Pleasing Progress By Fogarty Sisters

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31440, 5 August 1967, Page 13

Pleasing Progress By Fogarty Sisters

rpHE continued progress x shown by the two Otago juniors. Misses Y. M. and M. J. Fogarty, is particularly pleasing, especially at this time when the standard of women’s table tennis in New Zealand is not high because of the absence of Mesdames N. Traill and N. J. Houlihan (Northland). Both these girls are almost certain to be selected in the South Island team now that two of Canterbury’s leading contenders, Miss V. E. Braumann and Mrs M. J. Shadbolt, are not available. The younger of the two, 15-year-old Yvonne, plays the modern hard-hitting game and this has tended to overshadow the style of her 17-year-old sister, Maree, who, while not having the same potential at this stage, is developing along at a rate that could take her to the top in New. Zealand as well. In the final of the girls’ under-18 singles at the South Island championships, Yvonne was forced to struggle against the tight defensive game of her

sister and it was only the greater speed of Yvonne and her recent overseas experience that enabled her to win, 21-19, 22-20. On many occasions Maree returned shots that were almost unplayable and could well have taken the second game with a little more luck. As a result of her visit to the world championships Yvonne has developed her game along sounder lines, for, although she prefers to attack all the time, she can play defensively with a lot more assurance than previously. In addition she has developed a loop drive and is showing an increasing variety of spin serves. In contrast Maree usually plays defensively. Her main attribute is her ability to keep the ball on the table. She covers a great deal of territory which reveals quite sound footwork. Her forehand drive is becoming an increasingly sound scoring weapon which she must develop further. She caused a surprise when she beat the No. 2 seed in the women’s singles, Mrs Y. M. Boulton (Canterbury), in the quarter-finals

and made Miss V. E. Braumann (Canterbury) (No. 4) fight for every point in the semi-finals. While not being as stylish as her more illustrious sister, Maree has a game which is developing on sound lines and she should continue to push Yvonne. Yvonne had outstanding success at the South Island championships, winning seven events including the women’s singles in which she showed great maturity. When it appeared likely that she would be beaten by Miss Braumann in the final she was able to play defensively and wear down her far more experienced opponent. Her trip to Stockholm has been of tremendous benefit to her. Her poise and natural maimer are well developed for one so young. Both of these girls, who are the eldest of seven children, have disciplined themselves so that table tennis does not rule their Ilves. Their father, W. J. Fogarty, who won the 1948 New Zealand men’s singles title, considers that everything has its place and in so doing is keeping the girls’ lives balanced.

Yvonne should accomplish great things at the national championships in Wanganui this month but Maree is not likely to be far behind. At present both are the victims of a dispute between their father and the Otago association which has affected their chances of representing their province regularly. They have been left out of the Otago women’s team for the national championships.