Veterans go from strength to strength.

The Veterans British League is back to full strength with 48 teams. It’s a real success story for the sports over-40s for whom its organiser Gill Smith has seen the league go from strength to strength since it began in 1992.

When this remarkable event gets under way at Hereford Leisure Centre later this week no team will be under the microscope more than Bribar Normads and Bribar Bunch.  The club’s men’s and women’s team both topped the premier divisions last season, so the pressure to retain their titles will be immense.

Coincidently, the club’s top two players Chris Bartram and Sue Collier both finished last season with exactly the same average of 88.88%.

The first session of this two part event gets under way on Saturday 5 November but will be without two of its most popular women’s teams Irish Colleens and the 4 Js.  Both finished last season at the foot of their respective divisions and have dropped out.  The good news is that Halton 2nd and Fusion Wannabees have stepped up to take their places.

The men’s league have their full compliment of five divisions.  Dewbury and Norwich teams will be making their debut at Hereford whilst Blackpool and Seasiders have been  promoted to division two to fill the gaps left by last years withdrawals.

The Veterans National League, the feeder league for the VBL, will also get under way with a full house of 24 teams and that’s despite two teams leaving to take their places in the higher division at Hereford.