Sussex Spitfires Showdown Club

Last weekend, Spitfires Sam and Ellie took a trip down to Southampton Sight for their first Showdown session!

They demonstrated the rules of the game, how to referee and much more (including how to accidentally throw the ball backwards off the table, which definitely IS NOT something to try at home)!

Thank you to Southampton Sight for being such welcoming hosts to Ellie and Sam, and for all the Showdown players who tried it for the first time (and some for the fourth!) for being so enthusiastic and quick to learn!

We can't wait to play more of you soon! Perhaps a friendly is in our future 👀🏓

Sam and Ellie, along with the whole team, returned from Poland last week after competing in the Memorial of Lukasz B*k Byczkowski 2025 international Showdown competition. A massive well done to everyone on the well deserved placings below:

Men’s
Tom: 30th
Richard: 39th
Sam: 42nd
Simon: 63rd

Women’s
Ellie: 22nd
Claire: 29th

We are so proud of the team! Thank you to sally and Doris for guiding and to the referees, coaches, players and organisers for a fantastic tournament.

Thank you also to The Primary Club and Cash4Clubs, whose support has meant our players can compete on an international stage.

Well done all!

Last weekend, four of our Spitfires attended the BBS National Nines. After 2 intense days of playing, we secured our silver medals.
We couldn't be more proud of the team - James, Sam, Ellie and Dwight - for all of their hard work. We couldn't have done it without volunteers Hollie and Doris, who helped us from beginning to end. Everyone played brilliantly and each match was challenging but rewarding!
Thank you to all the other teams, the referees for their tireless work, to and for their organisation. An additional thank you to the Primary Club for funding the event!
Onto the next one
🏓

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Congratulations! We are so glad to hear this! Bring it on!

Blindfolds On, Game On: Showdown is coming to Southampton Sight in the New Year!

Thanks to funding from Southampton City Council ’s UK Prosperity Fund, we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve secured funding for a Showdown table — and all the gear to go with it!

This fast-paced sport was originally designed for blind and partially sighted players, but here’s the magic: everyone wears a blindfold, making it truly inclusive and exhilarating for all.

We’re buzzing with excitement and already planning Showdown events and opportunities for the New Year.

Watch this space… it’s going to be epic!

Photo description: Two players are standing each end of a Showdown table while three other people watch. The players are wearing blindfolds and holding bats.

Huge congratulations to our amazing Showdown star, Ellie!

Ellie recently represented Team GB at the Under 25s World Cup; what an incredible achievement! She played brilliantly, winning two of her games and finishing 7th among some of the world’s best players.

Ellie, you’re an absolute superstar and we couldn’t be prouder of you!

🔹 Kleding, bril en batje bij showdown wedstrijden 🔹
Wanneer je meedoet aan de competitie is het belangrijk dat je kleding en materiaal aan de officiële eisen voldoen.

Kleding
• Draag een sportshirt (bijvoorbeeld het shirt van je eigen vereniging).
• Shirts hebben korte mouwen (niet langer dan de elleboog).
• Draag een sportbroek.
• Sportschoenen zijn verplicht.

Bril/Masker
• Je masker moet volledig lichtdicht zijn.
• Alleen goalball maskers of donkere skibrillen (met schuim of siliconenrand die al het licht afsluit) zijn toegestaan.
• Het is je eigen verantwoordelijkheid dat je bril/masker voldoet.

Batje
• Moet gemaakt zijn van hard en glad materiaal.
• Hoeken mogen afgerond of recht zijn, maar nooit scherp.
• Op de competitiedag wordt je batje gecontroleerd en bij goedkeuring voorzien van een stempel of sticker.

Handbescherming
• Handschoen moet stevig zijn en de pols goed afdekken.
• Extra bescherming zoals een polsband is toegestaan, maar wordt ook gecontroleerd.

Zorg dat je materiaal in orde is zodat je probleemloos door de controle heen komt en kunt starten!

Last Sunday, seven Spitfires took part in an internal competition to decide who will represent the club in the next competition in November!

After a gruelling 21 3-set games, we have our team (to be revealed soon!)

each player played incredibly well, giving it their all and doing themselves proud.

Thank you to Susannah, Ellie, James, Ali, Zehra, Dwight and Sam for participating. We couldn’t have got where we are without the funding from Cash 4 Clubs and the Primary Club, who have supported our development.

Bring on November! 🏓

Congratulations to the whole team who represented Great Britain in the U25s World Cup in Nymburk.
Here are the placements:
Ellie: 7th (women), Sussex Spitfires
Jerri: 9th (women), Sheffield Strikers
Jack: 8th (men), London Showdown Club
coach Tom supported our players from start to finish.

Well done team! 🏓

Good luck Ellie and team!

New Showdown Club In The East Of England If you are looking to get involved in the very popular sport for blind and partially sighted people called Showdown, Hubert finds out more about the sport in this podcast, and speaks to the club chair from the East Of England Showdown club.