End Of Season Review 2006/07

Well, that’s Vikings’ first season over already, and what a season it has been.

 It all started last summer, when Lee decided to start a new club in Ely.  With a few people who knew Lee from his Lions days, and a few newcomers who had heard about the new venture in the newspapers, Vikings had their first training session in August.  It was great to see people turn up who had never played korfball before, and it wasn’t long before the game was starting to make sense, and a team was starting to form.

 Our first game came around quickly, in October, away at Phoenix.  The team featured five players in their first ever match, and although the score showed a comfortable win for Phoenix, Vikings played well in their first match, and showed great signs of potential.  They even scored three goals (trivia fans should note that Martin scored Vikings first ever goal).

 The first win came surprisingly quickly.  Before the end of October, Vikings’ second team picked up their first victory away at Tigers in the development league.  Sam scored both the goals in the 2-0 win.

 By the end of the year, Vikings had fielded 18 players and membership numbers were growing.  Training sessions had also increased from 1 hour to 2 hours.  And Vikings 1 had picked up three points in division 2, thanks mainly to a Mo hat trick against City, and a thrilling 7-7 draw with Tigers.

 Our christmas social was a bowling night in Ely, organised by our social secretaries Annette and Amy.  The 70s themed event was won by Rob, both in best dressed and highest score.

 The new year saw another influx of new players, with membership nearing 50 (including junior members).  Vikings 2 drew with Uni in January, Team 1 beat City in February, and Vikings 2 picked up 2 good wins in March, including a victory over local rivals Lions 4.  By now the teams were playing really good korfball and gelling well together.  Different combinations and divisions were tried, and people were starting to get to know how each other play.  Vikings 1 won their last two games of the season, finishing fifth in the league – an impressive feat for such a new team.

 Around this time, our home venue saw a new scoreboard erected, donated to the school by Vikings, and Rob was named as first team captain.  We also saw our U13 team play matches against Norwich City before going to Norwich to take part in a tournament.  This was followed by the BKA U13 championships, where our juniors played well at the highest level, and where Jamie Smith won the MVP.

 Vikings 1 finished 5th in division two, with 9 points, while team 2 finished 5th in the development league, with 7 points.  Vikings’ top scorers for the season were Mo and Rob, who each scored 17 goals.

 The future now looks exciting for Vikings.  The summer will see fundraising events, summer tournaments and the end of season awards dinner.  We will then have a break for the month of August, before returning to training for the new season.  Let’s hope we can build on the great start we have made so far!

Korfball And Me

 

 

About Me:

I currently play korfball for Littleport Lions Team 2 in the CKA league, and have been playing korfball for three years.  I have lived in Cambridgeshire for five years, having moved from Scotland in 2002.

 

How I Got Started in Korfball:

I started playing korfball in summer 2004.  A friend of mine introduced me to the sport with Littleport Lions Korfball Club, who are based in the village where I work and currently live.  I began playing in the 4^th team, with several other new players.  The team gelled quickly and we were soon winning matches, including beating the Lions’ 3^rd team in our first season.

 

Main Achievements in Korfball:

I have played for Lions in the CKA league for three seasons, winning the 3^rd division title in 2006 with Lions 3, and was captain of the 4^th team for most of that season.  With Lions, I have also travelled across the country and to Europe to play tournaments, friendlies and BKA cup matches, including the Oxford outdoor tournament in 2006 which we won.  My biggest achievement in Korfball was playing for Scotland at the 2006 Commonwealth and Friends Tournament in London.

 

Coaching:

In 2006 I passed my Level 1 coaching exam and am currently a coaching assistant with Vikings Korfball Club, based in Ely.  I specialise in coaching beginners proper technique and basic playing style.  I have also passed the referee theory exam, am a qualified first aider, and am CRB checked.

 

Other Sports and Activities:

As well as Korfball, I enjoy playing football and badminton, and also watch many sports, both live and on TV.  In football, I sometimes train with Littleport Rovers, and am a keen fan of Kilmarnock football club, my home team.  I play badminton on a regular basis with workmates, and occasionally at Littleport Badminton Club.  On TV I like to watch a range of sports, including horse racing, football, rugby and baseball.  Other activities I enjoy include playing guitar, and I have taught people how to play guitar.