 Who are you?
Simon Pavey What's your committee role? Kit Secretary. Where are you from? Addlestone. How long have you been playing? Since 2000! What are your korfball highlights? Getting an England trial and playing for my county. Fun fact? I like to get plastered at work (plastering).
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 A hundred-and-three years ago - 1920 - war raged in eastern Europe, a pandemic had killed millions and a small island in north-west Europe demanded independence. A turbulent time. But also a time of increasing liberty and social improvement with women recently being able to vote in elections in many countries. Into this maelstrom came hope. Hope in the form of sport: the sixth modern summer Olympics. Peace, hope, sport ... and tug-of-warAntwerp, Belgium’s largest city, had avoided the devastation of the First World War so it was the ideal location for the first post-war Olympics: a Games that exemplified peace with the release of doves at the opening ceremony and the first flying of the iconic, white, multi-ringed flag.
Alongside, this frankly weird inclusion came - as a demonstration sport - the magnificent sport of korfball. A controversially inclusive sport
And at the time, men and women playing together on the same team was seen as…not progressive, but controversial or even offensive. Korfball players had been subject to accusations of immorality. Female players showing bare ankles and knees were more than frowned upon, and their for-the-time risqué outfits drew sharp words. Yet due to the war, fit young male athletes were in short supply and that loosened the strictures that bound society’s values and morals. That meant it was time for progress, but it was an uphill struggle! Getting korfball on the Olympic bill
This did the trick. That wasn’t the end of the shenanigans and wrangling, but basically it was now game on for the korf! One summer Sunday afternoon in AntwerpAt 1pm on Sunday 22 August 1920 with the first Olympic korfball game due to start at 2pm, the players set off from their boarding house for the stadium a few kilometres south of the city centre. Unfortunately, their drivers got confused and headed north towards a fairground that had the copyright-infringing name 'the Olympic Games'. In the end, the korfballers arrived at the Olympic Stadium with just 10 minutes to spare before the game start time!
It finished 2-0 for South Holland which seems like a spectacularly low-scoring game - perhaps everyone was distracted by the marathon.
International korfball since then
Korfball has been a part of every World Games since the 1985 London Games, which included squash, rugby and, inevitably, tug-of-war
 Who are you?
Alastair Coulton What's your committee role? Fixtures Secretary. Where are you from? Horsham. How long have you been playing? 4 years. What are your korfball highlights? Eating the most dessert during korfcrawl. Fun fact? I've competed in the Peter Pan Race.  Who are you?
John Goodhall What's your committee role? Secretary. Where are you from? Originally Kent. How long have you been playing? 34 years! But with gaps here and there. What are your korfball highlights? Scoring 10 goals in one game for Supernova. Fun fact? I'm a retired lawyer and enjoy playing lawn bowls, walking football, swimming, cooking and gardening.  Who are you?
Alec Ovens What's your committee role? Chair and Social Secretary Where are you from? Originally Staffordshire. How long have you been playing korfball? Since 2015. What are your korfball highlights? Top goal scorer in the Staffs and Cheshire League 2016/17. Fun fact? I referee in semi-pro football leagues.  Who are you?
Rowena Perrin What's your committee role? Co-treasurer Where are you from? Cambridgeshire How long have you been playing/coaching? A year in 2015-16 and then started playing with Guildford Thunder in 2020. What are your korfball highlights? Winning BUCS gold as part of a Uni of Southampton team. Fun fact? These days I deal with numbers, but my degree was in French and German.  Who are you?
Beth Campbell. What's your committee role? Fixtures Secretary Where are you from? Kent. How long have you been playing? 4 years. What are your korfball highlights? That time I scored more than one goal in a match! Fun fact? I'm a doctor. But not a useful one!  Who are you?
Naomi Crump What's your committee role? Welfare Officer. Where are you from? The Isle of Wight. How long have you been playing? Since 2006. What are your korfball highlights? Getting a University Colour for playing korfball. Fun fact? I like to bake.  Guildford's new third korfball team had an impressive start to its league season.
Lightning faced an early trip to Southampton Oasis for a double-headed Sunday fixture against Hampshire opposition. A 14 - 8 victory against mid-table Southampton Spartans 3 set a stormy day alight, with goals from across the team - new and veteran players alike. Against top-of-the-league Basingstoke Bulls 2, the team scored 10 goals, but ultimately lost out to 18 opposing goals (see all results). These two games of the team's introductory half-season put Lightning on 4 points, bouncing them to ninth in the league above both Southampton Uni teams and Basingstoke's third team, which is yet to play. To cap off a fine day, batteries were recharged with a fine roast at the Walnut Tree Farm carvery because we are both a competitive AND social club. Recent relevant stories:
 Who are you?
Frankie Gale What's your committee role? Recruitment and Social Media Secretary. Where are you from? Born and bred in Guildford! How long have you been playing? 4 years. What are your korfball highlights? Getting MVP girl for Manchester Uni team and meeting amazing people! Fun fact? I'm a Marmite fanatic and I used to sprint for my county. |
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Photo from Tree Leaf Clover