Ravens swoop to Awards night

Two promotions in two season, the Junior Ravens first season in the Junior League, The first season for the reserves and the new league structure for the women’s team resulted in a tough but otherwise memorable season for the Kent ravens in 2007 which concluded on Saturday with the biggest turn out for a end of season Awards night in the club’s history.

The night started of in great form and the crowd showed their appreciation of the Junior Ravens and their skills, as Jack Halstead, Kieran Jones, Thomas Whittaker, Patrick McQuilkin and Charlie Whittaker all stepped up to receive their trophies for most enthusiastic, Under 9s, Under 11s, Under 12s and under 14s player of the seasons respectively presented by Juniors coach Alex Osborne.

As the three course meal was served and compeer Tony Wheeler had a chance to put the mike down for a while the night got underway as players from all teams, sponsors and spectators alike mixed. As the night moved past the chocolate dessert, the awards turned towards the seniors of the club and coach Kenny Bell stepped up to hand out the women’s team awards firstly to young player of the year Lana Bell, who also had London representative level in 2007 and Player of the season, as in 2006 went to Captain Rebecca Balance.

Not the be out done Ed Easter with help from Wheeler handed out the Reserves awards as Ewen Drummond and Richard Williams took joint top points scorers, Top try Scorer went to an absent Simon Rumsey and the player of the season went to popular Nick Thomas in his first season with the Ravens. The First grade captain Dane Smith was on hand to hand out another joint award as top try scorers for the first team went to Ewen Drummond and Paul Hyder, while Alex Hatzidakis took the young player of the season and there was no doubt that player of the season and player that had the biggest impact on the field in 2007 was Paul Hyder.

But it was the Junior Ravens who took centre stage with the awarding of the spectacular Adam Donnelly memorial trophy, Wheeler summed up the award perfectly when describing his time with Adam prior to his passing at the age of 17, Adam was a top player of both codes, always early, always trained and went that little bit further by coaching and helping out and that is what the award is for, labelled as being for the Overall youth player of the season the trophy presented by Adam Father Ged Donnelly went to Under 14 Charlie Whittaker for making it to representative level, commanding the pitch, improving each week, coaching his brothers age group and being the first at training and last to level, at apt way to end the formal proceedings of a wonderful awards night with the disco and raffle (proceeds going to the Junior ravens and women’s development) to go.

The Kent Ravens are now building for 2008 and looking to recruit interested players, sponsors and coaches for all the teams and back-room staff.  If you’re interested in joining the Kent Ravens, please get in contact by email at   alan@..., call 07707 852952 or by going online to www.kentravens.co.uk.  Hopefully we’ll see you at Prince’s Park soon.