Badminton
From the grassroots to elite - Regional Badminton Development Officer Elizabeth Sellick offers information and advice about the sport in South East Wales.
The South East region encompasses three badminton counties; these are Gwent, Mid Glamorgan and South Glamorgan.
There are junior clubs in all three counties, with at least one qualified coach to each club.
The junior clubs provide the young players with the opportunity to learn the game of badminton and also competition in the junior leagues.
Talent spotting
Once a player has demonstrated an aptitude for the sport, they are invited into the local centre of development.
There are at present five centres of development in the South East region with a new one planned for the Blaenau Gwent area in the New Year.
From the centres of development the talented youngsters are invited into one of the three centres of excellence.
There is also a high performance centre, based at the Welsh Institute for Sport, Cardiff, where the elite young players trains with the national squad.
Competition
Badminton players from the start are encouraged to take part in competition.
The first level is the junior league, where juniors of a similar level of play compete as a club team.
The next step is the regional satellite series, which is aimed at the beginner/improver player.
The junior shuttle series is a national series providing competition for the more advanced players.
Each county has an under 15 and an under 19 county team.
Coach Education
All the club coaches are encouraged to further their knowledge of the sport; the Welsh Badminton Union provides support in workshops for coaches and players.
Players from the age of sixteen are encouraged into the coach education programme.
Further Information
Please contact the Welsh Badminton Union on 029 2022 2082 or alternatively have a look at the website www.welshbadminton.net.
See our Community Sport Web Guide for more about badminton in South East Wales.
