THE ‘woman of the season’ award must go to Rona Paget.
Happy Snapper Kevin Legg and I covered 41 events this season in the Southampton & District Social Clubs League.
But it was during out first excursion back in September that we ran into the delightful Rona at Exbury Club.
Taking her cue from legendary football manager Brian Clough, Hedge End B’s chief supporter revealed the motivating force behind the snooker team.
“They get a kiss if they win,” said the 68-year-old, who has hardly missed one of her 41-year-old son Mike’s matches in 20 years.
“I don’t know if that puts them off or not.”
For the record, Hedge End B finished fourth from bottom in Division 5.
And to think, at one time women were not even allowed to step foot in a working men’s club.
Mind you, there are still a couple of clubs in the Southampton area that need to hang their heads in shame when the discussion about female snooker players rears its head.
Also in the running for the highly-prestigious award were: Suzie Opacic at Q World D, Ruth Hatch at Totton Cons A and Hazel Upson at Q World B.
And we must not forget Hedge End Club’s bubbly stewardess Julie Langford who prefers to be called “manager”.
Or Premier champions Woolston Cons A tribute to the league’s women – they turned up in drag to play their last match of the season at St Denys Cons.
Then there’s the cribbage players.
Aged eight, Rachel Fletcher had fallen behind with her arithmetic at school - so mum Elaine Williams taught her cribbage.
Rachel is now 18 and about to break into one of Shirley Social’s teams.
And, of course, Holy Family captain Wendy Scott.
“We’re not glory hunters,” she insisted.
Which is just as well because Holy Family, one of the oldest sides in the social clubs league, have never actually won anything.
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