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The Thurston Table Tennis Club started life back in the late 1960's, formed by a group of enthusiastic table tennis players all residents in the expanding village of Thurston. Their home venue was the then relatively newly built Thurston Primary School. With the school hall offering just enough space to hold two full size tables and allow players to drop back for the strong defensive game so prevalent at the time. The club proved to be popular within the growing village of Thurston and it became apparent that more space was needed for the expanding membership to have reasonable table time.
Having entered one team into the growing Bury St Edmunds and District Table Tennis league these new and enthusiastic members soon formed another team to play in the second division, offering new players the chance to enjoy match play and hone their skills. By 1974 breaking point had been reached and the decision was taken to move the club to the brand new Thurston High School that had just completed construction. This larger venue meant that up to four tables could be used simultaneously providing much greater table time for club members. and offering much needed additional resources for the increasing club membership. Financing the purchase of new tables, nets and equipment set challenges for the club officials but strong resolve and good leadership overcame these problems and the club continued to thrive. The decision was taken at around this time to relax slightly the criteria for club membership and was then opened to players in the local area and not just limited to Thurston residents.
Playing on school premises however created its own problems, with the caretaker inevitably flashing the hall lights on and off on the dot of 10pm to remind our players that time was up and that he wanted to go home! Not unreasonable it was a long day for him but to the teams fighting to win that final game of doubles in the match it was frustrating. Many matches saw the doubles conceded due to time constraints and, with the league working on a simple two points for a win, one for a draw and nothing for losing, it was impacting on final league positions. It was therefore understandable that when the New Green Community Centre was being built that we were one of the first clubs in Thurston to put our names down for one of the midweek nights. We moved to New Green in 1991.
Our club has been based at the New Green Community Centre since that time and these premises provide sufficient playing space for five tables on club nights amd offers a more relaxed approach towards finishing times, so matches are now fought to the death and the points are won accordingly. The league also changed the points system to make the final score more accountable so these days every game won counts as a point - win 10-0 and you hit the jackpot with 10 points.
The club would not have survived and prospered without the leadership of certain individuals. Perhaps the most noteworthy is Peter Duncombe, a long term resident of Thurston, who helped form the club way back in the late 60's. He was chairman of the club for many years and even into his seventies was still playing competitively for the club in the second division. His drive and enthusiasm were infectious and his commitment to the club and the sport of Table Tennis itself were without parallel. Peter retired from the game due to ill health and sadly passed away.
Today the club is run by a dedicated team of long standing members, who ensure that the facilities offered are up to the highest standard. The club encourages new members and helps to coach youngsters interested in the sport. Each year they ensure that the club has a strong presence in the local Bury St Edmunds table tennis league with teams playing in all divisions of the league and have an enviable reputation founded on competitiveness and sportsmanship. (By Andy Janes)