We are pleased to open registrations for a new Holiday Camp option, joining Tennis Ambition's offer of quality tennis lessons and multisport activities in French, alongside Discovery Club's English immersion activities for children of all language levels, including native English speakers. The Holiday Camp will run during both weeks of the upcoming February school holidays (17-21 and 24-28), and is open to children ages 3 to 14, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, with an option to stay until 5:30 pm.
The base price for a full 5-day week of 7 hours per day is €350, tax included. (€50 per half-day)
We invite you to contact Genevieve, the camp director, by email at with any questions, or you may register directly using this Link.
Non-members of the Standard Athletic Club are invited to participate in this holiday camp as well, so please feel free to spread the word to other parents you know who might be interested.
(See posters and QRCodes in the main article.)
The Tennis Committee will hold an EGM at the Club at 3 pm on Saturday 25 January.
It is our pleasure to wish all Members and their families the very best for 2025.
The changing over of the calendar also gives us an opportunity to look back on 2024 and forward to what we would like to achieve for our “Shared Second Home” in 2025.
2024 was a year of continued steady progress, coupled with planning for further major improvements in 2025:
- Continuity. We continued on the path of steady physical and financial improvement that we have followed since 2020. While the accounts are not yet in, we do have a good overall view on 2024
- Our brand new basketball court, fencing and net (Click for a photo of the net; or of the court in use).
- Preparation for final stages of repair of the Club’s historic pavillon (built by the British Army in 1946 to replace the old Clubhouse, destroyed by the retreating occupying army). We have relocated the container which had been damaging the Clubhouse and had prevented us from repairing and painting the final 10% of the siding. (Click for photo). This will now be repaired in spring 2025.
- We expect to be profitable once again: i.e., the Club is generating the funds necessary to funds our day-to-day activities, and the average long-term replacement of our infrastructure
- An increasingly healthy overall “balance sheet” situation, with debt payments declining
- Concretely, we can see this in continued investments
- A re-launch of our social media presence (particularly Instagram)
- Planning for 2025
- Members approved the pool project and financing in June 2024: there has been much work behind the scenes to complete the project financing, obtain the necessary authorisations, and begin the work. (Click for photo)
- Plans for increased activity at the Club (as voted for at the AGM), with initial steps around children’s activities.
- Padel: the Padel sub-committee is hard at work and will lead to recommendations for discussions at our 2025 AGM.
What, therefore, do we hope to achieve in 2025? 3 items are on top of the MC agenda.
- Pool, pool, pool and pool. We are looking forward to re-opening our pool for this year’s season. This is a €400K investment which will provide joy to Members for decades to come.
- Activities.
- You may already have noticed additional “family friendly” activities. Sarah has brought new leadership and energy to this vital work, with more planned for this year.
- Bar and Restaurant: More activity as we improve food offerings.
- Cleaning: A new approach, with an external provider who is giving us much-imporved service service. This has also freed up the apartment previously occupied by our on-site cleaner, with potential to convert this space for wider use.
- Front desk: Increased staffing levels over the spring and summer months.
- New international Members. The new pool will provide a great excuse for a party and a chance for us all to show off our “Shared Second Home”. With a new pool, 5 new tennis courts, and a new basketball court, we will again have facilities to be proud of.
The SAC's Burns Night 2025 celebration is at 8 pm on Saturday 25 January. Open to members and non-members.
Please book on the HelloAsso website as soon as possible.
Message (messageparis.org), France's largest English-speaking parent organization is pleased to offer SAC members free entry to their next Message Talk: Is your Child Writing at Grade Level in English?
This informative webinar will be led by Rebecca Gulka, a multi-certified teacher and literacy specialist. Rebeca has taught iGCSE, the Canadian curriculum, Education Nationale curriculum and prepares students for IB, A Level, and OIB /BFI examinations. Basically, she teaches children of all ages the joy of writing and how to do it effectively.
When: 9 Jan 2025; Time: 8:30-9:30 PM; Discount code: SACmember
What a great year 2024 has been for the Squash Section.
We have been very happy to compete in Division 2 Ile-de-France and have done quite well so far. We also have had the chance to recruit new players and are actively scouting for more players to join our roster and the overall SAC environment. We also have organised a Christmas Internal tournament. Played in a round-robin format it gave a chance for those who participated to get a taste for competitive matches. We aim to produce at least 2 internal tournaments a year (winter & summer) along with the return of the Queen's Cup in 2024 which shall now be the King's Cup from 2025 onwards. It is a possibility that in 2025 we might see a return of a squash team 2, which would bring even more games played at the SAC. There are some ongoing discussions about the squash courts and their maintenance. Finally, the Squash Section has discussed taking some space in the silverware cabinet by the snooker table to exhibit the accomplishments and trophies of the Section through the years. We wish all the members a Merry Christmas and a great 2025 year at the SAC. Cheers!
Janine's next fabulous Brunch will be on Sunday 26 January from 11 AM to 3 PM.
Book as soon as possible via this HelloAsso link for details of early-bird and non-member prices.
On the menu: Vegetable quiche, Quiche Lorraine, Sausages
Sides: Scrambled Eggs, American Pancakes, Roast Vegetables & Potatoes, Simple Green Salad, Toast
Drinks: Juice and Tea
Another week, another victory for the SAC Squash Team #1. That has meant that the SAC is now in 2nd position in the league thus far this year, with a 3/4 victory. All victories happened while playing at home, and we hope to make this a lasting performance making the SAC a fortress that can't be taken!
We are also keen to invite all SAC members to participate in our internal squash tournament, which will take place on Saturday the 7th of December—3 games minimum guaranteed per player (adults only). The format will be announced after the closing of registrations on 1 December. (See poster in main article.)
Contact Steven Jones
() to register for the tournament and more information about squash. Cheers!
The SAC Cricket Section produces a financial report each year, detailing all direct Section revenues and costs. Please see the main article for details.
Despite the terrible weather leading up to this weekend, the course was in good condition and the rain just about held off on the day.
The Autumn Vase is for Best Net Score and this year was won by Gil Anceaux from Villarceaux with 38 points.
Notable SAC member performances:
• For the Ladies Sue Hall was a triple winner with best Gross, longest drive on the 4th, and closest to the pin on the 9th.
• Muriel Jones won best Ladies' Net on 35 pts. Tied with Sue, but with a better back 9.
• Emile Freiha was second in the Men’s 2nd Series Net with 35 points, while David Colson was 3rd on 34
• Ian Jones was 2nd in the Men’s 3rd Series Net.
See the full scores on the FFG website:
https://pages.ffgolf.org/resultats/resultats-details/e72c369c55c27a3a89c56cf861f3b0ac/2401278846
See the main article for the Start times for the Autumn Vase at Villarceaux on Saturday 12 October.
The last two home games of the season were played last weekend against a UK touring side, Graces CC, the UK's largest LGBTQ club.
Andrew Jackson captained both games, seeing a 1-run win with 1 over to spare in Saturday's match. Sunday's game was a 40-over two innings of 20 overs per side game, which SAC won comfortably by around 65 runs. Good standard of cricket played, better than the weather, for sure!
Parents are launching a Checkers (Draughts) Club for kids from 6 years old who want to play or learn. It will start at 3 pm on Sunday 29. For those who want to join and have checkers/draughts games at home, bring them!
The Académie des Petits Musiciens (https://academiedespetitsmusiciens.com) will be coming to the Club on Sunday 17 Nov at 11 am to hold another musical workshop, which is already fully subscribed.
One exciting announcement for 2025 is that l’Académie des Petits Musiciens (https://academiedespetitsmusiciens.com) will be coming to the club regularly: two Sundays a month for a 1.5hr workshop for 3-7 year-olds (as they have previously) during the school year. It will be tied with the English Breakfast and Sunday Brunch so if there is a breakfast or brunch, there will be a music class (but not during the school holidays).
The arrangement is that if a child is signed up for the breakfast or brunch (costing €9 in advance) together with a parent (costing €18 in advance) they have free access to the 1.5 hr class. If you don’t want to sign up for the breakfast/brunch, it is €25 per child for the class and payment will be via HelloAsso.
The first class for 2025 will be on Sunday 26 January in the Bridge Room and then on 9 Feb. (We were too slow to arrange for this Sunday.) Basically, there will be a workshop if there is a brunch or breakfast during the school calendar.
The Académie des Petits Musiciens (https://academiedespetitsmusiciens.com) will be coming to the Club on Sunday 13 Oct at 11 am to give a musical workshop to 1-5 year-olds. It is for members only and free. The session lasts 45 minutes. We can form a group of up to 10 children but, if there is enough demand, we can split the groups into 1-3 years and 3-5 years (11:00-11:45 and 11:50-12:35) which would open it up to 20 children. Please email if you would like to join.
From Sunday 01 to Monday 30 September 2024
Club hours
Monday to Thursday: 8 am to 9 pm; Friday: 8 am to 10 pm
Saturday: 9 am to 10 pm; Sunday: 9 am to 9 pm
Bar hours
(Bar closes 15 minutes before the Club closes)
Monday to Thursday: 11 am to 8:45 pm; Friday: 11 am to 9:45 pm
Saturday: 10 am to 9:45 pm; Sunday: 10 am to 8:45 pm.
Normal classes resumed on January 11, but do check in with her at .
(Normal schedule: Mondays: Step 10:00; Sculpt 11::00. Wednesdays: Zoom Pilates 9:30; SAC 2:30 pm Pilates Mat - Beginner/Intermediate. Saturdays: 9:45 Pilates Mat; 11:00 Pilates Mat Intermediate/Advanced. 12:30 Step.)
The Section's Summer Open Eclectic Competition is open and running from 1 July to 30 August at the Villarceaux Golf Club.
Participants submitted 6 scorecards during this period from which a best composite score was calculated. The winners were:
1st prize – Emile Freiha
2nd prize - Frederic Thiriet
3rd prize – David Colson
