Cricket is now well into the second half of the season and it won’t be long until Football, Rugby, Hockey and Basketball join the agenda in the coming weeks. So, in a new feature, we thought we’d take a look at what’s happening over the next couple of months with our top teams, as they prepare to do battle with some old foes and some fresh faces!
SEVENOAKS SUNS will start the new Women’s British Basketball League season as reigning champions and double play-off winners.
After their 19-1 record breaking season, every other team will be looking to beat the Champions when the season starts on Saturday 29th September. First up for the Suns is the new addition to the WBBL, Essex Rebels on the afternoon of Sunday 30th September and with no head-to-heads to refer to, it could go either way. However, the Sevenoaks Suns Coach Len Busch is working hard to retain his title winning side with Renee Busch and Cat Carr already confirmed for next season, it can’t be long before others sign contracts as well.
It is reported that Chantelle Pressley, who shone for Basketball England at the Commonwealth Games in April, is looking for a new challenge and will seek a move into Europe, and Ashleigh Munns, who has been with the team for a very long time looks to move elsewhere too.
But if Coach Busch can ensure that Ta’Yani Clarke, Judit Fritz, Julia Koppl and Kaitlyn Lewis stay on board, there’s no reason to worry about the backbone of the team.
There’s not much knowledge of newcomers Essex Rebels, and with Sevenoaks’ fierce rivals Leicester Riders, losing their head coach, we don’t see too much getting in the Suns way this season. Having watched the way in which Coach Busch orchestrates his players, we are looking forward to a lot of basket action at the Sennocke Centre!
Home matches: The Sennocke Centre at Sevenoaks School, Sevenoaks
Cost: Free
Most valuable player: Cat Carr
Player to watch: Judit Fritz
Verdict: All the way to the title, again
SEVENOAKS HOCKEY CLUB are right up there with the rest of the country’s great teams and after the men secured Premier Division status for a second year in a row it was disappointing that the ladies didn’t join them last season.
With the pairing of Tim and Katy Warrington as team captains respectively, the club already seem to have that togetherness that is needed to build greatness. Add in the coaches, the committee the hard-working volunteers, then there is no reason why we shouldn;t see these teams strive for something greater this season.
The biggest threat this season will come from Surbiton, who won the league last year, but they should have every hope of securing good results against the other nine teams. Sevenoaks Men’s 1st XI start their season away to Beeston on Sunday 23rd September. Their first home fixture is on Sunday 7th October against Brooklands MU.
Meanwhile the ladies are in a different league, as they should be in the Premier League, however Hampstead & Westminster took the play-off spot last season, so if all’s fair, it’s now Sevenoaks’ right to give up.
The ladies start their season on Saturday 29th September with a home fixture against Horsham before travelling away to Southgate the weekend after.
Home matches: Holly Bush Lane, Sevenoaks
Cost: Free
Mens 1st XI Most valuable player: Tim Warrington
Mens 1st XI player to watch: Richard Potton
Mens 1st XI verdict: Mid-table safety
Ladies 1st XI Most valuable player: Katy Warrington
Ladies 1st XI players to watch: Jess Denniff/Jen Wilson
Ladies 1st XI verdict: Promotion to Premier League
SEVENOAKS TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB have every reason to be hopeful going into their first season in the Bostik League. The squad have played all their pre-season friendly matches with the same kind of vigour that won them the Southern Counites East Football League Championship last term.
Manager MIcky Collins has pulled a strong squad together during the summer break, and considering a number of last years players have left, he has immediately replaced them with better quality players. He believes he has built a squad that are competitive all over the park. and this is something he has done on purpose.
Collins now has the task of picking the strongest team for the opposition in front of them, whether that be playing three of his four centrebacks, or utilising players like Mikey Dalton, Sam Crabb or Greg Benbow, who can play anywhere across the pitch. Unfortunately, injuries to Zac Attwood (broken jaw), Kenny Pogue (tight groin) and Rob Saunders (tight quad) might keep them on the bench for the opening few games.
Along with January signing, Pogue from Hastings United, who ended the season as top-goalscorer with 18 goals, Sevenoaks’ incoming players this summer include Attwood, Crabb, Dalton, Saunders, Jake McIntyre and Andres Tobon.
Sevenoaks kick off their season at home against Lordswood in the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday 11th August, before hosting their first Bostik League match at home to Horsham on Saturday 18th August.
Highlights of the season will surely be the away fixture at Hastings Town on Boxing Day, where Pogue is sure to get a rapturous welcome from his former club, and the two midweek matches against their old foes Whitstable Town.
The new season and new league will also see Sevenoaks head overseas for the first time as they travel to Guernsey on February 17th, a match that will see many of the clubs faithful supporters make the trip too.
Home matches: The Bourne Stadium, Greatness Park, Sevenoaks
Cost: Adults £8, Concession £4, Under-16’s Free
Most valuable player: Kenny Pogue
Player to watch: Andreas Tobon
Verdict: If players stay fit and focused, then a top three finish is not out of the question
SEVENOAKS RUGBY CLUB will be looking for a brighter start to this seasons campaign in what will be their third year in the London 1 South League.
Sevenoaks were unfortunate to lose or draw so many games last season, with six matches finishing within a four point gap. Had they won these matches then the table would have looked completely different as Sevenoaks would have had a top five finish.
Senior Head Coach, Adam Bowman has been working hard with the players this summer. The club have stepped up the training sessions which are now more demanding both physically and mentally, with the view that players will be the fittest they can be.
With Senior Squad numbers now well in excess of 70 and regular training numbers of 40 to 45, the respect that Bowman commands amongst players and supporters is there for all to see.
Bowman admits that the league is very competitive, as it was last season, but that they have targets and ambitions they want to achieve as a club. The 70 plus players in the senior squad have to be just as competitive as no players’ position in the 1st XI is safe. Unlike many local clubs, Sevenoaks rotate their senior squad members from the 1st XI through to the 3rds. Something that is quite refreshing for sport in general.
The pre-season fixture schedule starts on August 11th against Wanstead, before they face Old Colfeians on the 18th. They finish on the 24th with a match against Beckenham, just one week before the league season gets underway.
Home matches: Knole Paddock, Sevenoaks
Cost: Free
Most valuable player: Stuart Coleman
Player to watch: Ben Adams
Verdict: We’d like to see those close encounters turn in Sevenoaks’ favour, maybe then we can see a top two finish
