CLUB SPORT

Club Sporting Contacts

Cricket - Andy Trott
11 Stimpson Avenue, Abington, Northampton
0786 655 7753
Fives - Chris Ryan
2 Merril Field, Biddenham, Bedford
01234 325890
Golf - Richard Ebbs
63 Days Lane, Biddenham, Bedford
01234 344100
Hockey - Mike Carter
5 Clarendon Street, Bedford
01234 215441
Rowing - Michael Biggs
07882 644431
Soccer - Sam Manners
Flat 1, 16 Kimbolton Avenue, Bedford
01767 640909
Water Polo - Mark Bullerwell
mark@behindbars.com
07770 390 599

Rowing

LADY ROHESIA BOAT CLUB

Saturday 17 April 2010 saw the 6th Annual Race Day down at the river between the OBMs and the School. We had three OBM VIIIs, drawn from those stalwarts who left in the 1970s, up to last year’s leavers. Sadly, the School’s rowers had suffered food poisoning during their training camp in Banyoles, but Ali Brown (Director of Rowing) managed to get a fine VIII to race against us from those who had recovered. The School raced against all three OBM crews, and won the Rex Willsher Cup for another year. The starts were umpired by Will Everett, Captain (and umpire) of Bedford Rowing Club, whilst I judged the finish. It was clear that the racing was very close! The weather held throughout the day, and 46 guests sat down to dinner at The Embankment Hotel, with Ian Harlow OBM reading the Founder’s Grace. After dinner, Ali Brown outlined the successes of the year to date and his future ambitions for the Boat Club. Chris Barcock OBM responded. David Catlin OBM, President of Bedford Rowing Club, presented the Rex Willsher Cup to Alex Robertson, Captain of Boats. I should like to thank everyone for their continuing support of this event, and I look forward seeing you all at Henley Royal Regatta, or on some other river! My special thanks to Ian Harlow for organising his veteran VIII. See you all again next year! Ian Harlow (1962-71) adds: ‘As with wine from a great vintage, so oarsmen from BMS 1st VIIIs improve with age. Well, if not improve, show that the spirit is still there. A crew made up of guys from 40 years ago, some admitting that they hadn’t been in a boat in all of that time, turned up to meet with old friends, and be ready to race. It’s not clear who was more surprised, themselves or the spectators, when they actually managed to row in time and look like a crew. So much so, they even won a race. It was a great day, great fun and all followed by time to reminisce and toast the success of BMS. There were even cries of let’s do it again. We’ll see.’

Michael Biggs 07882 644431 MikeBiggs@aol.com

Water Polo

Mark Bullerwell (1982-90) writes:

OBM Water Polo Tournament Report - Sunday 28th March 2010


Five years since its resurrection in 2005, the OBM water polo tournament proved to be another great success and an enjoyable day for all those who took part. Due to the success of our local rugby team, Bedford Blues in this year’s newly named Championship, the tournament was moved to a Sunday to allow as many OBMs as possible the opportunity to play. After last year’s absence it was great to welcome back an up and coming school team that showed glimpses of school teams from yesteryear.
Again with the timing of the Easter break, there were many usual faces not on parade due to holidays or other family commitments but the numbers of OBMs who did turn up to swim meant we were able to produce three different age group teams, with plenty of substitutes, and the school team to play a round robin style tournament. The competition yet again was tough with no team prepared to roll over without a fight and it was very encouraging to see the students getting stuck in (in some cases quite literally) witnessed, as in previous years, by a reasonable sized crowd of spectators. New faces on show this year included Matthew Spendley, brothers Chris and Andrew Barker, and it was good to see Dave Hurley back in the pool after a couple of years away.
Great to have all three Monico family members on show, but father Steve Monico was not the oldest player in the water…..this award went to Trevor McCarthy. Other notable absentees included Ian Stupple who was on holiday in New Zealand, Adrian Cattley, Dominic Boon, Chris Dunkley and brothers Giles and Luke Perry, who were enduring the Oakley 20 mile run in preparation for this year’s London Marathon that they will be running in memory of their sister Sareh. Well done to them!
With us all getting a year older, certain players found themselves moving into different age categories. Teams were grouped into year brackets of born pre 1970, pre 1975 etc, playing four quarters of 5 minutes running clock per quarter. Mark Williams will not thank his parents as his birth date moved him into the pre 1970 team which made him the youngest and probably fittest player for quite some distance. I am sure his fellow team mates thanked him afterwards for all the effort he put in…..
Some of the games again were very close but the eventual winners were the pre 1975 team who were unbeaten in all their matches, which included Adam Boon in goal, Tom Perry, Justin Irvine, Matthew Wheeler, Andrew Irvine, Torben Cattley, Andrew Barr, Dean Shoosmith, Matthew Spendley and myself.
A big thank you goes out to Tim Whitwham for all his help on the day: without him this tournament just would not happen. To Lucia Limb in the Development Office at School for taking care of things behind the scenes and arranging some well deserved refreshments in the King Room afterwards, and most importantly, the School for allowing us all to come back and use their facilities to stage the event and re live our youth. If you did play water polo at school and haven’t yet made it down to take part, please do get in touch and watch this space for date of the 2011 tournament.
Roll on the summer!

Mark Bullerwell
E: mark@behindbarsgroup.com
M: 07770390599

Fives

Jerry’s article on the history of Fives at BMS and Bedford School was published in the Fives Annual Review for 2009. Club nights are held during the Christmas and Spring terms.

Jerry Cooper and Chris Ryan
chrisryan@standrewscarehomes.co.uk 01234 325890 or 350147


Jerry Cooper writes:

Enough is as good as a feast.

I'm not at all sure when I first started hitting a Fives ball in the school courts, but it was certainly before the Easter Term of 1948 when I was picked for the U13s against Bedford School. At that time I could not possibly have appreciated that 60 years later I would still be playing and that I would have a lifetime's involvement in this great game at all levels: 40 years of intensive association with Fives at Bedford School and 50 years of social Fives with other like-minded OBMs. In the late 1950s a few of us would assemble on a Sunday morning for some cut and thrust on the courts; a group composed of Derek Bristowe, David Hebblethwaite, Richard Cooper and an OB, Geoff Prigmore. I played occasionally during University vacations. When, by sheer chance, I was given a temporary appointment (which lasted 33 years!) on the staff at Bedford School, I clearly remember the words of the other players: ‘Now you are a teacher, you will have plenty of spare time so why not become our secretary and arrange a few fixtures?’
Thus, in 1960, the OBM Rugby Fives Club was founded on a proper footing, affiliated to the Rugby Fives Association and supported by the OBM Committee. A weekly Club Night was agreed and between 10 and 12 fixtures were arranged each year, with additional ventures into national tournaments including the National Club Knock-Out Championships. I don't think we ever exceeded 16 players on a Club Night but we regularly had a round dozen for many years. Perhaps the most memorable fixtures were the reciprocal matches with Cambridge University - a sequence which lasted 30 years; in Cambridge in November; at home in February,
The description 'Secretary' was very loose. Key holder, ball keeper, treasurer, court sweeper, condensation monitor and a co-opted seat on the OBM Management Committee were all part of the routine. Mainly, of course, it was all about playing Fives. A great sport, excellent exercise, very competitive and, perhaps above all, very sociable. A lifetime of friendship, with Fives the common factor.
Time strode on. When David Hebblethwaite became President of the RFA, we marked the occasion by arranging a World Championships with local sponsors, an event which ran at the school courts for three consecutive years. As age advanced, the senior players helped to set up the National Veterans' Championships and later the National Vintage Championships. Each of these events became established at the BMS courts for a number of years until they became permanent features of the Fives calendar and now tour the Fives venues.
Being the Secretary became more of a life-style than a habit and at least guaranteed that I would get a good session of Fives every week and have some adventures in the age-group Championships. A few years later, I succeeded David as President of the RFA. However, having reached the age of 72 and developing the 'twinges' of potential retirement from the game, it seemed appropriate to hand over the dogsbody role to a younger man. 47 years in this role was certainly enough, but it has been a wonderful feast of Fives (written in 2007).


Jerry Cooper 01234 352689 jerry80@btinternet.com

Cricket

The annual matches against the School will be held on Founder’s Day, Friday 9th July 2010, at the School Field, starting at 11.00 am.

Cricket Rep: Andy Trott 07866 557753

Golf

Our team of six: Ben, Matthew and Simon Pile, Chris Gobby, Colin Matthews and Mukul Lall, played their qualifying round in the Grafton-Morrish tournament on Sunday 23rd May – my thanks to Ben Pile for making these arrangements.

Ben Pile writes:

Thanks to everyone who played on Sunday, I appreciate you all turning out to play on a scorchingly hot day.

If you haven't checked the website I'm sorry to say that the 72 points weren't quite enough and that we didn't manage to qualify, with the last qualifying place going at 76 points. We finished 10 out of 14th so there is plenty of room for improvement next year!

Again thanks to all who played. I'll be in touch early next year to get the date for the 2011 qualifying in your diaries.

Richard adds:

Just a reminder that our next Golf Society meeting is at Bedford & County Golf Club on Friday 24th September. The new Head, Mr Michael Hall, has kindly agreed to present the prizes! If you are not on my contact list, please do ask for further details.

Richard Ebbs 01234 344100 or 07986 306217 richard.ebbs@sky.com

Soccer

The OBMs v the School soccer matches take place at the end of the Spring term.

Further details from the BMS Sports Administrator, Lisa Chapple, lchapple@bedmod.co.uk

Swimming

SWIMMING AT THE BMS POOL

Club members and their partners (not children) are cordially invited to participate Saturdays 2.30 to 4.30

Annual subscription £30 per couple (to cover cost of lifeguard)

Contact: Elizabeth McIver, 31 Hartshill, Bedford

01234 328816