SaD Paintball Club
Year to date...
Well here we are well into September, with only two events left on our calendar, so how have we done as a club.
We set out a plan at the end of last season on where we want to be as a club at the end of the year, and our plans for the following two years.
So how have things gone for us.
The 2014 season closed on a high for the Club with our two regular teams Sad UK and SaD Too both making the finals at round 5 of the CPPS in Div 4, finishing off in 3rd and 4th place.
Over the closed season we lost a few players for various reasons, and decided to form into a club.
One of our plans was to create two new teams for the 2015 season.
One a team to encourage, support and develop new players aged 13 to 19 into the sport, and to use the experience of our seasoned players to help their development and introduction into the sport. Thus it was that SaD Academy came into being. These youngsters starting training at the outset of the year in early February, with support from Mark Dale aka Twizz. The goal for these youngsters was to have fun, to develop as players, to enable them to secure a place on a team competing at a higher level.
The other team was to be made up of our older returning players who could not commit to a full season, and regular practice, but would provide a platform for our developing players to progress into. Sad Old Boys or SoBs.
These two teams would join SaD UK and SaD Too in competing in the 2015 season.
The goals for these teams was simple, for SaD Too to provide a competitive opportunity at a higher level than SoBs to help progress and develop our players further, to supply talent into SaD UK.
For SaD UK to achieve a podium finish within Division 3, having already achieved podiums at Div 5 and Div 4 over the previous seasons.
So how did we do?
Throughout the season we saw some rapid progression of our new youngsters in SaD Academy playing in the lowest tier of the CPPS, the Break In division.
The youngsters gelled really quickly and with the support of an experienced coach they finished the season with two podium places a 2nd at the first event and a 3rd at round 3 eventually finishing top of the division.
During the season our inclusive policy and Academy strategy evolved to the point where we created an over 19s Academy team, aptly named SaD Academy Too. They would compete alongside the youngsters in the lower tier of CPPS.
Officially launched at CPPS round 2, with an experienced on field player coach the team steadily improved round on round, just missing out on the podium at round 5, finishing the event in a four way tie for 1st losing out on body count.
In Division 5, the SoBs were captained throughout the season by SaD veteran Matt Johnstone, a shaky start and a season ridden with penalties, have masked what has been a solid season, the output has been the development of two younger players, who are now ready to step up a level next season.
After the second round of the CPPS we took stock on the entire club and made adjustments, specifically to the Academy team, where three players were taken out to make way for more incoming youngsters, they were joined by an experienced player recruited after round two, and at their request a new SaD franchise was established, SaD XS. Given the potential of these younger players it was decided that they would enter the CPPS league at round 3 in Division 4, and would compete for honours alongside the established team of SaD Too. At their debut event they finished in 16/18, however solid training sessions and an instant rapport across the squad saw them steadily improve, taking 9th and 6th places over the following rounds.
SaD Too, have had a roller coaster season, always changing personnel, not having a consistent line for two events, losing players Rob Jenkins to captain SaD XS, and others promoted up into SaD UK. Despite this the team led by George Dore always played hardball, and won there fair share of points, always having fun on and off the field, they finished the season 13/20, with their best finish a credible 6th.
By the time round 5 had arrived we were at a point in the club where we had enough interest to field a 7th team, however we did not have the spaces, so a temporary team was created for players making the transition from woodland to SupAir, and it was at CPPS round 5 when the "Wannabees" took to the field in Breakin.
The guys have enjoyed the experience so much that we have created a formal 5th competitive franchised team SaD Legion who will debut at round 1 CPPS 2016, it is anticipated that they will compete alongside SoBs in Div 5.
So finally SaD UK, led throughout the 2015 season by returning SaD veteran Andy Lovatt-Smith, and joined by a mix of experienced players and our most promising newcomers, a single goal, podium. Earn the right to compete at a higher lever for 2016. Round one in Div 3 was an eye opener, and with an 8 player squad, and inexperienced pit crew and coaching staff, won only one game. Round two was more of the same, changes made for round three meant cutting the squad to 6, and changing out a player, still only one win. Round four saw more changes to the squad, and this time the team managed 2 wins. With work to do the squad made some final changes, round 5, the team took 3rd place, only losing out to London Impact in the prelims, and again in the semis.
I would like to thank all the members of SaD Paintball club for what has been the most rewarding season of paintball that I can remember. I would also like to thank all of the people who have supported me in creating and developing the club.
Jim Frensham of Warped for the idea of creating the club.
Mark Dale, Chris Stone, Chris Edwards, Al Woods and Chris Latham, for the assistance in coaching and training our club members
And also all of the companies that have shown their support to us.
Rob, Gill and Andy at Just Paintball
Ainsley, Steff, Dylan and Matt at OKPB
Adriana at DROM Paintball
Jay and Dimitris at Anthrax
Matt at Fundecals
Charlie at Hexo Media
Nicky T at MacDev
Aaron at Virtue Paintball
And finally I would like to wish two of our "graduating" youngsters the very best of luck for the 2016 season as they prepare for life with their new clubs.
Ethan Mercer - Nottingham Knights
Alex Anstee - Manchester Firm
Blakey
Year to date...
Well here we are well into September, with only two events left on our calendar, so how have we done as a club.
We set out a plan at the end of last season on where we want to be as a club at the end of the year, and our plans for the following two years.
So how have things gone for us.
The 2014 season closed on a high for the Club with our two regular teams Sad UK and SaD Too both making the finals at round 5 of the CPPS in Div 4, finishing off in 3rd and 4th place.
Over the closed season we lost a few players for various reasons, and decided to form into a club.
One of our plans was to create two new teams for the 2015 season.
One a team to encourage, support and develop new players aged 13 to 19 into the sport, and to use the experience of our seasoned players to help their development and introduction into the sport. Thus it was that SaD Academy came into being. These youngsters starting training at the outset of the year in early February, with support from Mark Dale aka Twizz. The goal for these youngsters was to have fun, to develop as players, to enable them to secure a place on a team competing at a higher level.
The other team was to be made up of our older returning players who could not commit to a full season, and regular practice, but would provide a platform for our developing players to progress into. Sad Old Boys or SoBs.
These two teams would join SaD UK and SaD Too in competing in the 2015 season.
The goals for these teams was simple, for SaD Too to provide a competitive opportunity at a higher level than SoBs to help progress and develop our players further, to supply talent into SaD UK.
For SaD UK to achieve a podium finish within Division 3, having already achieved podiums at Div 5 and Div 4 over the previous seasons.
So how did we do?
Throughout the season we saw some rapid progression of our new youngsters in SaD Academy playing in the lowest tier of the CPPS, the Break In division.
The youngsters gelled really quickly and with the support of an experienced coach they finished the season with two podium places a 2nd at the first event and a 3rd at round 3 eventually finishing top of the division.
During the season our inclusive policy and Academy strategy evolved to the point where we created an over 19s Academy team, aptly named SaD Academy Too. They would compete alongside the youngsters in the lower tier of CPPS.
Officially launched at CPPS round 2, with an experienced on field player coach the team steadily improved round on round, just missing out on the podium at round 5, finishing the event in a four way tie for 1st losing out on body count.
In Division 5, the SoBs were captained throughout the season by SaD veteran Matt Johnstone, a shaky start and a season ridden with penalties, have masked what has been a solid season, the output has been the development of two younger players, who are now ready to step up a level next season.
After the second round of the CPPS we took stock on the entire club and made adjustments, specifically to the Academy team, where three players were taken out to make way for more incoming youngsters, they were joined by an experienced player recruited after round two, and at their request a new SaD franchise was established, SaD XS. Given the potential of these younger players it was decided that they would enter the CPPS league at round 3 in Division 4, and would compete for honours alongside the established team of SaD Too. At their debut event they finished in 16/18, however solid training sessions and an instant rapport across the squad saw them steadily improve, taking 9th and 6th places over the following rounds.
SaD Too, have had a roller coaster season, always changing personnel, not having a consistent line for two events, losing players Rob Jenkins to captain SaD XS, and others promoted up into SaD UK. Despite this the team led by George Dore always played hardball, and won there fair share of points, always having fun on and off the field, they finished the season 13/20, with their best finish a credible 6th.
By the time round 5 had arrived we were at a point in the club where we had enough interest to field a 7th team, however we did not have the spaces, so a temporary team was created for players making the transition from woodland to SupAir, and it was at CPPS round 5 when the "Wannabees" took to the field in Breakin.
The guys have enjoyed the experience so much that we have created a formal 5th competitive franchised team SaD Legion who will debut at round 1 CPPS 2016, it is anticipated that they will compete alongside SoBs in Div 5.
So finally SaD UK, led throughout the 2015 season by returning SaD veteran Andy Lovatt-Smith, and joined by a mix of experienced players and our most promising newcomers, a single goal, podium. Earn the right to compete at a higher lever for 2016. Round one in Div 3 was an eye opener, and with an 8 player squad, and inexperienced pit crew and coaching staff, won only one game. Round two was more of the same, changes made for round three meant cutting the squad to 6, and changing out a player, still only one win. Round four saw more changes to the squad, and this time the team managed 2 wins. With work to do the squad made some final changes, round 5, the team took 3rd place, only losing out to London Impact in the prelims, and again in the semis.
I would like to thank all the members of SaD Paintball club for what has been the most rewarding season of paintball that I can remember. I would also like to thank all of the people who have supported me in creating and developing the club.
Jim Frensham of Warped for the idea of creating the club.
Mark Dale, Chris Stone, Chris Edwards, Al Woods and Chris Latham, for the assistance in coaching and training our club members
And also all of the companies that have shown their support to us.
Rob, Gill and Andy at Just Paintball
Ainsley, Steff, Dylan and Matt at OKPB
Adriana at DROM Paintball
Jay and Dimitris at Anthrax
Matt at Fundecals
Charlie at Hexo Media
Nicky T at MacDev
Aaron at Virtue Paintball
And finally I would like to wish two of our "graduating" youngsters the very best of luck for the 2016 season as they prepare for life with their new clubs.
Ethan Mercer - Nottingham Knights
Alex Anstee - Manchester Firm
Blakey
