Sports Update by Chris Lines

As another year draws to a close, it’s awards season again and BBC Sports Personality of the Year is on the near horizon, to be held in Aberdeen on 15th December. There will be plenty of great candidates from a wide range of sports, for the main award and the team prize. However, I can’t look beyond Ben Stokes and the ICC Cricket World Cup winning England team for at least two of the gongs, while Trevor Bayliss has to be a strong favourite for the coach award too.
Of course, if one of the home nations had won the Rugby Union World Cup or Women’s Football World Cup, then the story might be different, but as things stand, cricket (including a graduate from the Durham CCC Academy) should feature very prominently. Back to the grass roots…

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Email club reports to Chris Lines: chrisjlines@aol.com
Youth teams - please call Tony Magee on 07837 114 271 if you would like him to report on your club or matches.

Sedgefield Harriers recently held the club’s annual dinner and awards night at Hardwick Hall Hotel. During the event, the following awards were presented:
· Newcomer of the year: Sam Rudd
· Track and Field Athlete of the year: Sue Dobson
· Individual Performance of the Year: Lisa Darby
· Volunteer of the Year: Stuart Park
· Club Runner of the year: Marie Walker
· Club Member of the year: Pete King
· Dave Sawyer Endurance Award: Ian Blakemore
· Grand Prix Elite Men: Mark Raine
· Grand Prix Elite Women: Rosie Warnett
· Grand Prix Division 1: David Walker Grand Prix Division 2: Ian Spencer
· Grand Prix Division 3: Fay Uphill Grand Prix Division 4: Helen Frame
· Time Trial Most Improved Female: Helen Godfrey
· Time Trial Most Improved Male: Roger Roebuck
· Time Trial Fastest Male: Ciaran Lines Time Trial Fastest Female: Lisa Darby
· Time Trial Best Male Attender: Rich Fearnside
· Time Trial Best Female Attender: Christine Hearmon.
Congratulations to all the award winners. The focus of many Harriers is now on the winter cross country season and the next big event on the calendar is the North East Cross Country Championships in Alnwick on Saturday 14th December. Given the recent weather, it looks likely to be a properly muddy occasion!
Find out more at www.sedgefieldharriers.co.uk.

The squash season is gathering pace with the Durham & Cleveland Leagues now in full swing, and the county programmes providing plenty of opportunity for Sedgefield’s finest to test themselves against the best players in the region. A record entry from Sedgefield Squash Club saw no less than eight juniors enter the County Championships in Redcar. All acquitted themselves very well, with Ben Wilberforce finishing runner-up in the U17 boys’ competition, and Lauren Prynn, Katelyn Craig and Richard Flanagan placing third in their respective categories. However, the highlight was Jenny Walker’s five-set thriller to win the U17 girls’ title. In a tightly contested final, the lead changed hand numerous times, before Jenny came from behind to win the final set and the match - a fantastic performance under pressure. Well done to everyone who competed and represented the club.

At the other end of the age scale, five of Sedgefield’s more senior players competed in the County Masters last month. Leading the way was Tom McKay, who finished runner-up in the over 35 men’s category, while Chris Rowsby headed a strong Sedgefield contingent in the over 55s, reaching the semi-final, with Gordon Peden and Neil Bunney both making the quarter-finals, as did Andy Black in the over 45s.

Meanwhile, two of Sedgefield’s senior teams have made excellent starts to the season and remain unbeaten as I write. The men’s fourth team are top of their table after five wins out of five, while the newly formed fifth team enjoyed their first ever win in the same division. The ladies’ team are looking a formidable outfit this season, with four wins out of four, and having already taken a major scalp in defeating Yarm, who have been crowned champions in each of the past four seasons. Watch this space for more news from a title race that will surely go down to the wire.

For all coaching contacts, membership and general information, visit the club’s website at www.sedgefieldsquashclub.co.uk.

The last few weeks have been eventful for all four Sedgefield Youth FC teams. Each team is performing very well and it is clear to see all of the work on and off the pitch is paying off. The U9s are in their first ever season and are going from strength to strength, playing great football while achieving a mixture of results.

The U9 coaches, Todd Young and Richard Kilner, are new to their roles, but they have been outstanding in getting the team up and running and are creating excellent training sessions to develop the young players. The U10s Saturday team narrowly missed out on promotion on the last day of the previous season, but bounced straight back and got their winter campaign off to a flying start with a win. The U10s Sunday team are in their first season and are looking very comfortable with 19 goals in their last three games, conceding none. The U11s have played seven games so far this season, winning six and drawing one. They have already scored 49 goals, more than during the whole of last season.

Sedgefield Youth FC would like to say a massive thank you to everyone that helps the club. The children, coaches, sponsors and all of those who work behind the scenes. The parents/supporters have also been a massive help, whether it be running a tuck shop, helping with the set up on match days, or just being there to support the club. The club is also grateful to Lakota Penny and Tim Dredge, Sedgefield Co-op, and Durham County Councillors David Brown and John Robinson, for helping to raise funds for the club. If you would like to start a team or would like to be involved with the club in any way, please email the Sedgefield Youth FC chairman at sedgefieldyouthfc@gmail.com.