Ian CULLY, who died on 25 January, was a longstanding and valued member of the SAC - together of course with his wife Pat who was very active on the membership front. Ian was a keen member of the cricket team, causing bewilderment amongst opposing batsmen with his Burmese brand of spin bowling. Still under the sports heading, he was once a cunning squash player and became a keen golfer when Villarceaux became the main venue for new and existing SAC golfers. More importantly no doubt, Ian was a major figure on the SAC Management team, serving for many years as Club Treasurer at a time when the Club was fortunate enough to have many more members than at present. See the main article for details about the funeral arrangements (12 February).
The Tennis Section held its annual meeting last Saturday to review the past year and elect a new Tennis Committee.
For the 2025 season, the new Tennis Committee is: Matthew Curtin (chairman), Victoria Migliore (tournaments), Christine Butterworth, Philippe Ayme-Jouve (master of ceremonies, tennis courts), Michael Golub, Aymerick Chastenet, with observers Georgina Marrison (Friday night social tennis) and Sarah Whitley (liaison with Children’s Section, holiday camps).
Please see the main article for a fuller report.
The SAC Cricket Section Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Sunday 2 February at 2 pm. It will be held both at the club and online.
Our cricketers are once again heading south to the Desert Springs resort in Andalucia from 15-18 Feb for a T20 competition against Granada, the University of Bristol and another.
The Cricket AGM is planned for Sunday 2 February 2024 at 2 pm at the club and also remotely.
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.)
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.
To register for the Group Classes for adults and children, please go to the page in the main article and scan the appropriate QR code.
Your new Tennis Committee (see photo in the main article) is making early progress preparing for an absolutely smashing season ahead.
Full details will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead, but prepare yourselves for our annual clay-court opening social tournament, the annual club knock-out tournament, and news on Team and other competitive and social tennis.
We will soon be sending round our second SAC Tennis Survey to canvas members' views on tennis at the club. So stay tuned.
Shake off the winter blues and get ready for spring with some tennis coaching!
On behalf of Team Ambition, which provides tennis lessons at SAC, we would like to announce a special offer of tennis lessons for adults during the upcoming February school holidays.
Gregory and Heissen propose two evenings of coaching a week for groups of up to five at a rate of 75 euros a group.
As for when, we are talking about the weeks of 17 Feb and 24 Feb; Tennis Ambition suggest either Monday and Tuesday or Wednesday and Thursday, with 90-minute sessions starting at either 18:00 or 19:30.
Please sign up with Tennis Ambition here: (phone: 0624208027)
Tennis Ambition and the SAC present "Campus Ambition", more than just a leisure centre.
Fun and sports activities in English for children from 3 years old on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
See the poster in the main article as well as the QR code for information and registration.
Please click on the links below to see the Burns Night videos.
Video 1: Dougie Anderson and the Haggis
Video 2: The piper
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!
4 facts about the Squash Section to shine in society (and at the bar).
1. An epic end to the 2024/2025.
2. “The opera ain't over till the [...] lady sings” Whilst it may be the end of the season, the SAC will still have some friendly matches to play on Tuesdays.
3. “We need you for the SAC Squash Army!” Someone to take a team picture.
4. “A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse” The SAC section will continue the conversations on the states of the squash courts with the MC.
Full details in the main article.
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
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!
