New Season (Satellite, Challenger)

[sunny]

Hello All,

When does the new satellite events start? Does anyone have a calendar for satellite events and challengers for the year 2004 - 2005.

Missed all the satellite tours of 2003-2004 but hope to play 2004 - 2005 season.

Please let me know.

cheers
sunny

[fanatic1234]

the calendar is normally decided end of july/beginning of august !

[sunny]

The following are the dates for Satellite Tours for 2004 - 2005

28th Aug 2004 - Herts
11th Sep 2004 - Bournemouth
18th Sep 2004 - Harrogate/Cornwall
09th Oct 2004 - Wessex
23rd Oct 2004 - Oxford
06th Nov 2004 - Jersey
20th Nov 2004 - Middlesex
27th Nov 2004 - Hants
04th Dec 2004 - Wilts
15th Jan 2005 - Lancs
22nd Jan 2005 - Berks/Staffs
29th Jan 2005 - Devon/Cambs
12th Feb 2005 - Cheshire
26th Feb 2005 - Suffolk
05th Mar 2005 - Leics
26th Mar 2005 - Northum
09th Apr 2005 - Hull
16th Apr 2005 - Guernsey

If you want to know the dates for International, Elite, Challenger etc then click on the link below:

http://www.norfolkbadminton.co.uk/pages/index.php?data=calendar

[skates]

Hi sunny

What level do you play at?

I was thinking about taking part in a few of the Satellite tournaments next season. However, I have heard that the standard is quite high. This years Men's singles Satellite finals feature Daniel Plant currently ranked No 15 in the UK. The other guys in the singles are all ranked in the top 30. The standard in the men's doubles is almost as high. i.e Ian Murphy ranked 27 in the UK, James and Simon White, ranked 48 and 50.

The baofe website describes the Satellite as follows "It is a Grade C Circuit which is suitable for those looking to either start or improve playing at a competitive level"

If a person was a league player looking to have a crack at a few tournaments I wonder if that person might find it a bit of a waste of time. Particularly if there was no plate tournament for any first round losers.

However, If you are playing at County level or higher then go sunny, go!:)

Personally, I might check out the Welsh Seniors Tour ( a new series of tournaments aimed more toward club / league players ). Also I have been thinking about trying some tournaments in France. Again these seem to be a much wider range of tournaments geared for different standards of players.

Failing that, I'll just stick to playing in the league and maybe do a few Vets :)


Best regards


Skates

[dlp]

Herts and Oxford are likely to feature higher standard players than Bournemouth, Cornwall./ Cornwall is particularly low in standard and offers a plate event.

The fact that even elit eplayers can play on the satellite circuit is a definite problem that I have pointed out to the baofe in the past. But if you are of top club/low county standard have a go

[woop.]

Well it's not going to stop me going in for mens doubles events next season.

Went to one Welsh Senior Series event, the Bangor Open, about a month ago. But frankly it was not well run. It was good in that it featured a group stage to start. However it was bad in that each match consisted of a single game to 15. Very difficult and not much fun.

However we got through our group but then came up against the number one seeds (apparently) in the knockout stage and went straight out. Again it was a single game to 15 so it wasn't really that enjoyable.

As I say though, we are gearing up for satellite next season.

[sunny]

>>Hi sunny
>>What level do you play at?

Hi Skates,

I play at club level. My game standard is not high. I haven't played over 5 years now and I'm sort of trying to do a come back to the sport.

>>This years Men's singles Satellite finals feature Daniel Plant currently >>ranked No 15 in the UK. The other guys in the singles are all ranked in the >>top 30. The standard in the men's doubles is almost as high. i.e Ian Murphy >>ranked 27 in the UK, James and Simon White, ranked 48 and 50.

I'm sure I will get murdered in the court 15-0, 15-0 if I'm drawn against those top seeds but I'll give my best to be a good loser :D

>>Personally, I might check out the Welsh Seniors Tour ( a new series of >>tournaments aimed more toward club / league players ).

Where can I find calendar for the Welsh Senior Tours? Is it also 21 tournaments a season?

>>Herts and Oxford are likely to feature higher standard players than >>Bournemouth, Cornwall./ Cornwall is particularly low in standard and offers >>a plate event.

hello dlp,

Which other satellite tours offer plate events?

>>The fact that even elit eplayers can play on the satellite circuit is a >>definite problem that I have pointed out to the baofe in the past.

Yes its a bit of a bummer. But its also good for players of my standard to have a go at top seeds and being an Underdog against those top seeds I haven't got anything to lose :p

[skates]

Hi sunny

I hear what you say and I admire your fighting spirit. Maybe I'll take dlp's advise
and try the Bournmouth and Cornwall Satellite events later this year.

You can get info on the Wales Senior Tour from the Welsh BA website.

http://www.welshbadminton.net/website/index2.htm

Don't know how many tournaments they are running.

Good luck in the tournaments. Let us all know how you get on.

[sunny]

Guys,

Welshbadminton.net website doesn't look that good. Being a "Senior Systems Developer" I would love to voluntary to design and develop a dynamic website for them, If only they could allow me to do so. I always want to contribute to the "World of Badminton" and this could be something that I could start with :)

Any software developers or graphic designers hang out in this forum?

I think I will create an "Open Source Community" website dedicated only for badminton. I could create a rock solid web application using ASP.NET/C# using SQL Server database.

what do you guys think? any ideas or suggestions please?

[dlp]

You've seen badders.com obviuosley?

I think the welshbadminton site is functional though basic, it does contain a forum which the baofe site lacks.

the cornwall is the only event I know with a plate.

The mixed at cornwall is played in groups

[Neil Nicholls]

Hampshire had a plate in 2002, but MS started on Friday evening and the plate was on Saturday. So if you go out in the first round you've got to hand around for another day.

Don't know if it is still like that.

[coops241180]

Guys,

Welshbadminton.net website doesn't look that good. Being a "Senior Systems Developer" I would love to voluntary to design and develop a dynamic website for them, If only they could allow me to do so. I always want to contribute to the "World of Badminton" and this could be something that I could start with :)

Any software developers or graphic designers hang out in this forum?

I think I will create an "Open Source Community" website dedicated only for badminton. I could create a rock solid web application using ASP.NET/C# using SQL Server database.

what do you guys think? any ideas or suggestions please?
go for it mate, i run a site for my league - it's pretty basic at the moment, but it's my baby - i'm not a big MS fan so i use PHP and MySQL. I'm always adding things to it. it's the off season now so i'm working on being able to upload fixtures from a spreadsheet.

neway drop me a PM is you want to work together on badders site - i'd be interested in helping out, altho ur prolly a bit more talented than i :D

back to the topic - i've only ever played in two satellite events, both times getting drawn against the 1st see, Stephen Mumby and Matt Shuker - got flattened both times - not great when you travel a great distance, pay a big entry fee, just to get thrashed in one game. i still try, but i'm not as keen as i used to be - if i could find a MD or XD partner who was local i would prolly enter those events as they're more my game.

good luck for anybody who enters this season

[dlp]

Mumby and Shuker would be two very bad draws in satellites Coops, most satellites are won by players of lesser quality.

At Cornwall you get a mixture of Cornish club /county players (county bottom 2 divisions standard), some sw vets, some local juniors, then some better players from Devon, Wilts, Hamps etc.

The WHite brothers contested the final last year I beleive, and got to maybe the qtrs in doubles, probably about 6 pairs of good county standard, really one of the easiest events, any good club player would not feel out of place.:)

[skates]

Hi dlp

The Cornwall event sounds Ok. I might give that a go. According to Sunny's list
it's scheduled for 18th September. Do you know if any of the Satellite events have a Vets section? Or do you know of any good Vets tournaments generally?

Skates

[coops241180]

aye - certainly were bad draws..

i think living up north predisposes me to hard tournaments since lancs and yorkshire are the strongest counties, derbyshire isn't bad either.

mebbe i should move down south :D

apparently the welsh tournaments were very good in terms of even standards - no really strong players and no really weak ones so it might be worth doing those...

after spending all summer on the treadmill getting super fit :D

[fanatic1234]

ther is quite alot of satellites to play so if your willing to travel to a few of the weaker ones im sure you will have a nice draw !

[dlp]

No vets in satelite events but there are several vets tournaments, contact the baofe for a diary

[woop.]

From the recent Bangor Open on the WSS I can confirm that the standard was good club/county, but certainly not anything ridiculously special. It also had the advantage of starting with a group, so you were guaranteed a few games.

And coops, no treadmill for us down here, our coach is giving us an absolute hellish time with fitness training for the first part of the close season. My legs are killing today.

[sunny]

I'm planning to participate the Welsh Tournaments and atleast 5-7 satellite tours. I will choose all the weaker satellite tours so that I can atleast move to the second round.

I'm 29 and will I be able to participate in the Vets? I think the minimum age limit for vets is 40 or something. I don't have a clue what is the minimum age limit for vets.

>>back to the topic - i've only ever played in two satellite events, both times >>getting drawn against the 1st see, Stephen Mumby and Matt Shuker - got >>flattened both times - not great when you travel a great distance, pay a >>big entry fee, just to get thrashed in one game.

I know what you mean. I got slaughtered many times like this before and it is very discouraging. :( Satellite is suppose to be Grade 'C' tours and don't know what all those Grade 'A' players get by playing Grade 'C' tours. Do they play these tours for Points or fun or experience?

>>ther is quite alot of satellites to play so if your willing to travel to a few of >>the weaker ones im sure you will have a nice draw !

That's my plan too. May even come home with a trophy :D

>>no treadmill for us down here, our coach is giving us an absolute hellish >>time with fitness training for the first part of the close season. My legs are >>killing today.

woop,
who is your coach? does he do any summer training camps? I need some advice on physical training and "round the head smashes". I often end with stomach pain after those shots and I don't call my round the head smashes as smashes they are basically fast drops :)

[woop.]

I'm coached by Sara Sankey (who is a fantastic coach). I don't think she does any camps to speak of. However I know at the National Badminton Centre (where she does the majority of her coaching) they sometimes have weekends for clubs/groups. I suppose that is a camp of sorts isn't it. Contact the NBC for information, or the BAofE since they are based at the same place.

Fitness wise our sessions comprise of drills of court work followed by off court exercise. For instance 32 shuttles (say alternating smash and net shots) followed by 20 burpees. You go straight between the court and off court stuff without a break, and do 3 rotations (so 96 shuttles and 60 burpees). Then you DO get a rest (thankfully) before going onto the next drill, comprising of some different shots on court and a different exercise inbetween. It's very hard work but I wouldn't have it any other way.

[skates]

Sunny

woop,
who is your coach? does he do any summer training camps? I need some advice on physical training and "round the head smashes". I often end with stomach pain after those shots and I don't call my round the head smashes as smashes they are basically fast drops

Lee Jae Bok is doing some limited coaching this summer during July and August. Details are still patchy as he only arrived back in the UK today.

The Liba uk website will have details during the next week or so.

www.libauk.com (http://www.libauk.com)


Skates

[Neil Nicholls]

I'm 29 and will I be able to participate in the Vets? I think the minimum age limit for vets is 40 or something. I don't have a clue what is the minimum age limit for vets.

40 is the standard minimum age for Vets, but I think at international (and maybe national) level you get events with a minimum age of 35

links for Vets
http://www.emptage-architects.co.uk/badminton/

and there is a section on www.baofe.co.uk for Vets

[Slanter]

Satellites are great fun, that is the main point. I have had mixed results over the last few seasons. One time you might drive all the way to Nottingham only to have Roebuck take you round the back of the shed, pull down your pants and give you a sound spanking. Other times you might enter an Elite on your front door and have the fortune to be drawn against the Hampshire 'pan-handler' Butler. You never know, you just need to make up your mind if you enjoy it or not.

There is no denying that playing the rankings game is a lot of fun too.

[seanrachy]

FYI. The WBU is looking at having a series of 10 tournaments next season.

4 up North Wales, 5 down South Wales and one in the middle !

I run the South Glamorgan (Cardiff) tournament which will be early November.

The RANGE of standards is quite big - with local club players (Me !) right up to the players like Paul Le Tocq, Joe & James who all either won or were runners up at the recent England Satellite Finals.

As a club player it is great to play against a range of players - and likewise if you are good enough the qtrs/semi's and perhaps finals are more than achieveable.

Sean

[skates]

FYI. The WBU is looking at having a series of 10 tournaments next season.

4 up North Wales, 5 down South Wales and one in the middle !

I run the South Glamorgan (Cardiff) tournament which will be early November.

The RANGE of standards is quite big - with local club players (Me !) right up to the players like Paul Le Tocq, Joe & James who all either won or were runners up at the recent England Satellite Finals.

As a club player it is great to play against a range of players - and likewise if you are good enough the qtrs/semi's and perhaps finals are more than achieveable.

Sean

Hi Sean

Where can I get some more information about the tour? I emailed Lyndon Williams at the WBA website but have had no reply. I imagine entry forms will be posted a bit nearer the time but do you know if any details of the ten events are available as yet?


Skates

[seanrachy]

Skates - if you go to the WBU website > events section > Welsh Senior Series. There it has details (right down the bottom) about the tournaments that have been run recently.

This will give you some idea of what will be happening for next season.

I also understand that the WBU is trying to get co-operation with the BAoE to have the events ranked below the England Satellite points system, so if any English players go in them they will earn some points which can go towards whatever ranking system they have. I don't know whether this will happen for the next season - but at least they are thinking about it.

Sean

[coops241180]

anybody had any luck in these this year

i'm going to enter the lancs and the cheshire opens - if anybody's looking for a XD or MD partner for them i'm certainly willing to pair up :)

Coops

[justme86]

any of you guys still playing these tournaments ?

[Dill]

anybody had any luck in these this year

i'm going to enter the lancs and the cheshire opens - if anybody's looking for a XD or MD partner for them i'm certainly willing to pair up :)

Coops

*** cough cough ***

That is of course transport and lodging permitting ;)

[coops241180]

well.. it's happened.. on saturday i'm playing in the cheshire open.. my first satellite tournament since the lancs open 05 - meant to enter the 06 but had pulled my back again :(

wish me luck everybody :)

PS - anybody else going?

COops

[jamesd20]

Good Luck coops241180!