Embedded Files
Picture showing the players at the Women’s Nationals 2025, who were joined by the first and 11 time winner, Paula Smith
President’s Message:
We are now well into the fives season and I hope you have been enjoying some great Fives and the companionship within the Fives community. I have recently been on the Jesters Tour to Edinburgh. It was the largest we have had, 65 tourists, and the social scene seemed as vibrant as ever. On the tournament circuit, there have been some fiercely fought matches and records have been broken. Winchester College has opened six new courts (4 Winchester and 2 Rugby).
You might think that fives is in good health and in a sense it is. A small band of enthusiasts continues to play and enjoy the game. However, we suffer attrition and yearly there are more courts lost than gained. One can understand it. When an enthusiastic Master retires, or leaves, the game is not sufficiently appreciated by every Head and Head of Sport to ensure that it continues. There are constant competing calls for space and facilities - "where can we put a climbing wall?" for instance. Fives tends not to be at the front of people's minds when writing the School Prospectus and outside of a few schools is virtually unheard of. Somehow the game needs to be perceived as having some cachet or to be "up and coming".
I played SquashFives for the first time, up at Strathallan, on the Jesters Tour (photo below). At first, I thought "people are not going to pay good money to play this". However, as I continued, I realised that, although different, it was an exciting game. The pupils and masters at Strathallan certainly had plenty of enthusiasm. I know Alex Smith is having a similar experience with the pupils at Stamford. There are over 40 Squash courts for every Fives court in the UK and many of them are under-utilised. Having a growing SquashFives community may provide a way of increasing interest in all forms of Fives. If you would like to try SquashFives, or to get involved in other ways, do let me know.
Enjoy your fives.
Andy Passey
Gift Aid
As a Charity, the RFA is entitled to receive Gift Aid which gives us an extra 25p on every pound that those of you who are tax payers give us in annual subscriptions. This brings us approximately £3000 per year in additional funds, equivalent to 60 extra full membership subscriptions. It doesn’t cost you a penny because we recover it from HMRC. So, thank you to all of you who are already signed up. If any of you haven’t signed up yet, please do so! Here’s the link… https://therfa.uk/membership/
Change in Assistant to Gen Sec
Following approval by the Board, in September 2023 Laura Macaulay became the Assistant to the General Secretary helping with the day to day running of the RFA. Laura stepped down from this post at the end of January and takes with her my sincere thanks for all her work over the last 16 months. Her replacement is Kirsten Bell, who will be known to many of you as the reigning Women’s U25 Champion. Kirsten is currently studying in London. Her email is kirsten.bell@rugbyfives.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH1UG_QpEnI
The British Universities Championships 2025, held at Cambridge University οn 1st-2nd February
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaVbAS0c0oM
The Women's National Championships 2025, held at Oundle School οn 25-6th January
Young Players
The RFA exists to keep Rugby and Winchester Fives alive for younger players learning and developing their game. We are always looking for fresh ideas to improve what we have to offer and members with the time and energy to put these ideas into practice. ”Every Little Helps” as Tesco keeps reminding us! If you are a younger player interested in getting involved, learning how to run a tournament or taking on a project, please let the General Secretary know.
Roehampton Courts
Many of our longer standing members will remember playing at the Bank of England courts attached at the back of their former Records Office oat their sports ground in Roehampton. Although the majority of the property is now leased to the LTA and All England Club, the office building and the Fives courts are still managed by the Bank, through an agent. Over the last few months, the RFA has investigated the possibility of reopening the courts. The current situation is that the Bank is looking to renovate or possibly sell off the offices, and all leases are restricted to 2 years only. Clearly, with such uncertainty, any investment in the courts is not worthwhile, but the managing agent has agreed to let the RFA know if the situation changes.
Y-Club
Many of you will be aware of the recent flooding in Manchester which resulted in the courts at the Y Club being filled with canal water to the depth of the back walls. The photos below tell the story. The courts took 2 days to pump out, and as expected there is residual damage with the paint peeling off. It may be several months before the courts are back in action.
Tony Hamilton 1950-2025
Many of you will now be aware of the recent sudden death of Tony Hamilton, a notable schoolboy player at Whitgift and a stalwart of adult Fives for over 50 years. Only a few months back he wrote to the General Secretary on another matter and included the following in his email:
“I just wanted to express my gratitude at being part of such a great community of people, for whom Fives seems not just to be a tremendous sport but to build and sustain something important.” I am sure many of us would echo those sentiments
Tony’s friends and playing partners, Peter Ross and Antony Owers, have provided the following reflections:
Always in his element and at his absolute best on a Fives court, Tony was not only one of the best players of his generation but the most loyal and steadfast of friends. With a wicked, hilarious sense of humour and fun, supported by a genuinely inquisitive and highly intelligent, intellectual cast of mind, no visit, walk, pint or game passed without some insightful observation or rib tickling moment.
As a doubles partner, he was a dream, being completely ambidextrous (at cricket he would bowl left and bat right), strong, very fast off the mark, with a keen eye and ability to execute a winner, willing to play anywhere in support of his frequently less fit, less naturally talented mate, who simply had to keep out of his way. Many revered legends of our beloved game, including Wayne Enstone, Dave Hebden and Ian Fuller have commented that had Tony been able to play more regularly during his busy career and family years, he would undoubtedly have collected many more trophies.
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