It works, I’m telling you!

A new website has been launched that “will change the face of amateur football for good”. Not my words but the words of Talk sport presenter, Rhodri Williams. UK football finder has been launched to bring together football players and football teams. It’s like an online transfer system.

http://www.ukfootballfinder.co.uk

Why do I need to sign up to this brilliant new website? That is a good question and one I asked myself when I was asked to sign up. I am a member of a 7-a-side football team playing in Kent that goes by the name of the Dead Rabbits. Are we any good? At drinking beer and eating the odd curry after football, we are legendary. Are we any good when it comes to the beautiful game? Well there isn’t much beautiful about it. However, we love our Wednesday night run about and it’s more about meeting up with friends and having a good old laugh. Sometimes though, we can be short of a player or two on a Wednesday night.

I was told by a friend to visit this website and sign up the Dead Rabbits. I was told that once we were registered, we would receive emails from fellow football nuts wanting to play for the Dead Rabbits. I was sceptical, why would anyone want to play for the Rabbits? I visited the site and was impressed straight away by it. It’s beautifully designed and extremely simple to use.

Players were signing up at a speedy rate and were all looking to play in different positions, in different areas and at different standards. Could this really work?

I went through the procedure of signing up the Dead Rabbits. I believe my description of our team was “a bunch of lardy boys and a few rapid chaps playing for laughs on a Wednesday night”. I followed all the instructions regarding standard, team colours, area etc. And, that was it. I logged off the computer after taking a swift glance at the forum on there and thought I would probably never return or maybe just to laugh at some of the stuff being posted on the forum.

However, the next day, just after I had arrived at work with an industrial sized strong coffee to get me through the day, and sat at my desk, there was an email waiting for me. Someone seriously wanted to play for the Rabbits. I emailed the guy back and as it turned out, he was from the other side of Kent and could not make it up to my neck of the woods. Oh well, I thought. Maybe, there is something in this. Unbelievably, the emails kept coming. Every week I would receive two or three emails from people wanting to play for us. last week finally saw the debut of a ukfootballfinder.co.uk player playing for the Rabbits. He was a bit better than us, which was to be expected but I think he enjoyed it and he is welcome to come and play for us again. Cheers, Ross!

So if you’re looking to turn your Sunday/Saturday league team into champions, or you’re just looking for a kick about then UKFF is for you!

So it does work. Tell your friends about this site. Tell people with teams to sign up as well. The amateur football revolution is here, those are my words. It does not matter how good or bad you are, there is a team on here that suits you.

Victory for London club Norwood Paragon in Sleepless in the Saddle 2007

The Kona 24hr Sleepless in the Saddle (SITS) MTB race took place last weekend at Catton Park in Derbyshire, attracting over 400 teams and 1400 riders to this popular event which is part of the Kona 24hr Global Series. This tough endurance race saw the competitors racing from 2pm on the Saturday morning through the night until 2pm on the Sunday on a 7mile course which mixed fast open tracks with short testing climbs and singletrack to keep them on their toes.

The Norwood Paragon / Aircom once again fielded a strong team having won the mixed category in 2005 and also the Dusk til Dawn pairs in 2006 together with a string of top ten placings at Mountain Mayhem. Paul Davies, Marcus Brueton, Brent Collyer and Ben Moores raced in the elite category in 2007 and were keen to continue their winning ways. In contrast to most of the other big Enduro events this year, SITS was largely dry with a fast dusty course providing the riders with some exciting racing and no mud to worry about. The Paragon team started strongly despite Moores stopping to pick up his multi-tool on the run for the “Le Mans” start. They finished the first lap in 15th place with the Army, RAF and Kona Torq battling for the overall lead. On the following laps, Brueton and Davies overtook their way up to 3rd place with Collyer and Moores reinforcing their position.

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WEREWOLVES of London . . .

Werewolves of London Special Ice Hockey Club is a special needs ice hockey club - recruiting now! The Werewolves of London Special Ice Hockey Club is keen to recruit more players from 5yrs of age up to and including young adults. Beginners and non-skaters are all welcome!
This non-profit programme was set up in 2002 by a parent, Mike Dwyer, for children and adults who have a developmental disability. ‘Learning to skate and play ice hockey helps develop gross motor skills, social skills, confidence and self-esteem - and is a really cool and fun thing to do! Special hockey is non-contact and non-competitive with an emphasis on having fun.’
The ice hockey season runs from September to end May. There will be about 18 sessions during the season on mostly alternate Saturdays from 4:15pm to 6:00pm. Find out more about the Werewolves session dates and Special Hockey at: http://www.streathamicehockey.com/ and http://www.specialhockeyinternational.org/
Streatham Ice Rink, 386 Streatham High Road, SW16 6HT
Cost: About £7 per session to help cover running costs. There is also an annual English Ice Hockey Association registration fee of £42 (under 16s) or £50 (over 16s). Full ice hockey protective equipment is mandatory but available on loan free of charge thanks to funding from Awards for All.

LONDON KARATE . . .

Keinosuke Enoeda ~ Tiger of Shotokan Karate
The late Master Keinosuke Enoeda visited our clubs in Chingford and Wanstead many times. The aura and the atmosphere that he created were quite unique, something that I have never seen in any other instructor.
Master Enoeda had such an effect upon me that I created and dedicated a book to him, his life and his teaching. The book was my own personal tribute, a way of me giving something back to the Master that had given us so much.
I did not anticipate the effect that this small book would have throughout the world. I was invited to travel to many countries to perform book signings and have subsequently travelled throughout Europe and the USA as a result of Sensei Enoeda and the book.
Interest was and still is high, and in the USA I was even invited to give a lecture - in front Master Okazaki and some of the most highly qualified karate instructors in the world.
We still remember those visits from the Master, always followed by a few beers and a curry. They were great times and we use those visits as an inspiration to us now in our clubs throughout London and the South East.
We follow the teachings and the dojo code that Sensei Enoeda laid down, and we try to train with the spirit and the determination that he instilled in us to such great effect.
There is a small film of a Sensei Enoeda class in action at his own dojo in Marshall St, London. Have a look and you can feel just a little of the atmosphere that he generated. [
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skjfxenH_gM ]

Rod Butler
www.shotokan-karate-england.co.uk

SPORT LOCAL launches in the South East

SPORT LOCAL is a new On-Line magazine supporting 'local' sports clubs and suppliers throughout the South East. If you belong to a sports organisation, tell us about it by adding your club today. You can promote your club by adding a feature to your sector and each month we will be supporting a club, in each sector, with an unique in-sight.

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