2010-05-23

Change of plan for Wednesday 26th May: Beachcomber Game at Preston Park

Instead of advanced practice for experienced players this Wednesday, there will be a real game of softball on Preston Park.

Who can play? It is suitable if you have some experience of playing softball (either at a practice session or competitively), if you are confident to play alongside more advanced players and you have a basic grasp of the rules. It is not suitable for new players as there will be little to no coaching.

If you’re not sure please call Sarah on 07949 863 434. Alternatively you can turn up on Wednesday to watch, and, if you feel comfortable, join in.

2010-05-10

This Week's Practice Is Different

And it's different for two important reasons you need to be aware of:

• Because the Circus has occupied our field on Preston Park, the practice will be at Hove Park. That's NOT Preston Park. It's Hove Park.
• As you can see from the Calendar, both this week and next are "Club Practices". This means that they will be Intermediate to Advanced training. These sessions focus on developing existing softball skills, so are not suitable if you're new to softball. If you are a new player and you are not sure whether you are confident enough with your basics, you are welcome to come along and watch, and maybe you will be able to get involved at some points.

We know it is short notice, but the information has been in the Calendar all along, so I suppose if you are left standing at Preston Park wondering where everyone went, there is a lesson there about checking the website. :)

Other News

There is plenty of other news: we played our first tournament of the season, Diamond 1, and came back with some silverware to show for it; we've been doing Team practices; we'll be playing some games in Brighton soon.

More on all that when we make the time to write it all up.

See you at Hove Park!

2010-04-22

Breaking News! Game in Brighton This Sunday!

Who would like to play softball this Sunday (April 25) at Preston Park?

Since we are not going to be taking part in the Windsor First Ball, how about we inaugurate the outdoor season with a friendly double-header this Sunday starting at 11am?

The forecast is for sun and a high of 18C.

All members of the club are welcome and we need over twenty Beachcombers in order to make it work (two teams of ten plus someone to call the games).

I know this is short-notice so please reply by email to Jarod (you can find his email address on the Brighton Beachcombers Games forum and in the email version of this announcement) by the end of the day on Friday so he can get it organised.

We're going to need to move fast on this, so let's hear you!

2010-04-03

Bring on the summer... Outdoor has landed!

Finally, I hear you all say. After possibly the longest winter in most of our memories Spring is well and truely here, indoor is over and, ta-dah! Outdoor est arrivé.

Starting on Wednesday 7th April we'll be seeing you on Preston Park from 18:00 for some softball moving and shaking. If you own your own glove don't forget to bring it and wear layers, it's still a little chilly out there. As the sun will be setting fairly promptly try to get there for 18:00 so that we can make the most of the light.

Keep checking the Calendar for details!

Don't forget that it's your softball duty to check in to the forums and website for the latest. If you're not sure how to get into the forums follow the instructions here.

See you on Preston Park.....

Batting Practice Tomorrow

Ben's organised some batting practice at Waterhall tomorrow. Check the Calendar and Forums for details.

Coaching Course

Liam's been working hard on rescheduling the Level 1 Coaching Course for April 10-11th, but it looks like we're going to have to cancel again due to lack of interest. If you're thinking of doing it, talk to Liam within the next 24 hours or it's game over.

Third Time's The Winner For Tom Prince Tournament

The Beachcombers have their first trophy of 2010. Read all about it in the Results page.

Steve, Liam, Ben, Roger, Martin, Sarah, Becky, Liz

Trip To Batting Cages In London

Roger is organising a trip to the only batting cages in the South East, in Harrow, for Saturday April 17th.

This is a great opportunity to improve your batting. Don't miss out.

More information in the Forums - you know the drill.

2010-03-02

Last-minute change of pub

Our very own Phil is playing with his band at The Brunswick in Hove on Wednesday this week, so we're going to ditch the Mash Tun and go there instead.

So, see you at The Brunswick at 19:30 for drinks and food; the band will be on at around 21:00.

Mystery Photo

Can you guess what this is?

The answer is somewhere in the forums.

Happy guessing!

2010-02-21

Wednesday Drinks Anyone?

This week's pub is OhSo down on the seafront. See you there at 19:30 for drinks and, if you're feeling hungry, some grub.

Softball Tournament in Ireland

Steve Lyons has kindly got some information about a great tournament in Limmerick on 17th & 18th April.

This well-organised tournament is held at Limmerick University and brings together teams of all levels from Ireland and some UK teams.

The total cost would be £130-£160 per person, which includes flights, accommodation, airport transfers, and tournament fees.

To allow time for travelling to and from Limmerick you would need to book your outward flight to Shannon (the nearest airport) for April 16th and your return flight for April 19th.

If you would like to play please let us know ASAP. If we don't have enough players for a Beachcomber team you may be able to join another team for the tournament.

Next Indoor: Sunday 7th March 10:30-13:30 Stanley Deason Leisure Centre

We are moving ever-closer to the end of the indoor season.

If you are planning to join us for outdoor now is a good time to dust off the cobwebs and prepare yourself for what is going to be an AWESOME outdoor season.

Come along for some competitive softball, training and a laugh on March 7th.

2010-02-19

The Beachcombers Finally Have Forums!

Interact with the other Beachcombers!

Ask, comment, request, demand!

We now have a set of forums for you to do all of the above.

Click on the forums page and get chatting!

2010-02-18

Join The Beachcombers On London-To-Brighton Bike Ride

How do you fancy joining Nic and Jenny on the London-To-Brighton bike ride on June 20th?

Nic, being a veteran of the event, has the power to grant you entry into it, so get in touch with him (or with any of us if you don't have his number) if you're interested.

Nic says:

2010-02-17

Chance For Some HARD Indoor This Saturday

The opportunity has come up for us to send 1 guy and 2 girls up to London (Canary Wharf) with Martin this coming Saturday 20th to play indoor for a team in the London Indoor League.

This league plays at a higher level than our usual indoor, so it is a chance for willing Beachcombers to push themselves harder than usual.

If you fancy it, let Martin know.

If you're not sure if it's for you, talk to Martin or Becky or Rachid or Tracy, all of which have played in that league and can give you an idea of what to expect.

2010-02-08

New, Improved Calendar

We're all about pleasing our membership at the Beachcombers, so following feedback from Scott we have replaced the old calendar page with a new, flashy CALENDAR.

It tells you what we're doing and when, so no excuses!

And even easier, you'll notice that the top of this page tells you exactly what's coming up next.

Enjoy!

2010-02-01

The Voodoo Of Weekly Pub Visits

Yes, we're still doing weekly Wednesday pub visits, and some of you are even turning up for them!

You may be wondering how we pick a different pub each week. Well, here is the master plan by Jazz:

If you're more of a visual sort of person, maybe you prefer a map:

So as you can see, we're spelling the word BEACHCOMBERS, one pub inital at a time.

The calendar is now up to date, so you can see where we're going each week.

This week's pub is The Caxton Arms (at 19:30), via the Evening Star (at 19:00) for a real beer (Roger & Phil this is for you guys).

2010-01-29

Annual General Meeting (AGM) Minutes

For some, tedious worklike meetings in your own time; for others, a crucial oil in the machinery of the Brighton Beachcombers Softball Club.

We had a great turnout for the AGM on January 12th (see here), and here are the minutes for you to find out what we're planning for 2010:

AGM 2010 minutes

Any errors, questions, omissions etc, let Martin know.

If your name is in RED, we'll be chasing you up to make sure you complete that action point.

2010-01-26

This Week's Pub

Sorry about the lack of news on the site lately.... webmaster busy.

This week's pub is The Alibi.

As always, meet there at 19:30 for food, give Jazz a shout with any questions.

2010-01-11

AGM Tomorrow

Remember it's our AGM tomorrow, Tuesday 12th Jan. If you want to have a say on how the club is run, or see the seedy underbelly of the Brighton Beachcombers Softball Club, come along. It's open to all.

Information from Becky:

Pub This Week: The Brunswick

We have a fantastic new masterplan for pub visits for the next 12 weeks. Stay tuned for more information.

For now all you need to know is that this week's pub outing will be at The Brunswick in Hove. See you there at 19:30. As always, contact Jazz for more details!

Indoor Game Against The Mets This Sunday

We're planning to play a friendly indoor game or two against the Chichester Mets on Sunday January 17th.

More details coming up, reserve the date and let Becky know if you're available.

2010-01-09

URGENT: INDOOR THIS WEEKEND

An announcement from our presidents about the snow havoc/travel chaos/icy doom/weathageddon you may have noticed lately:

If we don't get to play at Stanley Deason, there is a nugget of a plan: does anybody fancy going to a snowy field somewhere (Preston Park, Waterhall, or somewhere half way up the Downs) to play softball in the snow? It's called "snowball".

Again, let Sarah know what you think.

2010-01-02

Play Indoor Softball In 2010

Happy New Year Beachcombers!

Collectively we will have gained 75lbs over the Christmas and New Year season of indulgence (if you've all been indulging correctly), which means that it's time to plan some softball.....seriously!

The first practice of 2010 will be on Sunday January 10th, from 10:30 till 13:30, at Stanley Deason Leisure Centre (the same time and place as last year).

The calendar has been updated with all the remaining indoor dates; once they announce it, we will add the date annual Tom Prince indoor tournament in Portsmouth, which we've come 2nd in for the last 2 years, so this year we're out to win it.

Meet, Drink And Eat In 2010

We plan to meet at the Open House on Wednesday January 6th to toast the New Year and celebrate the great season of great softball to come.

As we did at the end of 2009, we'll be meeting at a different pub each Wednesday, and for that we need a theme. Until now we've been chosing pubs based on a map of a softball diamond badly drawn over a map of Brighton (it sounded like a great idea at the time).

So now we need a new system! Any suggestions? For example:

• Pick pubs whose names start with each letter in the word BEACHCOMBERS.
• Each week get the barstaff of the pub to recommend a pub for the following week.

Any more ideas? Let Jazz know or come to the Open House on the 6th and we can argue about it.

Beachcomber Santas Deliver Joy To Hove

Check out the 3 Beachcombers who took part in the Brighton Santa Dash charity run on December 12th.

I'd put here a photo of them after ending the run, but they looked just as fresh - the sign of an athlete.

2009-12-09

Let's Try Again: The Hampton Arms

You may have noticed that last week nobody made it to the pub (if you did and there was nobody there, don't make the same mistake again: check with Jazz if in doubt.

So this week we're going to give center-right another go: The Hampton Arms then, in Brighton today Wednesday 9th, from 19:30 onwards.

Hope to see you there!

Brighton Santa Dash Is Back

You may remember last year Emma and Martin took part in the Brighton Santa Dash charity run.

Well, they're at it again this Saturday December 12th, this time joined by Nic.

The run raises fund for the charity Crisis, so feel free to make a donation to any of them when you next see them.

If you're thinking "5km isn't very far, Santa suit or no Santa suit", check out what it looked like last year.

One More Indoor This Year

Remember, this Sunday December 13th is the last indoor session of 2009 and of this decade.

Session starts at 10:30 till 13:30 at Stanley Deason Leisure Centre, as usual.

The calendar will be updated soon with the dates for next year.

Coaches As Far As The Eye Can See

Thanks for the great response to our request for Level 1 coaches.

We'll be trying to organise a training course, hopefully in Brighton for your convenience.

2009-11-30

This Week's Pub Is: The Hampton Arms

This week it's the turn for center-right, the rover position, number 10.

That's at The Hampton Arms then, in Brighton on Wednesday 2nd, from 19:30 onwards.

As usual Jazz is the person to contact if you have any questions.

Your Team Needs YOU (To Coach)

Do you have what it takes to help Martin coach our club to success?

We are looking for club members who are willing to get qualified as Level 1 coaches. This is the basic qualification you need to be able to coach softball, focusing on player safety and general herding of players on a field.

You may wonder "what's in it for me?". Well:

• The club will dig up some funding to pay for your qualification.
• You will learn some very useful skills that are useful on and off a field (if you can tame Beachcombers, you can achieve anything).
• You will improve your understanding and confidence in the game of softball.
• You will be part of the coaching team that is going to lead the Beachcombers to victory in 2010.
• You will help save Martin from an early, stress-induced grave.

All we need you to do is take the Level 1 (Assistant Coach) Award course, and then you're ready to help at our practices. We'll make sure we use your coaching skills at the right pace for you, and support you as you become a great coach and a respected pillar of society.

So what are you waiting for? Give Martin a shout if you are at all interested or have any questions, and if you decide it's the thing for you we will get the training course organised.

2009-11-24

This Week's Pub Is: The Ancient Mariner

Time for a deep right-field shot this week, with a visit to The Ancient Mariner in Hove on Wednesday 25th, from 19:30 onwards.

As usual Jazz is the person to contact if you have any questions.

Miss The Coaching?

A message from our coach Martin:

2009-11-18

This Week's Pub Is: The Hop Poles

Jazz has decided to keep it simple this week, so we're going to The Hop Poles, on Middle Street in the South Lanes.

Meet there at 19:30 - they do great grub, and if you're anything like me you'll be fighting to stop yourself from getting the veg chilli nachos.

Come Dine With Me?

Talking about food, we've had another request from a TV company to appear on one of their programmes (they can't get enough of our photogenic goodness).

A researcher from ITV would like to know if any of you would like to appear on Come Dine With Me; filming starts at the end of the month, so she needs you to get in touch today!

If you're interested, the details and the number to call are in the weekly email newsletter I've just sent you all (if you didn't receive it we don't have your email address, so give Martin a shout).

2009-11-11

Last Minute Change... Possibly

Jazz would like to try a dangerous game of change-the-venue-at-short-notice with you.

Here is what she said:

So, good luck with that! If in doubt, get in touch with Jazz to check what's going on.

2009-11-10

This Wednesday's Pub Is Left Field...Which Is The Hanbury

We're in way-out Kemptown this Wednesday from 7:30pm. Come and join us at the Hanbury for drinks and/or food.

It's not outdoor softball on a sunny evening, but it's still pretty good.

Get in touch with Jazz if you have any questions, and to make sure you're in the loop in case the venue changes (Martin wonders whether they actually serve food at the Hanbury...).

Indoor This Sunday, 10:30 Stanley Deason Leisure Centre

Hurrah it's indoor again! Dust off your softball glove and come and join us at the Stanley Deason Leisure Centre at 10:30am till 13:30.

Bring water, layers and something to nibble on.

Beachcomber End of Season Bash

What a turn out! The Lion and Lobster gave us our own dining room where we feasted and drank and celebrated an eventful summer season of softball.

It was great to see some new faces as well as the not so new.

Congratulations to Jazz, for being the Most Injured Beachcomber of the Year, Liam for being the Grand Slammer of the Year, Roger for being the Newbie of the Year and Steve Lyons for being the MVP of the Year.

After the feasting we sampled the beverages of the surrounding bars, whilst a few brave Beachcombers rolled onto Casablanca's.

2009-11-03

Hello Beachcombers,

Lots of news, so let's crack on.

LAST CALL for the End Of Season Bash: Saturday 7th November. Are You Coming?

Please tell us NOW if you are coming to the end of season party this Saturday at the Lion and Lobster. We have a secret room booked to eat and drink the night away. There will be prizes, speeches and general merriment so don't be shy and come out and play!

For those of you good folk who have already RSPV-ed, details will be whizzed off to you via email this week. Please dress to impress to party the night away.

To get your invite, email us ASAP and we'll add you to the list.

Indoor Insanity Begins!

Finally! The first indoor session started with 18, mainly orange-clad, Beachcombers and newbies batting it out at the Stanley Deason Leisure Centre.

There were plenty of home runs, slides, the stealing of bases and the occasional horrific error to keep us entertained.

Welcome (officially) to indoor Jenny, Rick, Jeon and Sian, we hope you enjoyed yourselves.

Don't forget to check the calendar to find out when the next practice will be. There are only 3 more indoor sessions until Christmas, so dust off your glove and join us.

The next session is on Sunday 15th November at 10:30am. See you there!

Wednesday Drinks: This Week We're At The Fountainhead from 7:30pm.

The Fountainhead is located at the bottom of North Road, just down from Bill's Cafe. We'll be there from 7:30pm.

An Era In Solent Softball Comes To An End

A defining era in the history of softball on the south coast of England will come to an end next February with the resignation of Solent Softball League Chair Andy "Beefy" Burgess after 10 years in the job:

Full article on BSUK

For those of you who've never been lucky enough to meet Beefy, he is a one-man softball-enabling legend who has been pivotal in the development of softball in the South East of England, as well as an all-round good egg.

The Beachcombers would like to wish him all the best, and we're sure he'll never be too far from a diamond. Catch him at the Tom Prince tournament and give him a hug from me!

World Series Question

For softball training purposes can anyone record the upcoming World Series baseball games for us? (We think they're being shown on ESPN)

If you're feeling brave you could invite some of the baseball-inclined Beachcombers over to make an evening of it. Please get in touch with Wendy if you can help.

TakePart 2010

Brighton & Hove City Council's Sports Department is on the ball and gearing up for the TakePart Festival of Sport 2010.

For your diaries he dates are 19th June to 4th July, and we're looking for suggestions, comments to improve our efforts.

Please get in touch with your suggestions.

Non-Softball Bit

If anyone is interested in getting a family, individual or professional portrait photo session, professional local photographer Alan Holden is offering a discounted rate for local sports club members of £25.00 per session. Might be a nice Christmas prezzie for the parents? Please let Sarah know by November 20th if you are interested.

2009-10-24

Only One Week To Go Till Indoor

Start stretching and warming up folks, indoor starts next Sunday, November 1st, 10:30 till 13:30.

If you've never played with the Beachcombers before, or even if you've never seen softball, you're welcome to come along! Just let Emma know so we can plan for numbers.

Top tip: get ahead from the pack by swatting up on the rules of indoor first.

Missing You Weekly Exercise Fix?

We've had an interesting suggestion for a team event:

Remember those groups of people in bibs we keep seeing running around Preston Park in the summer?

They are British Military Fitness, and they are offering to run a taster session for us. Ever wondered what it's like? Now's the time to find out!

Let Tor know if you like the idea and we'll try to organise.

Oh, and if coach Martin sees you huffing and puffing during indoor, he may force everyone to attend BMF anyway. :)

Another Wednesday, Another Pub

According to our trusty calendar this Wednesday, October 28th, we'll be going to the "pub with no name" for our weekly health-drinks and health-food.

The pub is here.

Are you coming? Jazz is in charge of this one.

Award Ceremony Photo

The photos of our Brighton & Hove Sports Awards plaques were a bit bland (taken against the background of a pub table), so here is a nicer photo of us in our fineries:

Martin, Ben, Phil, Tor, Becky, Emma, Wendy

2009-10-18

It's been a while, but our site is now wearing its winter coat and has been updated with:

INDOOR DATES!

Finally! The indoor softball dates up till Christmas are in the calendar .

All our indoor practices are at the Stanley Deason leisure centre, start at 10:30 (not 10:00), and last 3 hours (that's till 13:30, then). After that, we can be presuaded to go for a hearty pub lunch.

The first one is on November 1st, so not long to go!

The parenting bit: be there on time, bring layers (it gets hot and sweaty in the hall with all the running around), water, snacks, and long trousers if you're planning to throw yourself around! No need to bring a cap for the sun since we're indoors (what am I talking about, nobody even brings a cap in the summer when they complain about the sun...).

It will probably cost around £5/6 per session,depending on numbers.

PUB DATES!

Jazz has been working on our ill-conceived plan to visit a different pub every Wednesday, drawing a softball diamond over a map of Brighton. You'd be right in guessing it doesn't work very well.

In Jazz's words:

This Wednesday (October 21st) it's the turn for the Earth & Stars. All the venues are listed in the calendar .

2009-10-04

Service Will Be Resumed Shortly

Hey guys, how are you finding the break between outdoor and indoor seasons?

If you are itching to get playing again, don't worry: we are finalising the dates for the indoor season, so watch out for an email and website announcement shortly.

Wednesdays feel empty? A few players are planning to keeep up the pub part of the practice by going for drinks at a different pub every Wednesday; there is some crazy scheme out there to try out different pubs in Brighton and Hove following a softball diamond scribbled over a local map.

If you like the sound of that, we'll try and make sure Tor has the details.

2009-10-13

Last Chance For Trophies!

This is exciting stuff! We have been shortlisted for not one, but two Brighton & Hove Sports & Physical Activity Awards in the following categories:

• Active For Life Participation Award: Brighton Beachcombers Softball Club
• Coach Of The Year: Martin Digon

Well done us (and a tut-tut to whoever put Martin's name in - lovable freaks)!

The award ceremony will be tomorrow, Wednesday October 14th at The Old Market in Hove, and the following Beachcombers will be there to pick up the bounty: Becky, Emma, Tor, Wendy, Martin, Phil and Ben.

As a result, I believe there are no plans to go to the pub this Wednesday (boo), though if you chase Jazz up she may be persuaded to organise something.

Wish us luck, will report what happens as soon as possible!

2009-10-06

Stand Down For Saturday In Brixton

Hi peeps,

It was always going to be tricky to scramble a team together for indoor in Brixton this Saturday (see old news here), but the league organiser needed to finalise the schedule by 1pm today, so unfortunately we won't be sending a Brighton team to strut our stuff in London.

Thanks to those who replied so quickly. We will keep an eye open for other opportunities like this and try and give everyone more notice next time!

2009-10-06

Possible Last-minute Chance To Play Hard Indoor This Saturday!

Listen up! There is a competitive winter indoor softball league in Brixton, and I have heard from the organiser that a team pulled out of this Saturday (October 10th), so there is a gap we could fill! Details:

• We need 4 men and 4 women; I can probably find about 3 players from London who could help us out, so we may only actually need about 5 Beachcombers.
• The games on Saturday start at 09:00 and end at 14:00. Each game lasts 30 minutes, so you'll be playing probably 5 or 6 games.
• The league is quite competitive, so this is an opportunity for intermediate/advanced players (if you don't know when you're supposed to run and when you're supposed to stay, this is not for you).
• Martin isn't available, so someone else will have to organise.
• The cost is £100 to enter the team for this one day.

How does that sound? If you're interested, get in touch with Martin or Becky.

We need to organise this one quickly, and it's a great opportunity, so let's hear you!

2009-09-23

Last Practice Today

We played our last tournament in Southampton at the weekend (somebody please send me a tournament report for the site!) so the only bit of outdoor left this year is this evening's practice.

We had talked about playing sloshball, but a few people pointed out that it's a school night and we all have jobs to go to tomorrow.

What to do then? We're open to suggestions. Text Martin with your ideas and we'll see what we can do.

2009-09-16

Wrapping Up The Outdoor Season

The great 2009 Beachcombers outdoor season is coming to an end soon, so here's a recap of what's left before we all throw our boots in the back of the cupboard and let them stew till next April:

• September 16th from 18:00 (today): Practice at Preston Park followed by the pub, as usual. It gets dark pretty early by now, so we'll just about have enough time for a game until about 19:30.
• September 19th-20th: Solent Last Ball tournament in Southampton. Our last chance to pick up some tacky silverware. Let us know if you want to play and haven't already told us!
• September 23rd from 18:00: Last practice at Preston Park, where we will be playing something like sloshball instead of softball. Over-18s only. Bring a towel. More details to come.

2009-08-20

No Practice This Friday (Tomorrow)

The Beachcombers squad will be travelling to Bristol on Friday afternoon to set up camp and prepare to win some silverware, so there will be no Friday practice this week.

Next week, Martin will be away so it will be up to Becky to decide whether there'll be a Friday practice: get in touch with her for info.

2009-08-09

Park Switching And Confusion

Hey peeps, we've just finished our annual Pride switch-to-Hove-Park-and-then-back exercise, with a few people left stranded in the wrong place on the wrong day, so to clarify:

• All practices are now back on Preston Park.
• This Tuesday we have a special event for which we need your help (see below).
• This Wednesday we have a guest coach from the British Softball Federation - don't miss it!
• Extra Friday practices are still happening: they are for people who are extra-keen to work on their skills; as long as you're willing to turn up and work hard, this is for you.

Active Workplace Softball: Tuesday 11th August 6m Preston Park

The Sussex County Sports Partnership are getting office workers off their bums and playing softball!

We have been ambitious and accepted a full 6 teams to this event, so that is 70+ complete beginners coming down to Preston Park at 18:00 till sundown for a softball taster.

We need your help! I know a few of you have already said yes in person, but can everybody who is available text Martin ASAP so that we know how many people we have to help and when you will be there (if you can only make part of the session, whether it's early or late, that's fine - we want you there anyway).

It's a great opportunity to promote the club, help the community, work on your coaching and people skills... all good stuff. Do it.

Wednesday 12 August: British Softball Federation Coaching, 6pm Preston Park

Stan from the BSF will be running this coaching session. Come along to experience a different coaching style and what goes on in the wonderful world of British softball.

South Coast Series Stopped

Unfortunately the Mets have been struggling to get a team out so we have had to cancel the remaining South Coast Series games.

It's a big disappointment for all, but we hope it's just a temporary setback and we are keen to keep working on the idea to allow both our teams to play more ball, which is what it's all about.

Thanks to everyone on both sides who worked hard to get this off the ground, and thanks to the players for playing ball!

2009-07-30

Apologies For The Interruption

Unfortunately circumstances outside our control meant that this week's Wednesday practice (July 29th) was cancelled.

Apologies to everyone, we expect normal service to resume next week.

Advanced Practice Tomorrow!

This Friday (July 31st) there will be another advanced practice at HOVE Park.

As always, these extra practices are there for the keener players to get some extra ball time.

Martin may not be able to make it, but I'm sure everyone can manage without him.

South Coast Series Game: Sunday August 9th Chichester 11am

We still have spaces for a few more players in this friendly game. So far we have Nic, Steve Lyons, Jarod, Liam Rick, Roger, Tor, Becky, Elizabeth and maybe Wendy. A few more girls would be nice. Let Becky know if you can play.

Active Workplace Softball: Tuesday 11th August 6m Preston Park

The Sussex County Sports Partnership are getting office workers off their bums and playing softball! We have a small but perfectly formed group of Beachcombers getting involved with this event and would like to invite all of you to turn up, help out and play. Please let Martin know if you can.

The latest we've heard is that there may be 6 corporate teams to contend with, so all hands on deck for this one!

Wednesday 12 August: British Softball Federation Coaching, 6pm Preston Park

Stan from the BSF will be running this coaching session. Come along to experience a different coaching style and what goes on in the wonderful world of British softball.

2009-07-29

today's practice is CANCELLED

Tonight's softball, which was transferred to Hove park and for intermediate/advanced players only, is cancelled due to head coach Martin being unable to attend and the very poor weather conditions forecast.

We will return next week for ALL players but it will remain in Hove Park whilst Preston Park returns to normal following Pride (given the forecast of heavy rain on sat, i think the ground may need even longer)

Sincere apologies for the late notice.

Beachcombers Coaching Staff

2009-07-24

Advanced Practice THIS EVENING

As mentioned at Wednesday's practice, this evening (Friday) we'll be holding another advanced practice.

The practice was originally intended for players coming to Bristol Rec so we can prepare to pick up some silverware, but it is open to any non-beginners who want something harder and spicier than your average Wednesday.

We won't be bringing any spare gloves, so if you don't already own one... ask and I may be able to grab one for you.

Other details as usual: 18:00 start, practice goes ahead unless it is raining hard at that time.

If there's any specific aspect of your game you want to concentrate on, let Martin know ahead of time.

2009-07-20

South Coast Series: Double-Header Alert, Sunday July 26th, Preston Park, 10:30am

We have 2 games scheduled for Sunday 26th on our home turf which is guaranteed to give you plenty of game time. We do have spaces for players so please contact us asap if you can play. Anyone playing in the Bristol Rec tournament should use these South Coast Series game as valuable tournament preparation.

You’ve been warned! Wednesday Practice On July 29th And August 5th At Hove Park!

You can't say we didn't give you plenty of notice. Practice on these 2 dates will be on Hove Park due to Pride 09. As always with these things, check the calendar!

South Coast Series Game: Sunday August 9th

We're playing our penultimate game in Chichester on Sunday August 9th. If you would like to play in this friendly series please let us know. Any new players who would like a gentle emersion into competitive softball at a recreational level are welcome to play too.

Sussex County Sports Partnership Event: Tuesday August 11th

As part of the London 2012 preparations to get Britain active, the Sussex County Sports Partnership have approached the Beachcombers to run a training session for local professionals in the Brighton & Hove area. We need willing volunteers on August 11th to demonstrate the game, assist Martin with the coaching and generally help out. This will help raise the profile of softball locally and will directly contribute to more players in the area. In the long term it may help establish our very own softball league in the city. Hurrah! All are welcome to attend. If you have an inclination towards coaching and umpiring we would especially like to see you at this event. Please contact Sarah and Martin to confirm your attendance.

British Softball Federation Training Session: Wednesday August 12th

In keeping with the quality coaching we receive each week we have arranged for one of the British Softball Federation coaches, Stan Doney, to run our Wednesday practice on 12th August. This session is well worth attending to experience a different coaching style, new training activities and to give you a taste of the UK softball scene. Please make a note of this in your diary and see you there!

City College Freshers' Fair, WEDNESDAY September 9th 10:30am-3:00pm

We need 1 or 2 volunteers to help man a softball stall for the City College Freshers' Fair. If you can spare a few hours to help out, please let us know. All you'd need to do is to talk to people about softball and give out some flyers. Easy!

2009-07-14

Thank you For Taking Part!

It's a little on the late side, but we wanted to say many thanks to everyone who helped make the Beachcomber softball event at the TakePart Festival of Sport a success.

It was great to see both old and new faces getting involved with coaching adults and kids, running drills and playing in demonstration games.

Participating in these events helps raise the profile of softball in Brighton & Hove, so your help was very much appreciated.

Next South Coast Series Game: Sunday 26th July, Chichester

We have lots spaces for men and women in this friendly series with the Chichester Mets.

Please contact Sarah if you want to play.

We have 2 South Coast Series games before the long-awaited Bristol Rec Tournament on August 22nd and 23rd.

If you are playing in Bristol Rec please try to play in at least one of these games to prepare you!

Advanced Warning: Wednesday Practice On July 29th And August 5th At Hove Park!

You can't say we didn't give you plenty of notice. Practice on these 2 dates will be on Hove Park due to Pride 09.

As always with these things, check the calendar!

2009-06-26

TAKE PART Festival This Weekend!

TAKE PART is a massive celebration of sport in Brighton, with dozens of events taking place at Preston Park.

We're trying to get as many Beachcombers as possible to come out tomorrow (Saturday 27th) to promote and show off softball; let Sarah know if you can come out and help.

New Tournament In The Calendar

We've added September's Solent Last Ball tournament to our calendar.

This is a great tournament to round off the season, so look forward to it!

2009-06-11

Last Minute Change To Calendar

Dear Beachcombers, I'm sorry to announce that the Chichester Mets have had cancel Sunday's game because of some of their players had to pull out unexpectedly.

Don't worry, we'll make up the game sometime.

However, if you are keen to pick up some games this weekend, you are now free to play at the All Star Nationals in Birmingham! Belinda is putting a team together from the Solent and is looking for girls in particular.

If you fancy it, contact Martin and he'll hook you up.

PS: Anybody got any photos from Diamond 2 that I can put on the site?

2009-06-11

Things Coming Up

First of all, thanks to the 12 players who came out last night despite the weather - we had a great training session.

Just to remind you, practice is ON unless it's raining hard at 6pm. Last night it was drizzling at that time, so we played. If in doubt, contact Martin.

South Coast Series

This Sunday we're playing the second game of the series against the Chichester Mets.

It's at Preston Park at 11, and we still need players, so get in touch with Sarah: it's one of the few games we're going to play at home, so come out!

BA Tournament

We are no longer playing at the BA Tournament at the end of June; I've updated the calendar. The reason we're not entering is that we are running the TAKE PART event at Preston Park instead:

TAKE PART 2009

TAKE PART is a massive celebration of sport in Brighton, with dozens of events taking place at Preston Park.

The Beachcombers will be out in force promoting softball, so let Sarah know if you can come out and help.

2009-06-03

Sponsor A New Beachcomber

Aren't we all so sporty?

One of our star recruitments at indoor over the winter, Nic, is going to be taking part in the London To Brighton bike ride on June 21st.

Apparently this is his excuse for not getting stuck in to the sliding practice last week. Believe that if you will.

It's a great cause and a tough challenge, so check out his page and dig deep!

See you all at Preston Park (every Wednesday at 6), and some of you at the Diamond 2 Tournament this weekend (I think we still need another girl, so get in touch with Becky).

2009-05-27

Back At Preston Park

Guys, remember that from this this week (Wednesday 27th) we're back at Preston Park until the end of July (more info in the calendar).

Regarding the weather, our policy is that practice will go ahead as long as it's not bucketting down with rain at 6pm. If in any doubt, contact Martin.

This Sunday is the first game of the South Coast Series; we nearly have enough players, so let Becky know if you want to take part - a great friendly game against the Chichester Mets for those beginners who want to play some real softball!

2009-05-19

London Coaching Clinic This Sunday

The Great Britain Slowpitch Squad is running a coaching clinic in London this Sunday, May 24th.

Great Britain Head Coach Mark Saunders will be running the clinic, assisted by other GB coaches and players, including our very own coach Martin.

The clinic is open to players of all standards, including beginners, and it's a great chance to get feedback on your game from a different angle.

It's going to be held on Wandsworth Common, so if you are interested in going to it, let Martin know and let's sort it out.

2009-05-19

Silent Disco Replay!

Hello pop pickers!

Thanks to James's fantastic girlfriend Claire, we beachcombers have the option of 7 free places at the Silent Disco this very Friday night.

Please contact Tor if you would like to reserve a spot.

It's a great concept and loads of fun, we had a blast last time despite starting late (hence the free tickets).

2009-05-17

Quick Notes

The calendar is finally up to date, including the 5 South Coast Series games, so go there and update your Filofaxes.

And remember, this week's practice on Wednesday 20th will be at Hove Park again (from Wednesday 27th we'll be back in Preston Park until the end of July). See you there!

2009-05-13

Wednesday Practice Is At HOVE PARK!

We announced it, we wrote it...you can't say we didn't tell you. For the next 2 weeks practice will be at Hove Park.

The circus is in town and the only space the Council has for them is our Preston Park pitch. So....see you at Hove Park on Wednesday, right!?

GB Open Tournament Saturday 16th May

We still need a few players for this 1 day tournament in Old Deer Park Richmond, London.

This tournament supports the GB softball team, which our beloved coach is a member of.

Please send us a quick email to confirm you can play, or tell us on Wednesday.

Announcing... The South Coast Series!

Some of you know that we are currently not part of a softball league, as we are trying to establish a league here in Brighton & Hove.

As part of the groundwork for this we have arranged a series of games with The Mets, based in Chichester, over the outdoor season....The South Coast Series.

Please write these dates in your diaries: Sunday 31st May, 14th June, 26th July, 9th August and 6th September.

Let us know if you would like to play asap! (Yes, yes, the calendar is still not up to date.)

Taking Part In TheTakePart Festival Of Sport, June 27th 09

Take Part is the sporting event in Brighton and Hove where clubs and societies from all over the city showcase their particular sport.

We are involved again this year and need at least 7 volunteers to help out and generally enjoy an afternoon on Preston Park, along with thousands of other people. On a serious note, this event is great publicity for softball in general and helps put us on the sporting map of the city. All help is appreciated.

Please note that this event clashes with the first day of the BA Tournament. Drop us an email if you can help.

Wednesday Fees

Just to remind you:

• Pay-as-you-go for Wednesday practices: £3.00/£2.00 (waged/unwaged)
• Up-front payment for all Wednesday practices, paid before 16/05/09: £52.00/£42.00 (waged/unwaged)
• Tournament Fee: £5.00 (this one-off fee is essential if you play any tournaments, as it covers insurance and affiliation to the British Softball Federation.)
• Tournaments usually cost around £10.00 per day

If you need our bank details please let us know and we will email you.

See you on Hove Park!

2009-04-29

Last Minute Warning Before The Webmaster Goes On Holiday

You may have noticed that the calendar shows the next 3 Wednesdays are marked with a cute little yellow pin like this:

Hove Park

That means that the next three practices are in Hove Park. That's in Hove.

If after all this you still turn up in Preston Park... well... you've only got yourself to blame. :)

See you there and then!

2009-04-29

The Calendar Is Ready

Well, half of it is.

Check it out here and start updating your trusty agenda now!

Notice that some May Wednesday practices may be held in Hove Park instead of Preston Park because the circus is in town. We'll remind you before that happens.

2009-04-28

She's Only Gone And Run A Marathon!

Emma made it! 4 hours 13 minutes! We are all in awe.

She has updated her page so you can read all about it from the girl herself! She may even make an appearance at the practice tomorrow.

4hr13' is now the official Beachcombers time-to-beat. Anybody fancy taking a pop at it next year?

2009-04-23

It's Nice To Be Outdoors!

Yesterday was our first outdoor session of 2009, and what a success!

Reliable sources tell me we had 40 players turn up (I lost count early on), which is our biggest turnout ever! We must be doing something right.

Thanks to everyone for coming out to play, and hope to see you next Wednesday!

As usual, if you have any feedback on how you found it, let us know.

[PS: Is anybody going to send in some photos of yesterday or Sunday so I can put them on here?]

2009-03-30

Last Indoor Softball: Sunday 5th April

Join us at Stanley Deason at 10:30am-1:30pm to practice your moves before outdoor begins. If you come to practice we'll most likely go for some food and drink at a local pub afterwards.

Cheap Softball Gear!

Rawlings Direct is having an uber-softball sale. If you are hungry for kit check out: www.rawlingsdirect.co.uk

Beachcomber Social Sunday April 18th RSPV ASAP!

Roger, Liz and tor are organising a different kind of ball game to kick-start the outdoor season! They are kindly organising some volleyball at the Yellowave centre on Madeira Drive followed by a roast dinner, most likely at the Sidewinder on St James' Street. As they have to book the court they do need to confirm numbers.

Please could email Tor with a "yeah" or "neigh" as soon as you can. See you there!

Last But Not Least...Outdoor Softball Wednesday April 22nd!!!!!!

The light won't last too long but we plan to squeeze as much softball in as possible. See you on Preston Park 6pm!

2009-04-21

Softball! Outdoors! Yay!

Lots going on lately, and not enough updates to the website - apologies!

First of all, the outdoor season starts this WEDNESDAY, April 22nd, at 18:00 at Preston Park. About time too!

So, whether you're a veteran of the club or you've never tried softball before, come down and join in!

Volleyball Social Success

The volleyball + roast social on Sunday was a great success. Lots of fun at Yellowave hitting the ball and then going to fetch it down the beach. If you were there and took photos, send them to Martin and he'll put them on the site.

Next Social Soon!

Following our season social opener last Sunday we're rocking on to the next one on Friday 1st May.

SILENT DISCO!

This is the first silent disco of the festival in the fabulous, famous and fantastic Spiegeltent. If you've never been before, believe all the good things you hear.

It's a tenner, and tickets are cheapest brought in cash at the dome box office.

It's a late starter though at 11.30, so nearer the time we can find a place to meet for a drink beforehand.

Email Tor if you're interested.

Summer Season Calendar

The website will be revamped and updated for the summer, I promise (as usual), but in the meantime here is the list of tournaments we're going to this season:

• Diamond 1: May 9/10
• GB Open: May 16/17
• Diamond 2: June 6/7
• BA: June 27/28
• Bristol tournament: July 4/5
• Diamond: 3 Aug 1/2
• Bristol Rec: August 22/23

Plus, we'll be having friendlies and not-so-friendlies against other teams in the area.

And lots more things to come. Stay tuned!

One Last Thing

It's finally here: the London Marathon is on Sunday, and our very own Emma will be doing us proud.

So dig deep and show her some love!

2009-03-24

Sponsor A Beachcomber

More running news: while Jacob, Becky and Martin peaked with the Sussex Beacon, our newly-elected Team Contact Emma was just using it as a warmup for her London Marathon!

She is busy training herself up for the race on April 26th. Only a month to go!

She is running for a very worthy cause that has a lot of personal significance for her.

Go here to find out what it is: Emma's page (see how I'm tickling your curiosity?).

2009-03-24

A date for your diary:Sunday social 19th April (daytime)

Roger, Liz and tor are organising a different kind of ball game to kick-start the outdoor season!

We plan to play some volleyball at the Yellowave centre on Madeira Drive and stuff ourselves afterwards with a roast, most likely at the Sidewinder on St James' Street.

As we have to book the court we do need to confirm numbers. Please could you let Tor know ASAP!

Cost: Around £1.00 - £2.00 pounds for volleyball and about £8.00 for a roast

Many thanks to Tor, Liz and Roger for arranging this!

One final thought: we've provisionally booked outdoor to start on Wednesday 22nd April. If you haven't yet dug out your softball glove from under the stairs or have thought about getting into shape for outdoor, now is the time!

2009-03-03

Get Kitted Up

Our kit-master Ben has a few recommendations for those of you looking to buy some new kit for this season.

Happy shopping!

2009-03-02

Next Indoor: Sunday 8th of March 10:30am-1:30pm

Hopefully you all read the calendar and realised that there was no training yesterday. If you didn't... there is a lesson in that.

If you haven't already, please check out the calendar and make a note of the remaining indoor sessions in your diary.

Register Yourself With BSUK - Pleeeeease!

It's free, a necessary admin task and more importantly gives you insurance at softball tournaments and league games.

If you're new to the Beachcombers and haven't yet registered click here.

If you are an existing member of the Beachcombers all you need to do is re-activate your membership by logging in. (Click on the login box on the banner)

It's a bit like TV Licencing - we know who you are if you don't!

British Softball Federation News

There is a worldwide softball community out there, so to keep you well-informed here's a link to the British Softball Federation News - click here.

City Sports News

On a local level and as part of the build-up to London 2012, Brighton and Hove City Council are really pushing sports at a grassroots level.

This means that local clubs are eligible for finding and support, which is great news for us!

The Beachcombers will be involved in the TakePart Festival of Sport again, at Preston Park on Saturday 28th June.

We'll let you know more about this nearer the time, but please save the date as we'll need all hands on deck!

2009-03-01

Beachcomber Half Marathon Heroes!

Congratulations to our Co-President Becky, Head Coach Martin, Semi-Social Organiser, Emma and Jacob for successfully completing the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon on Sunday 22nd February.

These crazy Beachcombers, along with 4500 runners, packed the streets of Brighton and Hove to complete this gruelling 21 km route that took them to London Road, The North Laines, Hove Lagoon, Brighton Marina and Marine Parade.

Well done! We hope that your knees and your stair-walking ability recover in time for the next indoor session on Sunday 8th March.

There are some photos on Martin's Facebook if you'd like to see our runners in action.

2009-02-19

Club AGM Minutes Available

Dear members, the minutes of the AGM we held on January 28th are now ready.

Download them here.

We want the Beachombers to be run in a transparent way, to allow everybody to influence our club's direction, so let us us know what you think!

The minutes also tell you who's in charge of what so you can have a go at them if something doesn't get done.

2009-02-19

Run Beachcomber, Run

Three of our dear members, Becky, Emma and Martin (I really hope I'm not forgetting anyone) will be running in the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon this Sunday.

Try and come out to watch a great Brighton event and cheer your team-mates!

If you'd like to make a donation to a worthy cause (Oxfam), why not do it here and now on Martin's JustGiving page!

2009-01-19

2009 AGM Announcement

Beachcombers old and new!

The date for the Brighton Beachcombers Softball Club Annual General Meeting (AGM) has been set:

Wednesday January 28th at 18:30

Put that in your calendars while we decide where to host it!

The AGM is your chance to become more involved in the club and help shape our goals and activities for 2009.

If you'd like to come, let Sarah know; if you don't feel like coming but want your opinion to be heard, just talk to any of us and we'll throw your input into the mix.

2009-01-06

New Updates To The Website!

Finally, the web powers-that-be have got round to updating the website, so have a browse around, and don't forget to go to the Calendar and add the dates to your diary!

2009-01-01

Welcome To 2009 Softball. Let's Get On With It!

Happy New Year Beachcombers!

We hope you had a good Christmas and New Year celebrations.

It's time to shake off the festive lethargy and those Christmas pounds with Indoor Training Tomorrow Night: Friday 2nd January 6:30pm-8:30pm at the Stanley Deason Leisure Centre. Hope to see you there!

Starting as we mean to go on, the annual Tom Prince Indoor Tournament is on Sunday 4th January in Portsmouth. Our killer team is so far:

• Martin (El Capitano)
• Sarah
• Tracey
• Rachid
• Jacob
• Catherine?
• Steve Lyons
• Steve Boor?
• ?
• ?

We could do with a few more players though. Don't be shy please let us know if you want to play as soon as you can! Catherine, Steve and Steve please could you confirm if you are playing too?

Annual Meeting

We will be holding our annual meeting at some point in the next few months. All members are welcome to attend. Amongst other things we decide upon league games, tournaments, fees, marketing and player recruitment. Thoughts, comments and suggestions are all welcome so please feel free to email them to us at: brightonbeachcombers@googlemail.com

See you at Indoor.

Sarah & Becky.