-21s. She says: “I was supposed to be heading back to Africa in December for a Zone 6 tournament in Zambia – an under-21 competition with the likes of Nigeria, South Africa and Botswana – but unfortunately the injury meant I was unable to play in it.” A typical week for Pele kicks off with theory lessons on a Monday. She says: “We focus on anatomy and physiology, which isn’t as scary as it sounds. We learn about the body and what happens during exercise. It’s about performance too so you learn what you need during a match. We coach also and we’re working towards a Level 1 coaching badge. “On Tuesdays we have practical where we discuss match scenarios. What do you do when you’re 3-0 down with five minutes to go? It’s like problem solving. How would you try to win the ball back? “In the first hour of training we focus on what we’ve learnt in class and then do drills. Wednesdays is match day and we head up to Leyton to

play our games. We play against other futsal teams from professional football clubs such as Southampton, Charlton Athletic, and Leyton Orient. “At first I was unsure about the futsal course as I didn’t really know anything about it. “Myself and the other two girls [there are 14 boys] were a bit intimidated. Usually, in an 11-a-side environment, boys tend to think girls can’t play football. But in futsal the boys seem to respect the girls more and the standard is very high. “At the end of the course I will have three equivalent A Levels and a Nutrition Level 2 certificate. When I graduate I want to become a coach, or potentially go to university. Initially, I wanted to be a sports therapist but am looking into alternatives in the sports industry. “I went to college last year and didn’t like it at all. When this opportunity arose I thought ‘it’s not every day you get a chance to do a futsal scholarship at a professional football club’. “It’s an amazing experience. I really enjoy it – it’s very different. It’s more relaxed and you have time to do your work. The teachers are easy to approach and help all the time. We’re treated more like adults and we learn more as a result. I would recommend it to other people, especially girls.” AITC’s Futsal co-ordinator Hayley Funnell says:“The futsal course has proved very popular, especially with the girls. “The sport is growing in stature and it’s great that the club is fully behind what we’re doing. We’re already recruiting for next year so if you’re aged between 16 and 18 and interested in signing up, please drop me a line: hayley.funnell@ albioninthecommunity.org.uk”

LEAGUES catch IMAGINATION. DAN TESTER REPORTS

yan Giggs is 39, David Beckham a sprightly 37, and Brad Friedel is a positively youthful 41 years of age. Most footballers simply keep on playing until they psychically no longer can. Shouldn’t that be the same for the rest of us too? Eastbourne-based FirmBalls recently kicked-off an Over 35s’ fivea-side league in Portslade and it’s been so successful they’re also rolling it out in Worthing and Bexhill. “The legs may not be quite as up to it but the brains have still got it!” said league co-founder Hamed Ovaisi. “We know what it’s like when you get to a certain age. You want to play football but don’t necessarily want to be on the same pitch as younger players who perhaps may take it too seriously.” FirmBalls was founded by Hamed, a commercial lawyer at Gaby Hardwicke in Eastbourne, and his friend Max Dyer, a teacher at Hailsham Community College, in 2011, with the idea of bringing business and football together, an idea which has the support of Albion In The Community. It began in Eastbourne but soon spread to Brighton, and further afield, due to the desire of people to play football and meet new contacts. There are now eight leagues established across Sussex, and two in Manchester, with more to follow. Hamed continues: “The idea was for people who don’t necessarily wish to play in more aggressive leagues to join other business people and professionals playing football in a friendly atmosphere. The football side is central to all of the leagues we run as people want to ultimately get fit and enjoy themselves. “What we have done differently is provide an added dimension by incorporating a ‘business’ element, setting up a free monthly newsletter

to allow the businesses involved in our league to advertise to each other, and our database of contacts.” FirmBalls’ maxim is simple – ‘networking through football’. In a time when everyone – from the man in the street to the heads of big business – is thinking it makes much more sense to keep as much enterprise local as possible, to help the faltering economy, FirmBalls is doing its bit to build links between people and companies who otherwise may not have met. “We put on regular quiz nights, curry nights and other events for people to get more out of it than just football,” explained Hamed. “It is hugely enjoyable to see people of varying ages getting back into playing football, or enjoying some time out of the office with their colleagues. We’ve really seen relationships amongst teams and people from different businesses grow. In particular, our over 35s initiative in Brighton has brought 40 or so individuals together regularly.” FirmBalls’ ambition is not limited to Sussex and Manchester. Hamed and Max have ambitious plans to expand their unique brand of networking and football throughout the UK. “We hope to allow individuals in their own areas to run their own

leagues, using our website, resources, assistance and expertise as the hub. Effectively, people can run their own league, but under a very relaxed franchise agreement. “We’ve done this in Manchester and it’s gone superbly with multi-national businesses including Deloitte, KPMG and HSBC involved. We have agreements in principle for a league in East Grinstead, and also possibly Derby. The league works when people know each other and want to get more out of it than just football.” If you have any questions regarding the Over 35s’, or other business leagues, contact Max max@firmballs.com, or visit www. firmballs.com for more information.

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /33

Community

AT BUSINESS END END OF FOOTBALL

Summer Screening What is health screening? Health screening is completed by an expert team of Physiologists and Doctors who complete a wide range of tests to assess risk factors for various lifestyle related diseases. These results are used to motivate lifestyle change to help improve overall health and wellbeing, leading to a longer, healthier life. Whatever your stage of treatment, we have a dedicated team to support you. You’ll get to know them, and they’ll get to know you, which means you won’t have to keep explaining things to new people. All of our consultants also work with the NHS and are experts in their fields. So you always get top quality care at every stage of your treatment, in a relaxing Nuffield Health environment.

Where can I have it done? The main centres which offer Health Screening in the South East of England are: Brighton Nuffield Hospital, Tunbridge Wells Nuffield Hospital and Crawley Fitness and Wellbeing Centre. We have many other hospitals and Fitness and Wellbeing Centres around the country which offer the same service. Please visit www.nuffieldhealth.com to view all our available centres.

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What areas does it cover? We offer four different types of assessment. These are known as a Lifestyle, 360, 360+ or Female health assessment, each of which consists of a combination of different tests. A Lifestyle is a one hour assessment with a Physiologist, a 360 is a two hour assessment with a Physiologist and Doctor, a 360+ is a three hour assessment with a Physiologist and Doctor, and a Female Health assessment is a one hour assessment with a Doctor.

Why should I have one? People come to have a health assessment for a variety of reasons, from having a general assessment of their personal wellbeing, to having a specific medical concern. We offer one of the most comprehensive health assessments on the market and ensure that our clients have every opportunity to learn as much about their health as possible. The majority of your results are available on the day of the assessment and you will be able to discuss these with the Physiologist and Doctor. You will also be able to discuss how to improve your health and wellbeing with the Physiologist and Doctor, and you will receive a personalised written report within two weeks of your assessment.

Type of Assessment Full medical history and lifestyle questionnaire Height and Weight measurement Body mass index Waist to hip ratio Nuffield Body Composition Index Hydration Urine analysis Blood glucose and cholesterol measurement Blood biochemistry and haematology profile Vision test Nutritional analysis Computerised posture assessment Lung Function Blood pressure Physiological resilience to stressors Resting ECG Exercise ECG Cardiovascular risk score Faecal Occult Blood test (aged 45 and over) Extra male tests: - Testicular examination - Prostate Specific Antigen Extra female tests: - Breast examination - Pelvic examination - Cervical smear - Thyroid stimulating hormone (aged 50 and over) - Mammogram (aged 40 and over)

Lifestyle X X X X X X X X

X X X X

Do I need to prepare at all? Yes. You will need to complete a medical history and lifestyle questionnaire prior to attending your assessment, as well as a four day food diary. This information will be sent to you either in paper form or via email before your assessment for you to complete. This helps the clinical team to prepare for your arrival, and also helps them to identify any concerns you may have. You also need to be fasted for at least 4 hours before your assessment, this means that you can only drink water and not eat anything for the preceding four hours (unless you have a medical condition which means you cannot fast). This helps to get accurate blood results, as eating and drinking can affect these results. You should also attend wearing comfortable clothing that can be easily removed, as there are some tests which require clothes to be removed (we do offer gowns if needed).

360 X X X X X X X

360+ X X X X X X X

Female Health X X X

X X X X X X X X

X X

X X X X X X X X X X X

X X

X X X X

Does my age effect what health screening is available to me? Yes. For those aged over 45 we offer Faecal Occult Blood tests which look at detecting microscopic particles of blood in a stool sample, which can be an indicator for further tests to detect bowel cancer. For men over 50 we offer Prostate Specific Antigen blood tests, and for women we complete a thyroid stimulating hormone blood test. Women over 40 years also have the option of having a mammogram added onto their assessment. If you are interested in booking an assessment or would like further information, please contact our Central Bookings team

(08452 30 20 40)

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /35

| DIGITAL | WEB experts in digitalCREATIVE communication

The markeTing specialisT ThaT geTs resulTs • social media • Web design • email & emarkeTing • branding • graphic design • prinT • direcT mail • sTraTegy • business groWTh consulTancy

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Community

People

Active Sussex Q&A with Alex Danson

triumpHs at sHowcase your sport at What one piece of advice ockey international Alex Hill festival ealand burgess

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SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /37

Want to play? Your guide to the sports, clubs and leagues in Sussex

The A-Z of clubs, leagues and sports AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Sussex Thunder Broadbridge Heath Athletics Stadium, Wickhurst Lane, Broadbridge Heath, Horsham, RH12 3YS info@sussexthunder.com www.sussexthunder.com Chichester Sharks (Flag Football) New Park Rd., Chichester PO19 7XY www.chichestersharks.co.uk

ANGLING

Billingshurst Angling Society 01403 782160 School House, Weald School, Billingshurst RH14 9RX www.billingshurstas.co.uk Chichester & District Angling Soc Mrs Leslie Carver 01903 713084 chichester-as.co.uk Clive Vale Angling Club Kevin Thornely. clivevaleac@live.co.uk www.clivevaleac.co.uk Copthorne & District Angling Soc Richamp@aol.com www.copthorneangling.co.uk Crawley Angling Society Mr S Clark 01923 467064 secretary@crawleyanglingsociety.co.uk www.crawleyanglingsociety.co.uk Hassocks & District Angling Soc Mrs J. Fisher 01444 235978 (not after 9pm) www.hassocksfishing.co.uk Henfield & District Angling Soc Glyn Jones, 01403 734 500 enquires@henfieldas.co.uk www.henfieldas.co.uk Horsham & Dist Angling Assoc Ian Petch, 01403 262 255 general_enquiries@hdaa.co.uk www.hdaa.co.uk/index.html L’hampton & Dist Angling Club Fisherman’s Quay, Littlehampton BN17 5BL george@mywebbox.co.uk www.ldac.co.uk Rother Fishery Association (RFA) Mr V Gould, 07776 031 472 odaarfa@tesco.net www.fishingkent.com Southdown Angling Association Mike Richardson 01435 812854 secretary.saa@gmail.com www.southdown-angling.org.uk Petworth & Bognor Angling Club 01903 770099 membership@sussexangling.co.uk www.sussexangling.co.uk Pulborough Angling Society Heather Brunning 01798 815132 joinus@pulboroughas.com www.pulboroughas.com/index.html Rudgwick Angling Society G.Wingate, Oaklands, North Heath, Farnborough, W.Sussex, RH20 1DN 01798 873412 Shoreham Angling Squad (sea) Sean Clark 07917410332 meisto@ntlworld.com, www.shorehamanglingsquad.com South Coast Angling Club (sea) 01273 454388 info@southcoastanglingclub.co.uk www.southcoastanglingclub.co.uk/index.html

ARCHERY

1066 Archery Club Ann Hyde-Barnett annhydebarnett@aol.com www.1066archery.co.uk Arundown AC Rod Brown 01903 713 747 clubsec@officials.co.uk www.arundown.org.uk Bayeux Bowmen 01424 425 112 bayeux.bowmen@btinternet.com www.bayeuxbowmen.co.uk Bognor Regis AC 01243 827 000 bognorregisarcheryclub.co.uk/default.aspx Chichester Bowmen Shelagh Nelmes secretary@chichester-bowmen.co.uk www.chichester-bowmen.org.uk County Oak AC Mike Longhurst 01273 592 795 michael.longhurst@tesco.net www.countyoakarcheryclub.co.uk Crawley AC Val Wickenden 01342 327 660 www.archeryinfo.co.uk/crawleyarchery Ditchling AC Phil Varden 01444 241 066 phil.varden@talktalk.net www.ditchlingac.org.uk

SussexSport

Eastbourne Archers 01323 726 054 secretary@eastbournearchers.org.uk www.eastbournearchers.org.uk Friars Gate Archers Penny Cockerton mail@friarsgatearchers.com www.friarsgatearchers.com Hellingly AC Debbie Newton 01323 832 501 www.hellinglyarchers.co.uk High Weald AC Richard Cater www.thwac.co.uk Holbrook Archers Chris Furmanski 01403 751 150 office@theholbrookclub.co.uk www.theholbrookclub.co.uk Meridian AC Mike Range 01342 713 048 enquires@meridianarcheryclub.org.uk www.meridianarcherclub.org.uk Newhaven AC Liz Davies newhaven_archery@yahoo.co.uk www.newhavenarcheryclub.co.uk Plumpton Bowmen secretary@plumpton-bowmen.org.uk www.plumpton-bowmen.org.uk Six Villages AC Carol Bartlett 01243 545 160 secretary@SixVillagesArcheryClub.org.uk www.sixvillagesarcheryclub.org.uk Worthing AC 07983 794 997 www.worthingarcheryclub.co.uk Sussex County Archery Association Mrs D Cannon (Secretary) 01903 238 975 secretary@sussex-archery.org.uk www.sussex-archery.org.uk

ATHLETICS

Arena AC Caroline Wood 01273 324 605 areana80ac@hotmail.co.uk arena80.tripod.com Bexhill Road Runners Christine Sage 01424 810 096 info@bexhillrunners.co.uk www.bexhillrunners.co.uk Bodyworks XTC Tri Store Lawrence Neill bodyworks1@aol.com www.teambodyworksxtc.com Brighton & Hove AC Robert Willows 01903 813 878 a.willows@sky.com www.brightonandhovecity-ac.com B’ton & Hove Women’s Running Club Sarah Lowe bhrs99@rocketmail.com www.brightonandhoverunningsisters.org.uk Burgess Hill Runners Stuart Condie 01444 232 187 stuartcondie@gmail.com www.bhrunners.co.uk Chichester Runners & AC Philip Baker, 01243 533 784 philbaker5@tiscali.co.uk www.chichester-runners.org.uk Crawley AC Mrs Shirley Steele 01342 713 220 club@crawleyac.org.uk www.crawleyac.org.uk Crowborough Runners Dominique Welbury dwelbury@southeastwater.co.uk www.crowboroughrunners.org.uk East Grinstead & District AC Mary Lord 01342 316 028 mary.lordfamily@gmail.com www.egac.co.uk Eastbourne Rovers AC Julie Jones 01323 415 409 julie-jones@hotmail.co.uk www.eastbourneroversac.co.uk Fittleworth Flyers Ms Sye Frossard 07710 612 233 secretary@fittleworthflyers.org.uk www.fittleworthflyers.org.uk Hailsham Harriers Lesley Underdown 01424 810 382 marionunderdown@hailsham-harriers.org.uk www.hailsham-harriers.org.uk Haslemere Border AC David Bateman 01428 656 587 www.hbac.co.uk Hastings AC Andrea Ashley-Smith 07759 145 466 secretary-hastingsathleticclub@live.co.uk www.hastingsathleticclub.co.uk Hastings Runners Sally Lovell www.hastingsrunners.org.uk Haywards Heath Harriers Linda Tullett 01444 870 788 enquiries@haywardsheathharriers.co.uk www.haywardsheathharriers.co.uk

38/Issue 15 www.sussexsport.co.uk

Heathfield Road Runners Jim Scott 01435 863 932 jpjscott@googlemail.com www.heathfieldRd.runners.com Henfield Joggers Richard Knight 01273 492 293 www.henfieldjoggers.co.uk Horsham Blue Star Harriers Michael Carrington 01403 260 556 carringtonjm@googlemail.com www.horshambluestarharriers.org.uk Horsham Joggers info@horshamjoggers.co.uk www.horshamjoggers.co.uk Lancing Eagles David Clubb 01273 554 946 davidclubb@sky.com www.lancingeagles.co.uk Lewes AC Peter Miller 01444 232 083 pmiller209@btinternet.com www.lewesac.co.uk Mel’s Milers Jogging Club 01403 247 572 info@melsmilers.co.uk www.melsmilers.co.uk Midhurst Milers 01730 814 339 info@midhurstmilers.co.uk www.midhurstmilers.co.uk Phoenix AC (Brighton) Paul Thomas 01323 490 037 disabledathlete@googlemail.com www.brightonphoenix.org.uk Rotary Rd. Runners David Crook 01243 262 126 dcrook@dsl.pipex.com Seaford Striders 01323 899 033 www.seafordstriders.org.uk Steyning AC Martin Coleman martinrcoleman@hotmail.co.uk www.steyningac.co.uk The Sixth Dimension Simon Wagstaff sixthvillagesenquires@freedom-lesiure.co.uk www.freedom-lesiure.co.uk, Tonbridge AC Mrs Vicky Thomas 01732 359 669 www.tonbridgeac.co.uk Tone Zone Runners (Felpham) 01243 826 612 clubsecretary@tonezonerunners.org www.tonezonerunners.org Utopia Runners (Uckfield) Richard Page 01825 769 015 utopiarunners@tiscali.co.uk utopiarunners.eastsussexcrosscountry.co.uk Wadhurst Runners Sara Wrenn 01892 783 506 sarawren@googlemail.com www.wadhurstrunners.co.uk Worthing & District Harriers Maureen Lewis 07968 270 460 mandycollingson@tiscali.co.uk www.worthingharriers.com Worthing Striders 07834 968 533 information@worthingstriders.co.uk www.worthingstriders.co.uk

BADMINTON

Alfriston John Cripps 01323 898 640 Arcadian (Worthing) Janice Byerley 01903 233 330 chris.byerley@talktalk.net Ashurstwood BC Jon Warren 01293 774 904 Jonts67@hotmail.com Barcombe Rosemary Carter 01273 480 944 / 466 086 ro_mackie@hotmail.com Beacon (Crowborough) Bryan & Ann Duggan 01892 653 481 bryan@beaconbadminton.com www.beaconbadminton.com Bexhill Sandy Scrivener 01424 222 755 Bognor Regis BC Gary Smith 01243 828 225 garyjohnsmith@tiscali.co.uk Bosham Badminton Club Bruce Dupee 01243 773 744 bruce.dupee@gmail.com www.chihhh.org.uk/bbc/ Breakaways (Portslade) Tracy Sayers 01273 419 622 tracysayers@hotmail.com Brighton Bats (Moulsecoomb) 01273 622 266 batsclub2004@yahoo.co.uk Chanctonbury Mike Murray 01903 746 172 mikemurray53@btinternet.com

Chelwood Gate Sue Bailey 01825 722 588 info@chelwoodgatebc.co.uk www.chelwoodgatebc.co.uk, Chichester Wing Peter Gowin 01243 860 670 petergowin@talktalk.net Club Foot (Worthing) Matt Page 07790 686 624 mattpagezk@ntlworld.com Cooden Les Rowley 01424 223 998 lesliejrowley@aol.com Crawley Phil Oldfield 07966 157 450 enquiries@crawleybadminton.co.uk www.crawleybadminton.co.uk David Lloyd Leisure (Worthing) Paul Young 01903 276 700 paulgarethyoung@msn.com Dragonflies (women only) Mrs B Rutherford 01273 841 898 Virgin Brighton Julia Alkema 07798 808 626 coachjulia@live.co.uk Felbridge Jackie Burditt 01444 443 442 Jackie@accelerated-mail.co.uk egscc.co.uk/badminton/fbc.html Forest Gill Fairham (Secretary) 01403 254 150 gill.fairham@talktalk.net www.forestbadmintonclub.org Hailsham Diana Burton 01323 423 093 diana.j-flana@tiscali.co.uk Hardwick (Eastbourne) Alan G Smith 01323 638 620 agordonsmith018@talktalk.net Hassocks Penny Radford 07714 545 328 penradford@hotmail.com Haywards Heath Elspeth McKenzie 01444 235 318 p.j.mckenzie@btinternet.com Henfield Debbie Chambers 01273 491 445 debbie.chambers@ukonline.co.uk Holbrook (Horsham) Sarah Lewis 01403 751150 sarahlewis83@yahoo.co.uk Homestead (Southwick) Andrew Lock 01273 732 354 andrew.lock@hoveactually.co.uk Imberwood (East Grinstead) Trevor Tolliday 01342 326 346 trevortolliday@sky.com www.imberwood.co.uk Lancing Stewart Byne 01903 763001 stewbyne@msn.com Lindfield Mrs Barbara Davies 01444 453559 BarbaraDavies@northcolwell.co.uk www.freewebs.com/lindfield Littlehampton David Beatty 01903 713217 lbsclub@tiscali.co.uk / www.lbsc.org.uk Middleton (Littlehampton) Colin Morris 01243 584274 colin.morris80@tesco.net Middleton (Littlehampton) Colin Morris 01243 584274 colin.morris80@tesco.net Newick Badminton Club David Palmer 01825 723299 davidpalmer2@supanet.com www.newickbadmintonclub.co.uk Ringmer Badminton Club Samantha Holder 01273 812 906 Ringmer (Village Hall) Sue Hemington 01273 812 356 S S Ramblers (Eastbourne) Mr P Wilkinson 01323 640 956 Saints (Eastbourne) Kevin 01323 502 530 philip@saintsbadminton.co.uk www.saintsbadminton.co.uk St Anne’s (women only, Hartfield) Sheila Puttock 01323 503 409 St Johns (Bexhill) Alison Seymour 01424 732 226 Alison@gpark.demon.co.uk St Lukes (Brighton) Bill Brandt 01273 675 316 bill.brandt@ericsson.com St Richard’s (Pound Hill, Crawley) Jan Archard 01293 531 826 p.archard@btinternet.com St Paul’s (Crawley) Mrs Brenda Phillips 01293 420 578 St.PaulsBadminton@PLCWD.Co.Uk www.plcwd.co.uk/html/badminton.html Southover (Rottingdean) Lesley Blunt 01444 233 965 lesley.blunt@talktalk.net

badminton Leagues

Brighton Badminton League Matt Page 01903 233 417 mattpagezk@ntlworld.com www.brightonbadmintonleagues.co.uk Bognor, Chichester & District Brian Simpson, Secretary secretary@bcdba.org.uk www.bcdba.org.uk Eastbourne & Dist Badminton Assoc Annette Huggett 01323 500 019 annettehuggett@care4free.net or www.eastbournebadminton.co.uk

BASKETBALL

1066 Conquerors (Hastings) 07962 687 207 andy12hodder@aol.com www.1066basketball.co.uk Bexhill Giants Eric Douglin 07971 821 457 eric.douglin@btopenworld.com bexhillgiants.intheteam.com Bognor Pirates Basketball Club David Lowe 01243 265 409 david.lowe7@btinternet.co.uk bognor-basketball.co.uk/index.html Holbrook Allstars (women) Sarah Maloney 07957 860 455 nickprobin@aol.com and sarahlawes24@hotmail.com Runnin Rebels (Brighton) Nick Stevens nickandbeckystevens@yahoo.co.uk www.runninrebels.co.uk Worthing Tropics Ashley Clarke 07899 061 704 Ashley.clarke@puma.com

Juniors

Angmering Cobras Mr. D.Yates 01903 778 363 director@thesportscollege.co.uk www.thesportscollege.co.uk/cobras.php Brighton Cougars Anne Baverstock 07809 105 300 Bav@dorothy-stringer.co.uk brightoncougars.intheteam.com Bognor Royals Youth Hilary Robbins hils.robbins@btinternet.com Crawley Cagers 07800 511 762 cliff@crawleycagersbasketball.co.uk www.crawleycagersbasketball.co.uk East Grinstead Jr Basketball Club 07812 121 222 Hay Heath Eagles Basketball Club www.bebo.com/Profile. jsp?MemberId=4974679988 Horsham Hawks Basketball Club John Dishington 07971 466 120 johnd@horshamhawks.co.uk www.horshamhawks.intheteam.com Holbrook Huskies (Men), Dave Goss d.goss@talk21.com Eastbourne Jets 07801 701 474 hoopscoach33@btinternet.com www.eastbournejets.co.uk Shoreham Sharks Basketball Brian Deacon (coach) 07826 550 844 coach@shorehamsharks.co.uk www.shorehamsharks.co.uk Storrington Slammers Richard 07974 237 069

BOWLS Find your closest bowls club: www.bowlsengland.com/index.asp?display=clu bs&l=1&county=Sussex

Adur Indoor Bowling Club Ken Twine 01273 870670 admin@aduribc.com www.aduribc.com Sussex County Bowling Assoc Men’s Sec., David Bain 01903 742 526 bain_david@hotmail.com Women’s Sec., Kathy Flood 01273 517 683 www.sussexba.co.uk kathyflood@btinternet.com E Sussex Short Mat Bowls Assoc Alan Archer 01424 830 425 www.eastsussexsmba.co.uk W Sussex Short Mat Bowls Assoc Bryony Wood 01403 267 608 setonwood@btinternet.com wscsmba.org

BOXING

Adur Laurence Causabon-Vincent 01903 754 869 Atha Joe Pilgrim 01424 223 563 Bognor Regis 01243 862 279 Brighton City Brian Harvey 07891 794 559 Chichester Boys Heath O’Brien 01243 782 462 Crawley George Brown 07782 375 870 www.crawleyboxing.co.uk Horsham 07831 553 328 www.horshamabc.co.uk Hastings West Hill Jean Gray 01424 441 308 info@westhill-boxing.com www.westhill-boxing.com Hillcrest (Newhaven) Sue Lawrence 01273 512 376 hillcrestcentre@btopenworld.com Hove David Brown 01903 762 643 david.brown131@ntlworld.com Keystone Pat Nelson 01293 409 376 Moulsecoomb Matt Bell 01273 231 896 St Gerards Gerry Lavell 01243 786 661 Whitehawk Gary Emins 07738 527 677 emins_whitehawk_abc@yahoo.co.uk Willingdon Trees Dan Woolridge 07875 719 875 treesnews@yahoo.com www.willingdontreesabc.com

CANOEING/KAYAKING

Adur Canoe Club 01798 812 183 secretary@adurcanoeclub.org.uk www.adurcanoeclub.org.uk Bewl Canoe Club infobewlcanoeclub@yahoo.co.uk www.bewlcanoeclub.co.uk Chichester Canoe Club kerry@chichestercanoeclub.co.uk www.chichestercanoeclub.co.uk Cuckmere Valley Canoe Club committee@cvcc.org.uk www.cvcc.org.uk Forest Canoe Club 07725 252 952 forestcanoe@yahoo.co.uk www.forestcanoeclub.org.uk Hailsham & Eastbourne Canoe Club peterchambers@kennedybros.co.uk Hastings & District Canoe Club 07512 810 139 hastingscanoeclub@googlemail.com www.hastingscanoeclub.org.uk Martlet Kayak Club 294 Madeira Drive Arches, Brighton BN2 1EN martletkayakclub@hotmail.com www.martletkayakclub.org.uk

CRICKET

To find your local club: sussexcb.play-cricket.com/directory east Sussex Cricket League Kenneth Jeffery 01684 567 042 kcj@escl.org.uk / www.escl.org.uk League cricket info: www.sussexcricket.co.uk/the-club/ recreationalcricket/clubs-leagues/ Mid Sussex Cricket League mscl.play-cricket.com Sussex Cricket League Peter Butter (Chairman) peter.butter@btinternet.com www.sussexcl.play-cricket.com

West Sussex Invitation Cricket League www.wsicl.co.uk

CYCLING

21st Century Airports CT Mr Graham Kerr 01403 217 297 Bognor Regis Cycling Club Don Lambert 01243 262 434 donjanlamt13@supanet.com www.bognorregiscyclingclub.org/ Central Sussex CC (Shermanbury) Mr Geoff Ericson, 10 Woodside Close, Shermanbury RH13 8HH Crawley Wheelers Dick Crane 01342 713 197 www.crawleywheelers.co.uk Dirt Devils MBC (MTB) info@dirt-devils.fsnet.co.uk www.dirt-devils.fsnet.co.uk Eastbourne Rovers Cycling Club stuart@eastbournerovers.co.uk www.eastbournerovers.com East Grinstead Cycling Club Richard Blackmore 01342 713 272 dicknjan@btinternet.com / www.egcc.net VC Etoile (Findon) Peter Scarsbrook 01903 872 052 scarzi@hotmail.com Festival RC (Horsham) Brian Wareham 01403 240 262 brianwareham@aol.com www.festivalrc.co.uk Findon Gentlemen’s Cycling Club 01903 873 923 info@thefgcc.org www.thefgcc.org Forest Row Cycling Club Kate Chadwick 01342 311936 secretary@frbc.info www.frbc1.talktalk.net Horsham Cycling Club Peter David 01403 259 062 peter.david@horshamcycling.co.uk www.horshamcycling.co.uk Lewes Wanderers Cycling Club Mick Burgess 01444 244 283 www.leweswanderers.co.uk Phoenix Cycling Club (Seaford) Clive Aberdour 01323 872 292 clive.aberdour@btinternet.com www.phoenix.cyclub.btinternet.co.uk Rye & District Wheelers Barry Goodsell 01424 882 890 goodsellbazza@aol.com Southdown Velo (Chichester) contact@southdownvelo.org.uk www.southdownvelo.org.uk Stella GS (Storrington) Dr Mark Jones 01273 642 215 m.p.jones@brighton.ac.uk Stella VC (Littlehampton) Mr Raymond Betts 07802 740 446 raybetts75@btinternet.com Sussex Nomads (B Hill/Ditchling) Alan Limbrey 01273 558 511 richard.harwood1@sussexnomads.org.uk www.sussexnomads.org.uk VC Jubilee Yth Dev Cycling Club 01273 843 859 vcjubilee@vcjubilee.co.uk www.vcjubilee.co.uk

CYCLING (BMX)

Bexhill Burners BMX Club Robin Higley 01424 212 951 robin.higley@btinternet.com Preston Park Youth Cycle Club Anthony Rogers, Chairman, 01273 883 956 anthony@ppycc.org.uk www.ppycc.org.uk Sussex Cycle Racing League Mrs Deborah Gent 01273 301 262 debgent@gmail.com www.scrl.co.uk

CYCLING (Leisure)

East Sussex Cyclists’ Touring Club David Rix, ctceastsussex@gmail.com Eastbourne & Hailsham Section Christine Thomas 01825 890 809 Midweek Section Esther Carpenter 01424 751 581 esthercarpenter@rocketmail.com www.ctcmidweek.org.uk Geoff’s Old Bike Rides Geoff Boxall 01273 813 917 Cyclists’ Touring Club W Sussex Edwin Jones 01243 267 746 edwin@jones.name www.ctcwestsussex.org.uk CTC Arun - Adur Group Peter Wilson 01903 755 765 pw@peterwilson.org.uk www.fonant.co.uk/arunadur

CTC Bgnr, Chichr, Hrshm & Crwly grp 01403 257 072 bnicol@horshamandcrawleyctc.org.uk www.horshamandcrawleyctc.org.uk, www.bognorchichester.org.uk, Sussex Nomads Cycling Club 01273 709 303

DIVING

Crawley Diving Club Mrs B McAdam 01293 410 944 divergindeep@hotmail.co.uk Worthing Swimming Club 01903 231 797 email@WorthingSwimmingClub.org.uk www.worthingswimmingclub.org

FENCING

Brighton & Hove Angela Goodall angela.goodall@brightonandhovefencing.co.uk www.brightonandhovefencing.co.uk Chichester Fencing Club Sharon Blackman 01243 822 753 info@chichester-fencing-club.org.uk www.chichester-fencing-club.org.uk Chichester Community Fencing Club 07961 677 384 info@communityfencing.org.uk www.communityfencing.org.uk Crawley Sword Geoff Griffin 01293 521 870 www.crawleyswordclub.co.uk Eastbourne Fencing Club Steven Paul eastbournefencing@googlemail.com www.eastbournefencing.org.uk Horsham Fencing Club gigglenicky@aol.com www.horshamfencingclub.co.uk Portslade Fencing club Eileen Pitman 01273 411 100 sportscentre@pcc-web.com

FOOTBALL The Sussex FA: www.sussexfa.com/GetIntoFootball/FindAClub/ www.sussexfa.com/Governance/Affiliation/

Adult leagues Sussex County League (Sat/midweek) www.scfl.org.uk

Intermediatefootball adult leagues

Brighton, Hove & Dist Football Lge Andy Lindley 07764 537 078 www.bhdfl.co.uk/index.html East Sussex Football League 01323 765 971 paul.turner@esfl.org.uk www.esfl.org.uk Mid Sussex Football League Lawrie Parsons 01444 242 023 lawrie.parsons9@btinternet.com www.football.mitoo.co.uk/Counties.cfm?County=Sussex West Sussex Football League Chris Bridges 01403 730 853 christopher.bridges@btinternet.com Worthing & District Football Lge www.yellowjersey.net Sussex Sunday Football League www.sundayleague.info Worthing & Horsham Dist Sunday Lge Phil Farrelly 07774 835 870 philfarre@aol.com www.leaguewebsite.co.uk/whdsfl Lewes & District Football League Chris Bates lewessfl@yahoo.co.uk www.leaguewebsite.co.uk/lewessfl

Women’s & girls’ (Sundays)

Sussex County FA Womens’ & Girls www.thefa.com/full-time/scfa South East Counties Women’s Lge www.secwfl.org.uk

YOUTH Leagues

Arun & Chichester Youth League Kathy Wilson 01903 883 997 kathy@kathy99.freeserve.co.uk www.acyfl.net East Sussex Mini-Minor League Pat Taylor 01424 429 786 www.freewebs.co.uk/esmml Mid Sussex Youth & Minor League full-time.thefa.com/Index.do?league=1375655 Rother Youth League full-time.thefa.com/Index.do?league=681144

SussexSport

www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /39

Want to play? Your guide to the sports, clubs and leagues in Sussex

Stanford Penguins (Portslade) Alvin Lee 01903 831 131 alv82000@hotmail.co.uk www.stanford-penguins.co.uk Steyning/Castle Michele Mason 01273 588 444 sarahmichele@hotmail.co.uk The Denes Badminton Club (Rottingdean) Nicky Holness Nicky@holness.wanadoo.co.uk West Worthing Vanessa Bramble 01903 247 567 vanessa@bramblespatch.freeserve.co.uk Woodlands (St Leonards-on-Sea) Secretary 07907 892 922 info@woodlandsbadminton.org.uk www.woodlandsbadminton.org.uk Worthing Nondescripts Matthew Hodgson 01903 204 386, matthew.hodgson@ntlworld.com

Want to play? Your guide to the sports, clubs and leagues in Sussex

Sussex County Yth Lge (Under-18) full-time.thefa.com/gen/Index do?league=4160018 Sussex Sunday Youth League full-time.thefa.com/Index.do?league=1697069

GYMNASTICS

British gymnastics: www.british-gymnastics.org Angmering School Of Gym 07935 212 428 angmering.gym@googlemail.com Arun Gym & Trampolining Club 07986 508 909 Mandyhxxx@aol.com Brighton & Hove Gymnastics Club 01273 776 209 gym@bhgym.co.uk www.bhgym.co.uk cacl gym club (eastbourne) 01323 730 467 info@caclsports.co.uk Chanctonbury Sportup G.C. 01903 746 070 sportup@chanctonburysl.com Chichester Olympic Gymnastic Club 01243 790 255 info@chichestergymnastics.co.uk www.chichestergymnastics.co.uk Hawth Gymnastics 01293 520 821 www.hawthgymnastics.co.uk Hollingdean Gymnastic Club 01273 559 469 jeffrey.arnold3@ntlworld.com Horsham Gymnastics Club 01403 756 699 hgc@hgc.org.uk / www.hgc.org.uk i-star Academy 07843 666 251 info@istaracademy.co.uk Kestrel Gymnastics Academy K.G.A 01580 858 733 k.g.a@btinternet.com Pavillions in the Park 01403 219 200 enquiries@pavillionsinthepark.co.uk Pyramid Gymnastics Club 01444 243 314 john.nightingale4@btinternet.com Pyramid Gymnastics Club 01444 243 314 john.nightingale4@btinternet.com Seaford Gymnastics Academy 01323 892 425 lorraine@seafordgymnastics.co.uk Stars Gymnastics Club 01903 800 024 amandawadman@gmail.com Summerfields Gym Club 01424 444 615 emma@summerfields-gymnastics.com Uckfield Gymnastic Club 01825 764 141 www.uckfieldgymnastics.co.uk Wickers Gym Club Katy Hodgson 01273 465 554 khodgson@talk21.com / wickersgymclub.com

HOCKEY

Bognor Town Hockey Club (women) patathome.simmonds.btinternet.com Brighton & Hove Hockey Club 01903 239 894 cameron_heath@standardandpoors.com www.brightonandhovehockeyclub.net Burgess Hill Hockey Club (women) 01444 441 223 ginettemread@yahoo.co.uk www.burgesshillhc.co.uk Buxted Park Hockey Club Captain: Liz Wigglesworth 01825 733 689 info@bphc.co.uk www.bphc.co.uk Chichester Hockey Club Kim Howarth 01243 865 523 kimhow14@hotmail.com www.chichesterhockey.com Crawley Hockey Club 07788 543 836 emma.franks@blueyonder.co.uk www.crawleyhockeyclub.com Crowborough Hockey Club Paula Davies 01732 866 533 www.crowboroughhockey.co.uk East Grinstead Hockey Club 01342 321 210 alison.armstrong@freedom-lesiure.co.uk www.egscc.co.uk Hailsham Hockey Club 07855 121 511 alison@hailshamhc.co.uk www.hailshamhockey.co.uk

SussexSport

Honeybees Hockey Club (women) Katie Walters 07719 756 148 kwalters@imberhorne.co.uk Holbrook Hockey Club (Horsham) 01403 751 150 Claire_adcock@yahoo.co.uk www.theholbrookclub.co.uk Horsham Hockey Club 07740 096 123 nick.evans@uk.ibm.com www.horshamhc.co.uk Lewes Hockey Club Gemma Collins 01273 480 630 vodkagemma@hotmail.com www.southdownsportsclub.co.uk/hockey Littlehampton Hockey Club Colin Warner 07977 516 070 colin.warner@war-ner.co.uk www.littlehamptonhc.org.uk Mid Sussex Hockey Club Vicky O’Boyle 01444 248 110 vickyoboyle@yahoo.co.uk www.mshc.co.uk Middleton & Bognor Hockey Club 01243 870 000 rachelmccartain@talktalk.net www.mandbhc.org.uk Sth Saxons Hockey Club (Hastings) Sue Klein 01424 223 647 sueklein2001@aol.com www.southsaxonshc.co.uk Southwick Hockey Club 01273 592 233 www.southwick.org Worthing Hockey Club Bob Catlow 07836 529133 Catlowbob@aol.com www.worthinghockey.co.uk

LACROSSE

East Grinstead Lacrosse Club 07712 527 615 info@eglc.co.uk / www.eglc.co.uk

LIFESAVING

Crawley Town Lifesaving Club Secretary: John Stainer 01293 585 300 contact@crawleytownlsc.com www.crawleytownlsc.com/contact.htm Horsham Life Saving Club David Slade 01903 715 745 info@horshamlifesavingclub.co.uk www.horshamlifesavingclub.co.uk Ringmer Swim & Lifesaving Club John Wiles 01273 400 468 bodgelets@hotmail.com

MARTIAL ARTS AIKIDO

Aikido Circle Black Belt Academy Ken DeHaan 07747 788 128 ken@aikidocirclebba.com www.aikidocirclebba.com Crawley Aikido Club 01342 321 429 info@crawleyaikidoclub.com crawleyaikidoclub.com Ittaikan Aikido Club Paul Bonett 01273 696 383 dojo@brightonaikido.co.uk www.brightonaikido.co.uk/ Myo-Do-Kan King Alfred Leisure Centre, Kingsway, Hove BN3 2WW Henfield Leisure Centre, North Croft, The King’s Field, Henfield BN5 9QB. Val Hodges. 01273 737 132 Mondays at Henfield Lesiure, Thursday at King Alfred valhodges22@hotmail.com Southdowns Club (Aikido) Kevin Elliott 07738 538 448 kevinhavard@hotmail.com www.kifederationofgreatbritain.co.uk/clubs/ southdown.htm Sussex Sport Aikido Club Jerome Chin-Aleong 07951 177 936 jica27@hotmail.com www.sussexsportaikido.info

JUDO

Battle Judo Club 01424 774 772 Bexhill A A Judo Club 01424 214 912 jasonmeek@bexhill.org.uk Bridgeview Judo Club (Lewes) Paul Leaney 01273 470 759 fieldingd@hotmail.com www.judoatlewes.co.uk Brighton Judo Club Mark Deeney 01273 683 780 brighton.judo@btinternet.com www.brightonjudoclub.org

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Chichester Judo Club Ilona Guy 07512 332 783 ilona.guy@btinternet.com chichesterjudoclub.co.uk Hastings YMCA Judo Club Les Pike 01424 446 459 Hollington Judo Club (St. L’nards) Neil Chalcraft 01424 430 999 neil.chalcraft@bt.internet.com Horsham Judo Club 07778 670 124 www.horshamjudoclub.com Kaigan Judo Club (Eastbourne) Pat Jeffery 01323 507 595 Keisen Judo Club Tim Draper 07867 538 384 tim@keisen.co.uk / www.keisen.co.uk Kin Ryu Judo Club Peter Seymour 01293 537 808 p.seymour1@sky.com www.kinryu.org.uk Seishin Judo Club 07872 449 093 www.seishin-judo.co.uk Uckfield Judo Club 01825 768 453 terry.bate@ace-ina.com Westerleigh Judo Kwai Ltd Paul Everest 01424 442 726 paulapauleverest@hotmail.com www.westerleighjudo.org.uk Zodiac Judo Kwai (Hastings) Duncan Maclean 07516 902 975

KARATE

Bexhill Shotokan Karate Club Ian Hollidge 01424 218 993 ianhollidge@hotmail.com www.sskd.org.uk Brighton Shokotan Karate Dave Hazard 01903 775 101 jess@fastnet.co.uk www.brightonkarate.co.uk Chichester GoJu Karate Club 01243 672 589 www.chichesterkarate.co.uk Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Assoc Ron Silverthorne 01323 891 471 info@fska.co.uk www.fska.co.uk Kanzenki Shotokan Karate Club Lindsey Musing 07812 037 455 www.kanzenkishotokan.co.uk KeiBudo Freestyle Karate Keith Boardman 01903 530 264 www.sussexkarate.com Sharinjiru Renshinkan Karate Do Julia Turley 01444 454 827 jtrenshinkan@btinternet.com Reiwaryu Ryushinkan Karatedo Renmei 01444 241 625 rhys.williams@trendcontrols.com www.ryushinkan.com Roffey Karate Club Phil Smith 07708 432 682 wadoguard-roffeykarate@yahoo.co.uk roffeykarateclub.co.uk Red Oak Karate Club (Lewes) John Cross 01273 471 627 redoakkarate@googlemail.com www.redoakkarate.org.uk SEMKA Wado-Ryu Karate Paul Elliott 01403 218 327 semka@btopenworld.com www.horshamkarateclub.com Tang Sou Dao Karate - Ren Yi Wu Kwan Adam Goward (snr instructor) 01825 732 224 a.goward@virgin.net www.tangsoudao.com

KICKBOXING

Dynamic Tiger F’style Kickboxing Damon Kentell 07774 891 785 admin@dtfk.co.uk / dtfk.co.uk Crawley Martial Arts Academy 07702 119 198, john@crawleymartialartsacademy.com www.crawleymartialartsacademy.com

KUNG FU

Kung Fu Schools 01293 544 333 info@kungfuschools.org www.kungfuschools.org Shaolin Kung Fu Matthew Gross 0781 2342 058 digitmatt@hotmail.com www.sussexkungfu.co.uk

TAI CHI

Sussex Zhong Ding Jan Simpson 07506 525 116 sussexzhongding@yahoo.co.uk www.sussexzhongding.co.uk

Tai Chi Wisdom Simon & Cher Robins 01273 239 054 info@taichiwisdom.net www.taichiwisdom.net

TAEKWON-DO

Brighton Taekwon-Do School 01273 508 120, brightontaekwondo@gmail.com www.martialarts-brighton.co.uk, Brighton Taekwondo Academy 07764 740 877 brightontkdacademy@yahoo.co.uk www.brightontkd.co.uk Crawley Tae Kwon-Do Club 08009 176 238 training@crawley-taekwondo.co.uk www.crawley-taekwondo.co.uk West Sussex Tae Kwon Do Anne-Marie Jones-Taylor 01243 826 917 info@westsussextaekwondo.co.uk www.westsussextaekwondo.co.uk

GENERAL/OTHER

British Jujitsu Ryu 07828 213 892, britishjujitsuruy@hotmail.com Kenaji Academy of Martial Arts Brian Redman 01903 743 334 www.kenagi.co.uk Ryusui-ryu Neil Starks 01342 315 372 www.m-a-t-s.co.uk Sama S East - Karate & Kickboxing WSussex: 01273 588 850 ESussex: 01273 580 577 george@samakarate.com www.samasoutheast.co.uk Soul Martial Arts Academy 08009 804 858 soulmartialarts@hotmail.com www.soulmartialarts.co.uk Tae-Jitsu 07891 864 272 taejitsu@yahoo.co.uk www.tae-jitsu.co.uk Uckfield Martial Arts Club Alex Foot (coach) 07946 104 512 afoot@panini.co.uk www.anthonycairns.com/Martial%20Arts/UMAC.htm W Sussex Choi Kwang Do Academy 07955 162 886 wsckd@fsmail.net www.westsussexckd.com White Crane Fighting Arts Neil Johnson 07976 260 710 neil@whitecranefightingarts.com www.whitecranefightingarts.com Worthing Mike O’Hagan 01903 236 664 mohagan@gym-xtreme.co.uk www.gym-xtreme.co.uk

NETBALL

Sussex County Assoc Sheila Martin 01273 422 959 she.martin@hotmail.co.uk www.sussexnetball.com/play-netball.php Arun Netball Club jo_norcross85@yahoo.co.uk hanbro@me.com Brighton Netball Club www.brightonnetballclub.co.uk CCK Netball Club (Whitehawk) ccknetball@btinternet.com www.brightonccknetballclub.wordpress.com Crows Netball Club Rachel 01892 655 661 www.tunwellsnetball.org.uk CD Phoenix Netball Club (E Grinstead) cdphoenixsussex@googlemail.com www.cdphoenixsussex.org.uk Eastbourne netball club www.eastbourne-netball.com Enigma Netball Club (Worthing) Karen Thornton 07748 196 238 karenthornton12@hotmail.com Genesis Beacon Netball Club 01825 769 210 Giants (Worthing) karen.Dennison@westsussexpct.nhs.uk Hassocks Netball Club macnamara750@btinternet.com H’field & Partridge Green N ball Team Edna 01403 710 586 Lewes netball club (junior) www.lewesnetballclub.co.uk Mid Sussex Netball Club Jackie@midsussex.netball.org.uk www.midsussexnetball.org.uk Oakwood Netball Club (Crawley) oakwoodnetball@yahoo.co.uk www.oakwoodnc.co.uk

ORIENTEERING

Southdowns Orienteers Jaquie Drake 01293 613 114 thedrakes@vuggles.co.uk www.southdowns-orienteers.org.uk

POLO

Cowdray Park 01730 813 257 www.cowdraypolo.co.uk Hickstead All England Polo Club 01273 834 315 www.hickstead.co.uk

ROWING Find your local club www.britishrowing.org/clubfinder Ardingly Rowing Club David Avery 01798 815 118 d.avery6@btinternet.com www.ardinglyrowingclub.co.uk Bexhill Rowing Club anthony.page@networkrail.co.uk www.bexhillrowingclub.com Bewl Bridge Rowing Club Martin Teale 07801 135 270 martinteale@rocketmail.com www.bewlrowingclub.co.uk Eastbourne Rowing Club Nick Norwood 07855 393 542 dave@dufrane.co.uk www.eastbournerc.co.uk Shoreham Rowing Club rowing@shorehamrowingclub.co.uk Worthing Rowing Club Martin Holden 07904 183 284 wrc@worthingrowingclub.com www.worthingrowingclub.com/

RUGBY UNION

Sussex RFU 01273 623030 sussexadmin@rfu.com www.sussexrugby.co.uk/dyn/pages/playing/ links.shtml Barns Green RFC andrewstambridge@barnsgreenrfc.co.uk www.barnsgreenrfc.co.uk Bognor RFC Andy Sweeney 01243 820 846 www.bognor-rfc.com Brighton FC (RFU) Dionne Fowle (Hon Secretary) 07778 547 625 brightonrugbyclub-enquires@hotmail.co.uk www.brightonblues.co.uk Chichester RFC 01243 779 820 secretary@chichesterRFC.co.uk www.chichesterrfc.co.uk Cinque Ports RFC 01424 722 844 info@cinqueportsrugby.co.uk www.cinqueportsrugby.co.uk Crawley RFC 01293 533 995, patrick.constance@neopost.co.uk Crowborough RFC Simon Davies 01892 663 915 sdgas@aol.com www.crowboroughrugby.com East Grinstead RFC Matt Ravenscroft 07831 721 538 secretary@egrfc.com www.egrfc.com/ Eastbourne RFC 01323 503 076 suandalwood.tiscali.co.uk www.eastbournerugby.com

Hastings & Bexhill RFC William Parker 01424 444 255 david.hirst@hastingsrugby.org.uk www.hastingsrugby.org.uk Haywards Heath RFC 01444 413 950 aj@hhrfc.co.uk www.pitchero.com/clubs/haywardsheath Heathfield & Waldron RFC Tim Ball 01435 831 142 tjgball@hotmail.com www.hwrfc.co.uk Hellingly RFC Roger White hellinglysecretary@hotmail.co.uk Holbrook RFC 01403 751 150 www.holbrookrfc.co.uk Horley RFC Barrie Edwards 07912 862 566 contact@horleyrugby.co.uk www.horleyrugby.co.uk Horsham RUFC Paul Harding 01403 265 027 chairman@horshamrufc.com www.horshamrufc.com Hove RFC Andy Ward 07789 777 475 clubhouse@hoverfc.com www.hoverfc.com Lewes RFC John Curry 01424 210 778 info@lrfc.org.uk www.lewesrfc.org.uk Littlehampton RFC Racheal Hutchings 07779 725 955 rachealh05@aol.com www.clubs.rfu.com/clubs/portals/littlehampton Midhurst RFC Simon Flint 01730 816 465 simon.flint@bbcel.co.uk www.midhurstrugby.co.uk Norfolk Arms RFC Ree 07966 815 345 www.norfolkarmsrfc.co.uk Pulborough RFC 01903 746 463 www.pitchero.com/clubs/pulborough shorehambymanager@yahoo.co.uk Rye RFC 07784 024 162 RyeRugby@Live.com www.pitchero.com/clubs/ryerfc Seaford RFC Nicky Walker 01323 441 429 www.seafordrfc.com Shoreham RFC shorehambymanager@yahoo.co.uk www.shorehamrugby.com Sussex Police RFC www.sussexpolicerfc.co.uk Uckfield RFC Kim Dunn 07905 756 271 dunnkim6@aol.com www.pitchero.com/clubs/uckfieldrfc Worthing RFC Allan Imrie 01903 784 706 Allan.Imrie@ametek.co.uk www.worthingrfc.co.uk Sussex Referees Society Phil Bowers 07930 188 560 philbowersref@aol.com / www.ssrfur.com/ Sussex Referees Society Phil Bowers 07930 188 560 philbowersref@aol.com / www.ssrfur.com/

SAILING/YACHTING

Arun Yacht Club 01903 716 016 arunyachtclub@btconnect.com www.arunyc.org.uk Ashdown Sailing Club 01342 326 901 ashdownsailingclub@yahoo.co.uk www.ashdownsailing.org.uk Bexhill Sailing Club 01424 212 906 www.bexhillsc.com Bosham Sailing Club 01243 572 341 manager@boshamsailingclub.co.uk www.boshamsailingclub.co.uk Brighton Marina Yacht Club 01273 818 711 office@bmyc.org.uk www.bmyc.org.uk Brighton Sailing Club 01273 321 802 www.brightonsailingclub.org.uk Chichester Yacht Club 01243 512 918 secretary@cyc.co.uk www.cyc.co.uk

City Livery Yacht Club 08445 730 000 www.clyc.co.uk Dell Quay Sailing Club 01243 785 080 www.dqsc.co.uk Eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;bourne Sovereign Sailing Club 01323 416 562 training@sailing-at-eastbourne.co.uk www.sailing-at-eastbourne.co.uk Hastings & St Leonards Sailing Club 01424 422 142 mail@hastingssc.wanadoo.co.uk www.hastingssc.org Hastings Motor Boat & Yacht Club 01424 429 779 hmbyc@supanet.com Inn Shore Cruising Club 01243 672 455 sec@innshorecruisingclub.co.uk www.innshorecruisingclub.co.uk Itchenor Sailing Club 01243 512 400 office@itchenorsailingclub.co.uk www.itchenorsc.co.uk Lancing Sailing Club 01903 766 006 memsec@lancingsc.org.uk www.lancingsc.org.uk Newhaven & Seaford Sailing Club 01323 893 542 information@nssc.org.uk www.nssc.org.uk Pagham Yacht Club 01243 265 025 commodore@pyc.org.uk www.pyc.org.uk Pevensey Bay Sailing Club 01323 761 002 dave.harrington@pbsd.org.uk www.pbsc.org.uk Shoreham Sailing Club 01273 453 078 sscmemsec@hotmail.com www.shorehamsailing.org Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club 01424 845 991 gsteven@rya-online.net www.shyc.co.uk Sussex Yacht Club 01273 464 868 secretary@sussexyachtclub.org.uk www.sussexyachtclub.org.uk Weir Wood Sailing Club 01342 828 462 info@wwsc.org.uk www.wwsc.org.uk Worthing Yacht Club 01903 249 956 www.worthingyachtclub.co.uk

SHOOTING

STOOLBALL

Fittleworth Rifle Club Sean Ide 01798 872 095 fittleworthrifleclub@hotmail.com www.fittleworthrifleclub.org Petworth & District Rifle Club John Robbins 08447 722 243 www.tates.com/Petworth/ Southwick Rifle Club Mr P. Sigournay 01903 814 642 southwickrifleclub@yahoo.co.uk

Snooker

Sussex County Stoolball Assoc Mrs Kay Price 01403 252 419

SWIMMING

Chichester and Dist Snooker League James 07540 497 171 jamescambray@hotmail.com

SQUASH

Sussex Squash & Racquetball www.sussexsquash.org.uk Arun Richard Laine 01243 826 612 richard.laine@ic24.net Bluecoat Sports Tony Fiveash 01403 247 572. tony@centralplanthire.co.uk www.bluecoatsports.co.uk Bognor Regis Steve Carruthers 01243 865 462 steviecarruthers@hotmail.com Brighton Dave Bowen 08456 443 417 david.bowen@worthing.gov.uk www.brightonsquash.co.uk Brighton Rackets Milli Fawssett 01273 667 888 milli.1@hotmail.co.uk Burgess Hill Andrew Eade 07794 17 4 969 andrew.eade@yahoo.co.uk

Cooden Sid Austin 01424 844 810 squash@cbssc.co.uk www.cbssc.co.uk/squash.htm Copthorne Squash Club Karl Manning 01342 715 022 karl.manning@sussexsquash.org.uk www.lafitness.co.uk/gym/gatwick Corals Andy Birch 01273 731 262 andy.birch@orionpharma.com www.coralfitness.co.uk/squash Crawley Squash Club Andrew Watts 01293 585 300 andrew.watts@zen.co.uk Crowborough Sally Powell 01892 652 618 info@crowboroughrackets.org.ok www.crowboroughrackets.org.uk David Lloyd Aaron Parkins 01323 509 802 a.parkins@sky.com Dolphin Chris Markham 01444 457 337 olymposhh@freedom-leisure.co.uk East Grinstead Andy Norris 01342 325 077 andrewgnorris@tiscali.co.uk www.egtsc.org Horsham James Norman 01403 251150 James.Norman@UK.RSAGroup.com www.horshamsquash.co.uk Lewes Bill Jeffries 01273 480 630 bill@billjeffries.co.uk www.southdownsportsclub.co.uk Littlehampton Ashley Squires 01903 713 217 a.squires@sky.com Middleton Paul Elliot 01243 583 157 hairsginger@hotmail.com www.middletonsportsclub.co.uk Midhurst David Usher 01730 816 841 rachelanddave@aol.com www.thegrange.org.uk Storrington Nathan Miller 01903 745 134 n.miller@crown-golf.co.uk www.storringtonsquashclub.co.uk Weald Trevor Morgan 01273 844 283 trevor.morgan@uk.ibm.com www.the-weald.co.uk West Worthing Pete Williams 01903 247 270 peter.williams850@ntlworld.com www.wwc.org.uk

1066 Swimmers SC secretary@1066swimmers.org.uk www.1066swimmers.org.uk Atlantis ASC Mr. Paul Clarke 01403 733 794 paclarke1@talktalk.net www.atlantishorsham.co.uk Beacon SC Mrs Ursula Taylor 01892 661 197 utaylor330@btinternet.com www.beaconswimmingclub.co.uk Bexhill SC Mrs.V. Tillett 01424 845 983 bexhillswimmingclub@hotmail.com Bognor Regis SC Mr D. Loveman 01243 528 095 daveloveman@lineone.net www.bognorswim.co.uk Brighton SC Mrs D. Halls 01273 475 326 denisehalls@postmaster.co.uk www.brightonsc.co.uk Brighton Dolphin SC Miss S. Naish sarah@snaish15.fsnet.co.uk www.bdsc.co.uk Chichester Cormorants SC Mrs J. Laney www.chichester-cormorants.org www.chichester-cormorants.co.uk Crawley SC Mrs E. Smith 01293 883 570 jan@cwcw.demon.co.uk www.crawleysc.ik.com East Grinstead SC Mrs. Annemarie Fox 01342 328 255 annemarie@thefoxies.com www.egsc.co.uk

SussexSport

www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /41

Want to play? Your guide to the sports, clubs and leagues in Sussex

Pulborough Netball Club Sue 01798 875 629 suzanne@dudman04.orangehome.co.uk Redhill Netball Club (Crawley) jo.barnes@rocketmail.com Rimmerettes Netball Club 07901 910 539 michelle.simmons@hotmail.co.uk Rudgewick Netball Club Emily 07799 514 954 www.rudgewicknetballclub.co.uk Seaford Netball Club Clare 01323 890 994 Southdown Netball Club pbaker@servalsystems.co.uk www.southdownnetballclub.co.uk Spirit Netball Club (Lewes - jr) Karen 07899 908 456 Sussex Thunder, Storm & Lightning sussexnetballclub@yahoo.co.uk Trinity Tristars Netball Club beccakel@hotmail.com Uckfield Netball Club (junior) uccsshipley@uctc.e-sussex.sch.uk

Community

Perfect pitch for Preston

ocal entrepreneur Noel Preston has set up his own insurance brokers to rival the industry’s big names. Based in Brighton, Preston Insurance Brokers believe that they can provide businesses with a personal service they simply wouldn’t receive from a larger organisation. Born in Hove, Noel relocated to London as a teenager and began his insurance career in 1989 with General Accident. He started broking in 1991 and after many years of working in the city, he returned to Sussex 12 years ago. With over 20 years’ experience and knowledge in the insurance world, Noel is confident that he can deliver a personal, individual and unique service to his clients

SussexSport

42/Issue 15 www.sussexsport.co.uk

Noel said: “Being based locally means we are always on hand to offer advice, and can provide that face to face relationship people want. Clients seek comfort in knowing they can rely on us in their hour of need, actually know who they are talking to and not have to deal with a call centre on the other side of the world or a faceless corporate entity. “We don’t just hear what our clients want, we listen and make sure we find out exactly what they need so we can deliver a cost-effective approach that suits their requirements.” Preston Insurance Brokers predominantly arrange all aspects of commercial insurance for their clients of all shapes and sizes, however, they can also help them with personal insurance to offer the convenience of having

everything under one roof and provide the same level of service. Preston Insurance Brokers are also committed to supporting the local community and are active supporters of Sussex County Cricket Club, as well as proud sponsors of Hove Rugby Football Club. Noel said: “We’ve just confirmed our involvement at the cricket club for this season and sponsorship of Hove RFC. Our team are looking forward to spend some time down at both grounds with clients, prospects, friends and family to make the most of the fantastic hospitality. “Both clubs provide a great environment to network and discuss business, whilst hopefully witnessing some great success on the pitch!”

SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING

Beacon Swimming Club (Crowborough) Mrs Ursula Taylor 01892 661 197 utaylor330@btinternet.com www.beaconswimmingclub.co.uk Brighton Dolphin Swimming Club Miss S. Naish, sarah@snaish15.fsnet.co.uk www.bdsc.co.uk Brighton Swimming Club Mrs D. Halls 01273 475 326 denisehalls@postmaster.co.uk www.brightonsc.co.uk

TABLE TENNIS

Sussex Table Tennis Alliance sussextta.co.uk Sussex County Table Tennis AssN. sctta.sussextta.co.uk/index.php Tackleway 01424 430 201

Leagues

Haywards Heath & Dist T Tennis Lge Phil Harvey 01444 242135 www.haywardsheathttl.org.uk Worthing & Dist T Tennis Lge Mrs J Mansell 01903 261 626 Battle Kevin Haffenden 07803 138 881 admin@battlettc.com www.battlettc.com BRoad. Oak TT club Paul Dustall 07985 812 001 Paul.dunstall@btopenworld.com Crawley Community TT club Ian Ford 07764 146 338 Ian.ford@horsham.gov.uk Hollingbury TT club Christine Wicks (club chairman) 01273 709 612 Cjiwcks1@yahoo.co.uk www.hollingburyttc.co.uk Horsham TT club Ian Ford 07764 146 338 Ian.ford@horsham.gov.uk www.horshamtabletennisclub.co.uk Pavilion TT club Mike Jones 07932 676 891 Mike.jones@pavilionttc.co.uk www.pavilionttc.co.uk Storrington TT club Pat Mahoharan 07897 150 108 Ian.talmadge@ips.invensys.com www.storrington-tabletennis.co.uk

Crawley & Horsham League teams Copthorne & Maidenbower M. H. Hughes 02086 683 314 Foresters D. Edwards 01293 521 643 Horsham R. Scott 07815 778 342

Hastings League teams Bexhillians Secretary : Roger Gillett 01424 216 977. Civil Service (Hastings) Secretary: Paul Barry 01424 431 658. Filsham Valley (Junior) Mrs T. Bennett, 01323 484 113 Hollington Neil Stapley 01424 422 892 Monarchs (Hastings) Peter Harding 01424 712 708 Saints 01424 718 136 Tackleway Danny Rickaby 01424 430 201 Tigers (St Leonards) Miss Sheila King 01424 428 057 sheila.king@etta.co.uk www.tigerstt.mfbiz.com Travaux Cliff Duffell 01424 773 176

Worthing Dist Lge teams Steyning 07927 008 663 SteyningTTC@googlemail.com www.steyningttc.co.uk West Worthing Bruce 01903 505 666 info@wwc.org.uk www.wwc.org.uk/table_tennis.html Woodlands Mrs B Bayford 01903 773 306

Other clubs

Billinghurst Ian Ford 07764 146 338 Ian.ford@horsham.gov.uk sussextta.co.uk/clubs_billingshurst.php Brighton Tim Holtam 07985141 788 tim@brightontabletennisclub.co.uk www.brightontabletennisclub.co.uk Crawley Community Ian Ford 07764 146 338 ianfordy@aol.com www.crawleytabletennis.co.uk Lancing Ray Forder 01903 766 678 rfordertabletennis@fsmail.net North Mundham Mr Peter Baldwin 01243 860 966 peter@peterbaldwin.co.uk Woodlands (Rustington) Jim Holden 01903 782 209 woodland@tiscali.co.uk

TENNIS

Angmering-On-Sea Lawn Tennis Club Mandy Wood (membership secretary): 07790 760 210 wood.mandy@btinternet.com Chichester Racquets & Fitness Club 01243 785 664 DeputyManager@crafc.co.uk www.crafc.co.uk Cross in Hand Tennis Club Steve Godfrey 01825 830 670 crossinhandtennis@googlemail.com Tennis Sussex 01273 505 979 Sussex@LTA.org.uk LTA Tennis Development Manager Liz Squires 01273 505 979 Liz.Squires@LTA.org.uk

TRAMPOLINING

Bexhill Bouncers 01424 845 054 ianmcmullen@hotmail.co.uk Dragon Flyers T.C. Bognor Regis 01243 825 015 lindatramp@yahoo.co.uk FliteCrew Trampoline Club 01403 257 038 flitecrewlaurel@aol.com ump Trampolining Club Karen Street (head coach) 01323 508 604 karen.street@virgin.net/ www.jumptc.co.uk Orbital Stars Trampoline Club 01403 734 448 Shinewater Trampoline Club 01323 768 614 shinewater@eastbourne.gov.uk www.eastbourne.gov.uk/leisure/sport/council/ shinewater/youth/gym-and-tramp Southdowns (Lewes + Peacehaven) Malcolm Jones 01273 486 000 southdowns.gtc@ntlworld.com Southwick Trampolining Club 01273 238 111 www.impulseleisure.co.uk

Steyning Stars & Henfield Gym Club Amanda Wadman 01903 816 368 amandawadman@gmail.com www.wadmanmandy@aol.com Sussex Springers Trampoline Club Carol on 01444 831 046 www.sussexspringers.co.uk Sky Surfers Trampoline Club 01903 266 981 john.varga@ntlworld.com Sussex Martlets Trampoline Club 01903 501 798 pat@belchamber.com Up N Downs Trampoline Club 01323490 011 rebecca.hatt@waveleisure.co.uk

TRIATHLON

Amphibians 2 Triathlon Club Karen Wigmore, Club coach karen.wigmore@sky.com www.a2tri.com Brighton Phoenix Tri Malcom Hughes 01273 779 761 brightonphoenixtri@yahoo.com www.brightonphoenix.org.uk Chichâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;r Westgate Triathlon Club Adrian Campbell 07900 512 699 info@cwtc.org.uk www.cwtc.org.uk Crawley Tri Club Paul Holmes 01444 882 036 paul@circuit-alert.co.uk www.crawleytriclub.co.uk East Grinstead Tri Club Clare Collett, Club secretary club@egtri.com www.egtri.com Esporta Brighton Tony Wright 07767 827 446 www.esportabrighton.co.uk Mid-Sussex Triathlon Club Tamsin Douglas-Smith 01273 835 680 info@midsussextriclub.com www.midsussextriclub.com Steyning Athletic Club Joan Lennon 01903 812 569 joan.lennon@gmail.com www.steyningac.co.uk Swim-1st Triathlon Club Lee Basset 07910 532710 triathlon@swim-1st.co.uk www.swim-1sttriclub.com Tuff Fitty Triathlon Club clive.harvey@tuff-fitty.co.uk www.tuff-fitty.co.uk

Hove Lagoon Watersports 01273 424 842 info@lagoonwatersports.co.uk www.lagoon.co.uk

WEIGHTLIFTING

Worthing Weightlifting Club John Walton 07815 938 919 johnboy.walton@hotmail.co.uk

ZORBING

Brighton (Devils Dyke) 08456 434 360 enquiries@orb360.co.uk www.orb360.co.uk Forest Row SphereMania 08448 003 045 enquiries@spheremania.com www.spheremania.com

VOLLEYBALL

Adur (Southwick) Tom Holt 07760 287 790 thomasholt28@hotmail.com www.adurvolleyball.co.uk Kings (East Grinstead) Simon Lewis 07917 328 871 simonklewis@aol.com Storrington Martin Fisher 07786 6426 541 martin.fisher16@btinternet.com Worthing Nigel Goldsmith 01903 263 034 nigeliangoldsmith@yahoo.com www.worthingvolleyball.co.uk Sussex Volleyball Association Richard Jennings (secretary) 01903 746 117 richard@ashdown.co.uk www.volleyballsussex.co.uk/index.htm

WATER POLO

Brighton Swimming Club David Charbit 07968 986 648 david_charbit@yahoo.co.uk www.brightonsc.co.uk Crawley Swimming Club Barry Hurst 07595 756 166 barryhurst59@aol.com www.crawleysc.ik.com Hailsham Swimming Club Jeanette Simpson 01323 440 140 Enquiries@hailshamswimmingclub.org www.hailshamswimmingclub.org/ Mid-Sussex Marlins Swimming Club Pat Bates 01444 245 920 waterpolo@olymposmarlins.org www.olymposmarlins.org/ Worthing Swimming Club Peter McCallum 01903 267 019 peterjmccallum@hotmail.com www.worthingswimmingclub.org

WATERSPORTS

Chichester Watersports Centre 01243 776 439 chichesterwatersports@btconnect.com www.chichesterwatersports.co.uk

SussexSport

www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /43

Want to play? Your guide to the sports, clubs and leagues in Sussex

Eastbourne SC Mr Peter Tyler 07901 769 346 ESC-HonSec@ustylers.co.uk www.eastbourneswimmingclub.org Hailsham SC Mrs E Lucani 01323 503 276 e.lucani@tiscali.co.uk www.hailshamswimmingclub.org Hastings Seagull SC Mr Graham Furness 01424 438 122 graham.furness@tiscali.co.uk Lewes SC Mr P Fouch 01273 477 365 paul@lewesswimmingclub.org www.lewesswimmingclub.org Littlehampton SC Mrs B Condron 01243 552 372 dettecondron@aol.com www.littlehamptonsc.ik.com Mid-Sussex Marlins SC Susan Lodge 01444 451 707 susan.lodge@btconnect.com www.olymposmarlins.org Penguins Swimming Lessons Linette Wheeler 01903 767 820 info@penguinswimlessons.co.uk www.penguinswimlessons.co.uk Shiverers SC Mr Derek Fowlie 07831 455 243 md@burgundywines.co.uk Worthing SC Mr P. McCallum, 01903 267 019 peterjmccallum@hotmail.com www.worthingswimmingclub.org Sussex County Amateur Swimming Assoc Chairman: Mr P McCallum 01903 267 019 peterjmccallum@hotmail.com www.sussexswimming.org/

Gymnastics

Setting the Bar High

Ann Martin and Daphne Hand at Brighton & Hove Gymnastic Club have dedicated their lives to promoting gymnastics in the city, Now is the time for the club to move to a home that matches their ambition.

icture in your mind the gravitydefying grace of the floor exercises at the Olympics. The gymnasts use the expanse of the twelve metre square performance area, sprinting across the diagonal to gain enough speed for breathtaking mulitple somersaults, before bring the pace down for controlled movements, conquering the limitations of the human body. Now imagine preparing for such a routine in a narrow converted church packed to the rafters with trampolines, uneven bars and landing mats - without mentioning the scores of eager kids. It is hard to imagine that a gymnastics

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club could thrive in such an unsuitable environment, but anything becomes possible if a venture is pursued with determination and passion. No-one cares as much about gymastics in the city more than Ann Martin and Daphne Hand from the Brighton and Hove Gymnastic Club. Every day, the former church is packed with eager budding gymnasts benefitting from the expertise and energy of the committed coaches. They are proud of how they have provided mental as well as physical benefits for youngsters. Ann says,“It can give children confidence to believe more in themselves. I’ve had many

who’ve told me how grateful they’ve been in later life.” Generations of youngsters have enjoyed the activities at gymnastics club and the pair are rightly proud of their achievements, but it is tinged with the frustrations of the lack of space. Ann says, “When you think what we do in this place it is mind-boggling. A church 200 years old that’s crumbling. Ann and Daphne have bashed their collective heads against a brick wall so many times in the past 27 years it is a small wonder they haven’t been laid out for the count and defeated. But they still dream of the day when the club produces an Olympic

“

When you think what we do in this place it is mind-boggling. A church 200 years old that’s crumbling.

We don’t want to let them down. Daphne and I love the sport and believe in what we do. We care about the kids.” With the club attracting 1,000 gymnasts a week, the campaign has been a sustained one. A plan to switch to the King Alfred Centre site in Hove collapsed in the 1990s when a £2m project bit the dust. And the club has been in negotiation to shift to the Withdean Stadium Sports Complex, which would mirror part of Albion’s journey to the Amex. Ann says, “British Gymnastics, Freedom Leisure, who run a lot of leisure centres, have been involved in talks with us. It would also put us alongside other sports to make it a good environment for us.” They are determined to follow the Seagulls and secure a state-of-the-art venue to produce competitors who can flourish at the top as well as help members of the community who love gym. Martin said: “Albion have shown what can be done and we’d love to be able to do something similar with our club. There are certainly parallels. It has taken them years and a lot of blood sweat and tears to get to where they are now with a fantastic stadium and great set up. “We’re not asking for hand-outs to do it. We might need loans, money up front, but that will all come back and more. Give the children the facility and they will be there.” Ann says she would die happy if the

”

quest to find a new home for Brighton and Hove became a reality. She said: “I’d be proud. If we don’t I’d have regret, although I’d be happy that we’d been able to give so many people a lot of pleasure through gymnastics.” Daphne agrees. “It’d be wonderful for the children and the club to find a new home. It’s a disgrace gymnastics and other sports in the city haven’t got decent facilities.” The pair deserve to have a happy ending to their life-consuming goal, not just for the sake of their gymnasts but for themselves. Watch this space. SXS

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /45

Gymnastics

champion from a centre of excellence, while providing top-grade facilities for gymnasts of all abilities and budgets in the city. Ann says, “We can produce an Olympic champion. It is the easiest thing in the world if you’ve got the right programme, coaches and facilities to develop good, basic talent on strong foundations. Our kids would also be motivated by what the likes of Beth Tweddle, Louis Smith and the others did at London 2012. “We’d love to have an elite group and employ a top coach who wants to be seen to be good at what he or she does, with their efforts reflected through the children. “It would also be wonderful to provide the community with something you can do from the cradle to the grave. “When you talk about our ultimate priorities they would be BOTH a gym for all and a centre of excellence.” Ann says, “Other clubs throughout the country were in a similar situation to us, whereby they didn’t have the best facilities. Then other cities and councils decided that they would give their cities a proper gymnastics venue and you saw the results at the Olympics. Brighton never did. Isn’t it a shame Brighton and Hove couldn’t have been a real part of London 2012? “Who’s at fault? It has to be the council for not supplying a good venue. It’s not just us. It is in many sports like swimming and ice skating. So many children have to move away to try and fulfill potential. If parents haven’t either got the money or are unable to travel out of the city they can slip through the net. “We have developed one little girl but if she wants to make it she needs to go to another gym. Yet her mother has a couple of other children and says there is no way she can get to Horsham, where I’d suggested they went, three to five times a week and maintain a job and look after the children. She has to have a facility in the city. “We originally had the ability to produce international gymnasts. We had the coaches here, like Maxine Woodward and Sadie Mackinson, but they had to leave us to find out whether given the right set-up they could produce a top gymnast. To add insult to injury we’ve just lost our top male coach for the same reason.” Yet they refuse to accept they have missed the boat after how so much came to fruition at last year’s Games. “We might have missed the 2012 Olympics but it’s never too late. You can’t give up on the next generation.

Fitness

What’s Up With Wheat? Why has it become popular to go against the grain?

hat is wheat? Without getting into the complexities of botanical classification, essentially wheat is a grass-like type of plant containing species such as einkorn, durum, spelt and common bread wheat. Like maize, rice and barley, wheat has been cultivated for cereal grain or flour and consumed by humans for thousands of years. What is good about it? In it’s whole grain form wheat is rich in protein, energy, vitamins, minerals and fibre. It can be used to produce many cereals (e.g. porridge and Shredded Wheat), dried to produce malt (e.g. for beer) or ground into flour. During the milling process the whole grain is separated into the high-starch endosperm for white flour, leaving the outer husk (bran) and germ. Wheat flour allows us to enjoy a wide variety of foods such as bread, crackers, pasta, noodles, cous cous, semolina, pastries and pies, biscuits and cakes. Why is wheat a problem? It’s not hard to find articles in the media of wheat scare stories, intolerance, allergies, wheat-free diets and alike. In fact, you’d be justified thinking wheat is a major public health problem that should be avoided at all costs! Well, in truth there are three issues and all are quite rare. They can be classified as either gluten intolerance, wheat allergy or wheat intolerance. Gluten Intolerance Wheat flour is made up of starch (carbohydrate) and gluten (a mix of proteins) and it is one of the proteins found in gluten called gliadin that some people have an issue with. The gluten causes a severe reaction leading their immune system to go haywire, inflaming the lining of their small intestine. This is a serious condition known a coeliac disease affecting about one in a thousand people and requires a glutenfree diet for life. Wheat Allergy Apart from coeliac disease, less than one percent of the population suffer from wheat allergies producing itching, rashes, runny eyes and noses,

headaches, nausea, achy limbs, possibly linked to conditions such as arthritis, IBS, and eczema. People with wheat allergies also tend to be allergic to several other foods too and require a very specialised diet best treated by a dietician. Wheat Intolerance Bloating, swelling, stomach discomfort? Although not an immune problem or allergy these symptoms can occasionally result in people who lack the enzymes needed to properly digest wheat. But be careful blaming your discomfort on wheat since the nature of bread and pasta is to absorb water that can cause similar symptoms. Also eating a lot of fibre causes similar temporary effects on your digestive system but is not an issue that requires eliminating perfectly healthy foods. Will avoiding wheat do you harm if you are not intolerant? Restricting your diet to avoid wheat means eliminating many staple foods that normally provide a large number of your daily nutrients. While it is possible to carefully monitor and eat alternatives wheat is so common in foods that avoiding it when you don’t need to severely limits food choices potentially making your diet boring and difficult for no reason. Wheat and weight loss Wheat-free diets are often banded around in weight loss circles as an effective diet. But to be honest this has less to do with the absence of wheat itself and more to do with the removal of excessively consumed high calorie foods that wheat can produce. It doesn’t take an expert to realise if you cut out beer, bread, and bread-based products like pizzas, burgers, cheese toasties, cheese and crackers, not to mention wheat flour-based high fat foods such as pies, pastries cakes, cookies, lasagne, etc you are going to save a lot of unnecessary calories making

weight loss a lot easier. But that doesn’t mean wheat was bad for you, just poor choices of wheat-based foods. What should you do? If you suspect you have coeliac disease with symptoms like weight loss, vomiting and diarrhoea you will need to get it medically diagnosed. Wheat allergies and intolerance can also be tested on the NHS by skin-prick or blood test, and even by controlled food challenge tests, so there is no need to live in doubt or rely on inaccurate food allergy tests by unregulated nutritional therapists. Get it tested properly. More information on these issues can be found on the British Nutrition Foundation’s website: http://www.nutrition.org. uk/nutritionscience/allergy/wheatintolerance-and-coeliac-disease. However, if you do not have any issue with wheat, don’t avoid it just to be trendy or overly cautious, instead continue enjoying a normal balanced diet but try to make healthy food choices whenever possible. Got a question? If you have a question about this article, or have a fitness problem you’d like Adam to cover in a future issue, email adam@ yourfitnesscoach.co.uk Brief Bio: Adam Lewis holds a degree in Sport & Exercise Science, a Masters degree in Human Nutrition (with Sports), is a Strength & Conditioning Specialist and has been a certified personal trainer for over 10 years. Adam provides a mobile fitness service around Brighton and Sussex. www.YourFitnessCoach.co.uk

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /47

The Big Interview

MARLER PROVES HE’S A CUT ABOVE THE BIG INTERVIEW 2 WITH JOE MARLER BY MIKE DONOVAN

competition to be played on these shores in two years with the nation hoping its rugby team can emulate the achievement of our football side in 1966 on a global scale. He says: “I loved playing in the Six Nations after being a travelling reserve last year and it’s a massive dream of mine to go on and play in the World Cup in my own country. That’s what I’m striving for. But there’s lots of tournaments, lots to learn between now and then to give myself the best possible chance of possibly playing in it.” The former Maynards Green Primary and Heathfield Community College pupil, who played a handful of games for his old secondary school, has come a long way since a friend suggested he gave rugby a go. He moved through the juniors at Eastbourne and Haywards Heath, developed at Harlequins Academy, enjoyed a loan spell at Worthing, and

down to my rugby club. You are a bit of a big lad’. My dad (Paul) had played for Hellingly and said to me ‘if you fancy it we’ll go down’. So I started going every Sunday. I played from under-12s to under-16s. “I enjoyed it. A load of good lads. Had a laugh. Never took it seriously. Not great for the team, because I was always mucking around. “But rugby was a good release for me. Something constant with me being just an average teenager growing up, going out with my mates, causing a bit of trouble and getting told off for it. “Will Stadler, my first coach at Eastbourne, was probably my biggest influence growing up. A big South African guy. He was good in the sense that his No.1 thing was ‘enjoy what you do. There’s no point in being here if you are not enjoying yourself’. “Eventually I fell out with the club and moved on to Haywards Heath to play for their colts for two seasons. It

Marler’s World Cup dream began in earnest when he developed from England under-18s and under-20 to make THAT full debut against South Africa in front of his family. They were frowned upon. I was told all the time ‘you’ve got s**t hair and you need to cut it’. I went ‘okay, although I’m not going to because I really like it’. “But I can’t be arsed with it anymore. I enjoyed it while I could but, even though I’m only 22, I’m receding a bit. Also the referee was more likely to point and say ‘there he is’ if I was on the wrong side of a ruck or at the bottom of a scrum. I’m just looking to crack on with my rugby now.” His words seemed symbolic of a boy becoming a man. A growing up. A coming of age. Along with the maturity has come a cementing of his place in the full England set-up and playing in the 2012 autumn internationals as well as the latest Six Nations, which could all prove steps towards a World Cup dream coming true. To be part of a

SussexSport 48/Issue 15 www.sussexsport.co.uk

became a professional alongside the likes of England captain Chris Robshaw and former fellow Sussex players Jordan Turner-Hall, Ross Chisholm, Charlie Matthews and Rob Buchanan at the Stoop. But it has been – and remains - a bumpy ride with Marler blowing hot and cold about rugby. The forward, who helped England defeat Scotland in the Calcutta Cup clash at the start of the Six Nations with fellow Sussex players Joe Launchbury, try-scoring debutant Billy Twelvetrees and Dylan Hartley, says: “It is just my bi-polar nature that has made me fall in and out of rugby. I still do it now. I don’t think that will ever stop, although I’m more control of that now.” Marler began playing rugby at 11. He says: “I played football but my best mate said ‘why don’t you come

Pictures by PINNACLE PHOTOGRAPHY

The Big Interview

“

I loved playing in the Six Nations after being a travelling reserve last year. It’s a massive dream of mine to go on and play in the World Cup in my own country. That’s what I’m striving for.

”

SussexSport www.sussexsport.co.uk Issue 15 /49

The Big Interview

“He saw me have a decent game on a nice sunny day when we pumped hosts Havant at a time I was feeling down. And he told me after it that if I worked my tits off that one day I’d play for England. “It was a turning point. There were also lots of family and friends around who helped me stick with it too. I couldn’t really give up the opportunity to give it a crack. See where it took me!” He appreciates what Sussex rugby has done for him. Marler, who played through the age groups for the county, says: “Without Sussex’s help I’d probably be at home turfing with my uncle’s turfing company and enjoying myself.” He smiles and adds: “I’m as thick as two short planks so wouldn’t have an office job.” Your family and friends must be proud of how things are turning out for you? He says: “I think so. They say they are. I flew them out to watch my first England Test in South Africa last summer. Pretty special to have my mum and dad, my Mrs, her nan and grandad and her mum all there.” What about fiancee (aka Mrs) Daisy? He says: “We got engaged more than a year ago. The pressure is on! She’s very supportive. Very understanding. I can get down. I have my bi-polar tendencies, remember. ‘I hate rugby’ I tell her. She replies: ‘Oh yeh, okay Joe brilliant, thanks for that’. She has patience!” Marler’s World Cup dream began in earnest when he developed from England under-18s and under-20 to make THAT full debut against South Africa in front of his family. He says: “It was massive. A massive blur! It all went so quickly. Really tough. You are playing against some of the best players in the world. Another learning experience. It made me want more. I learned a whole lot from the second Test against them too. They were very big, very hard and very fast. They didn’t stop. “International rugby is a step up in all areas. Opponents hit harder, run faster. The decision making is a lot quicker. “I found out going round whacking people - which I did when I was younger and tired - isn’t the way to impose yourself on the game. Everyone’s got tendencies to see the red mist, but there’s other ways of doing it. I’d like to think I’ve got control of that now. Running and tackling hard is more effective than

SussexSport 50/Issue 15 www.sussexsport.co.uk

picking a fight with someone and being banned. “I’m grateful to my coaches and teammates for bearing with me. There were times when other coaches would have turned round and said ‘you’re dropped. We don’t want to in the team if you are going to go round and get yellow carded or red carded’. I owe them for taking a back seat and letting me work it out for myself. I owe it to my teammates saying ‘stop doing it, mate, you are letting us down’.” So has the ‘wild child’ grown up? Marler sniggers before seriously considering the question. He eventually says: “Physically? Yes, I’ve grown up. Mentally? No. I still mess around. I enjoy myself a little bit too much. I know this is my job and it is a great opportunity. I’m in a position to achieve stuff I’ve wanted for a long time. What other 22-year-old can say that? I’ve got to be very grateful for what I’m doing. Many 22-year-olds among my friends are struggling for work. I have a hobby I get paid for.” And the ‘hobby’ might just take him to the World Cup. SXS

“

I’m as

thick as two short planks so wouldn’t have an office job

”

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