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Make YOUR Club a 'CLUB OF THE MONTH' |
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 Once
upon a time, when I still had knees (I know, most of you were hardly
born), I used to play all the tournaments available everywhere in France.
Let me tell you that I never won any (well, actually only one, to my
surprise…), but the prize money for the quarters was enough to pay for the
train and the food (and most of the clubs would provide us with sleeping
arrangements).
That way, I used to travel all around France, and was discovering a
country I didn’t know that well, having spent my youth in Africa.
One of the first tournaments I played was Avon’s, and I just adored the
club.
Ros, Len and Rachel Mor were just amazing of kindness and warmth. I never
forgot them.
When I did my article on Joe Shaw, the tall Australian thought that Avon
could help me to set up the French Site… Which was a very good idea
indeed.
So naturally, here is the English version….
Bienvenue à Fontainebleau…
Framboise
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In the Beginning ...
In the beginning was the rear vision mirror, invented by a Monsieur
Concordan in the porter’s lodge at the bottom of his garden. Many years
later, Len Mor, a computer engineer and his language teacher wife, Ros,
with a baby on the way, left Australia to see the world. They took with
them a suitcase, a guitar and a wooden, gut strung Slazenger squash
racket.
AVON SQUASH IS BORN
In 1980, they decided to give up travelling, put their two daughters,
Rachel and Rebecca, into the International school in Fontainebleau and
convert a ruin into a squash club nearby. Which is how M. Concordan’s
workshop became Avon Squash, opened at the end of June, 1981, when hardly
anyone in France had heard of the game and certainly couldn’t pronounce
the name of it.
Hiddy’s brother, Shah Khan inaugurated the courts. We were a privileged
few to applaud Dean Williams, Ricky Hill, Gamal Awad and Qamar Zaman in
the Cirque d’Hiver. Today I have the privilege of applauding Thierry
Lincou and the French team in Rennes with my 3 year old granddaughter on
my lap. She claps too.
MOVING ON UP
And then things began to move as Bernard Rougé convinced Guy Laroche to
sponsor the Internationaux de France. Drakkar Noir. After the 1984
edition, an Australian coach, Joe Shaw, was looking for a club where he
could prepare his budding genius, Rodney Eyles, for the ensuing British
Open and I of course suggested they come to Avon Squash. Our elder
daughter, Rachel, at 14, was turning into a good little player with her
father’s coaching, but this experience was probably decisive. Decisive was
certainly the beating she took from Liz Irving’s mum. Jenny came to stay
too.
The 120 stroke rally
was consecrated in France. Kelvin Smith worked at it with Rodney. But most
important for Rachel’s squash was the organisation of the European Summer
Circuit in July 1986 by the European Federation. For ten days we hosted 55
young people from 11 different countries. Some of them like Fiona Geaves,
Julien Bonétat, or Graeme Stewart have become top players. We needed 90
baguettes a day and I imposed a fine of one franc each time I heard the F
word. I think Julien was up to 9 francs before he realised what a slip of
the tongue was costing him.
PLAYING FOR FRANCE
In the meantime, Rachel continued to train in the summer with the
Frankland brothers. Neil, at 14, already had a powerful forehand, clever
deception shots and a prodigious appetite, especially for crepes. The
upshot was that she was selected to play in Amsterdam for the French
Junior Team. She left her Aussie passport at home.
Then came the recession and with it the problem of keeping our heads above
water. It wasn’t until David Norman arrived in 1990 to learn what he could
about club management that our men’s team made it into 1st Division. He
and Ross provided us with an unforgettable demonstration. After a 9/0 9/0
9/0 I suggested to Ross that he could have given his brother a point.
“Why?” he said,” You have to earn points.” Lovely, was swapping stories
with his parents over dinner.
THE GENERATION GAME
1998 was a special year. Rachel’s son, Matthew was born , Rebecca, the
gymnast, after doing a stint at Frank Donnelly’s old club, Squash des
Halles in Strasbourg, came back from the University of Warwick to take
over the club while producing and directing her theatre in Paris, and with
Fabrice Moullan, the Réunion island connection was established.
With their help we managed to organise our 9th Open, with the
participation of those who had virtually started out at Avon Squash, the
Khan boys, Sohail and Sameer and Sébastien Lecat. That’s the second
generation, and the third is on its way. By the end of this year, we’ll
also have a little Moullan-Mor who could end up hitting the ball with a
little Lincou .
TIME TO ENJOY THE GAME
For Len and for me, the competition years are over. People here, at least,
play squash because they enjoy the game, relax with others of a like mind
in a friendly and stress free environment, have their needs catered to,
and simply compensate with a clear conscience for the daily hassle of
living. Once every two months we organise a club tournament where the
accent is on having fun (and hanging on for my freshly-baked afternoon tea
cookies). I consider I’ve done my job.
Not including the schools, over 5,000 people have had the opportunity of
enjoying squash in our club. The 4 courts are fully booked evenings and
most of the weekend. The computer engineer continues to play twice a week
and usually wins the Sunday morning doubles. The language teacher wife
continues to keep an eye on the saucepans. Instead of manufacturing rear
vision mirrors, we try to dispense well-being.
Rebecca on reception
with
Rachel's daughter Nina |
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Avon-Fontainebleau
Situated five minutes walk from
AVON-FONTAINEBLEAU station,
50 metres from the 'parc du château'. and 300 metres from the
forest.
A calm and relaxing setting.
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Anne Gerolemous, the first member,
with Rachel and Len on the right.
Photos from
Fabrice Moullan
www.avonsquash.com
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Make YOUR Club a 'CLUB OF THE MONTH' |
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