|
|
|
 National League
PORTRAITS: MAIN
PAGE
Framboise meets ... at the Wolves v Tewkesbury semi |
|
During
my first visit, I talked
with Stephen Russell, captain of the Wolves NL Team. And today, I
talked with two members of the Wolverhampton Members’ Club, Barry
Cooper and Geoff Jones… |
DISCOVERING SUE WRIGHT…
I heard about the lady, of course, but I never actually spoke to
her. The last time I heard from her was at the Nationals, “I’ve got
the best coach in the world”, said Jenny Tranfield after her superb
semi-final against the soon-to-become British Champion Linda
Elriani.
So I virtually jumped on the lady on my arrival at Wolverhampton to
get a better picture of the ex-champion turned “best coach of the
world”…
 “As
most of the people know, five years ago, at the age of 29, I
suffered from a viral pneumonia that took me off courts for nearly a
year, after which I decided to come back, got myself the National
Championship title in 2001, and then retired!
I’m really proud of my career, I got four national titles, three
European, a Gold Medal at the Commonwealth Games, and over a 100
caps for England. It was a long and successful career… And then I
decided to start a family… I now have a lovely boy, Ethan, 2 ½. I
met his father Neil, who has a building interiors company, in a club
in Oxford when I used to coach about 9 years ago now…
My best memory? Well, I would say the British Open. First of all in
‘91, when I beat Susan Devoy, as it was the only time ever she was
beaten in the event, and then went on and made the final. And of
course, the final in 2000, as I was coming back from my illness, had
to qualify, and had to play seven matches to get to it! It was the
first time a qualifier made it to the final. I guess it kind of
proved it and then, I decided that enough was enough…
My worst memory? Of course when I was diagnosed, especially as I was
top 3 at the time and playing some of the best squash of my life.
But I truly believe that things happen for a reason, and that it
actually did me a favour, as I had to step back and had a good look
at my life. Normally, squash players only go through that process
when they are about to retire…
Jenny Tranfield was very kind to describe me as she did, but I guess
I’m just different. I’ve often been described by the main stream
coaches as “alternative”, as I don’t teach “out of the book”. I
teach players to play, if that makes sense… You know, every squash
player is an individual, and nobody can do like the other, they all
have their strengths and their weaknesses. Very often, you’ve got to
work their way, not your way.
I’ve been classed as unorthodox, as a player, I never played up and
down the wall 200 times, I had a much more flamboyant style, I would
go for the winner every time, and I teach that way. Of course, they
all have their own style of play, but as long as they have good
eye/hand coordination, you can teach them to go for shots. But like
I said, my purpose is to enhance people to be themselves, and not to
be what they are not. First, they’ll enjoy it much more. And
secondly, they’ll be allowed to flourish and achieve much more…
 |
BARRY COOPER:
WOLVES CHAIRMAN…
 “I
used to play squash, before I became “old”, and now I play tennis.
I’ve only been chairman for three months, but I was Secretary for
five years. It’s quite time consuming, but there are people that are
putting a lot more in than I do…
Our club is a mixed racquet club, Tennis & Squash. In the last seven
years, we've added indoor tennis courts and the gym. But overall, we
are trying to keep the ethos of a members' club, which is all about
finding the balance with the commercial side. We are constantly
trying to keep the membership level up, hence finding ways to
recruiting new members, using some marketing ideas and placing ads
in the local papers etc. Actually, we often have the local press on
our premises, as the local football team is using our facilities…
Having a National League Team adds a great deal to the prestige of
the club. You know, the squash side is really the thriving side of
the club, and the youngsters take a lot of interest in the NL
matches, as well as the members. All season we have had more or less
full houses at every match. Mind you, it didn’t do my blood pressure
any good…
Three words to describe the club? Friendly, Enthusiastic and
Successful…
 |
GEOFF
JONES:
A DEDICATED FAN…
 “I
used to run the squash section, but I’ve now given up the “office”.
I’ve been a member for 25 years, and I play squash exclusively, I
was never good at tennis… My son Sam plays squash here as well…
I’m the Director of an Electronics Manufacturing Company, and squash
is truly the ideal game for a businessman. It’s off work, into the
court, and right home an hour and a half later… And it’s perfect to
keep me fit…
The National League keeps the prestige of the club up and also
raises its profile. And naturally, it gives us the opportunity to
see World Class Squash and players that we wouldn’t have the
opportunity to see.
We are proud to have a sport and a social club, to offer three
different sports, squash, tennis and fitness, and to present a great
social element. I’ve made a lot of friends in this club, it’s a very
important part of my life, and I’m sure all the members would say
the same thing…
 |
 NEURO-LINGUISTIC
PROGRAMMING
Say what????
Here I was, during my last visit to Wolverhampton, chatting away
with Scott Handley, when he introduced me to Pete Gooding, a
Level III Squash Coach, Sports Performance Specialist and Personal
Trainer, who told me that he was specialised in NLP.
Well, excuse me, but I didn’t have a clue what that was…
So I asked him a bit more explanations…
Kaleidoscope article
|
|
National League EN BREF: MAIN
PAGE
Framboise meets ... at the Wolves v Tewkesbury semi |
|
