Badminton: It's all rather smashing Apr 5 2005 By Stuart Rayner, The Journal icNewcastle.co.uk The popularity of badminton has rocketed since the Olympics but, as Stuart Rayner finds out, its success has caused welcome problems for organisers of a major international event in Newcastle. ********** The sport of badminton is enjoying a renaissance at the moment, and nowhere will that be more evident than in Newcastle this week. The city has played host to the Great North International Student Badminton Tournament for the past four years but this year it has had to turn players away, such has been the demand. The success of British pair Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson in reaching the final of last summer's Olympic doubles tournament captured the imagination of sports fans in this country, something Newcastle will reap the benefits of when the ISBT gets under way at Eldon Leisure tomorrow. "We normally use Newcastle University Cameron Hall but we haven't been able to this year so we had less hall space," explained organiser Katherine Gray. "Originally we set our target numbers at 120 people. We opened entries at 2pm on February 1 and an hour later we were full. By 5pm we had 180 entries. "Because we've had so many people enter we've had to try and find other venues to hold it as well. We've now got 175 people coming with a few people left on the waiting list." Northumbria University has helped cope with the increased demand by opening up its facilities for the event, which starts today and runs until Saturday. Gray, though, is quick to point out Emms and Robertson are just one factor in the growing popularity of the event. "This is the fourth year the tournament has been run in Newcastle and it's been increasingly popular as word has spread about it," she pointed out. "Generally badminton is quite popular anyway, especially in universities, where you tend to get large badminton clubs. "Newcastle is an excellent venue for a tournament like ours because a lot of previous ISBTs have been located on the outskirts of villages and towns. The fact it's more centrally located is obviously a bonus." The structure of the tournament is also a big draw. The competition is split into four different categories, ranging from international and top regional players in category A to recreational players and beginners. "It's a very good balance," Gray argues. "We tend to get some very good games for those who play at the top levels but if you have never played before you can join in as well. "The A standard can be quite a high standard. We've got Brian Smyth, who's ranked in the top 100 in the world, and Lee Evans coming this year. They're both Irish internationals and there will also be players from places like the Czech Republic, Holland, Denmark and Germany. We've also had people who've played for England take part in the past. "But we go out on the evenings, get to know people from other countries and try to have some fun." Even so, Gray, a county player and coach who is also involved in promoting the sport through her involvement with Badminton England, does not discount the impact Athens has had on badminton in this country. "I couldn't prove it but I think we've seen an upsurge in interest in badminton thanks to Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson," she said. "I think people have seen another side to badminton. "One thing I would say about badminton is it lacks an audience. I know the BBC is looking to screen a few matches and the more it is on TV, the more people will realise that it's a better, more high-powered sport than they think." Encouraging fans to go along is not an area the organisers have concentrated on. "Some of the past tournaments in Norway and Holland have attracted crowds of 200 and 300 people. "In the first year we were keen to encourage people to come in and get involved but it's not something we've really concentrated on since because we tend to have a lot of support from the people who are not playing at the time - but it would be nice to see people come along." Anyone who would like to watch can turn up from around 3pm each day. The tournament's website is at www.isbt.org.uk. Sponsors could bring net gains Katherine Gray says the structures are in place to build on the success of Emms and Robertson, but admits sponsorship is lacking. She is hopeful the interest the pair have created in the sport can have a snowball effect. "We're funded by Sport England and that funding has increased largely because of our success at the Olympics," she said. "As more people get interested and we get more media coverage hopefully we might be able to attract more sponsorship into the game. Sponsorship in general is very hard to come by for badminton." And money can cause problems when it comes to keeping hold of the top players. "At county level a lot of the money comes from squad fees from participants and that maybe isolates some," she admitted. "It's maybe something we need to look at." But there is no excuse for failing to get involved at grassroots level, she argues. "I work for Badminton England and we look to keep people in the game, both at grassroots and elite level. "They now have a structure where they look for talent in structured coaching days and there's one in Newcastle where children get free coaching for two or four hours a week. They will then be offered continued coaching up to under-21 level. "You can books courts at sports centres but we'd encourage people to contact the Northumberland or Durham Badminton Association to find their local club."
Well spotted Kwun! We were amazed when we saw this in the newspaper - an entire page devoted to badminton and nothing else. Unheard of here! I'm also on the committee of the tournament mentioned in the article, and previously I've advertised it on here. However there was no need to do so this year, as its proven to be extremely popular. We eventually ended up with 230 entries.
Haha just found this article randomly searching for ISBT on this forum! On my way to the Toon tonight for the opening party followed by 3 days of quality badminton Cant wait!
Badminton players deliver message; prove game is no 'girly sport' BY KELLY HINCHCLIFFE, The Herald-Sun April 21, 2006 7:02 pm DURHAM -- Badminton may seem like a leisurely sport, a staple at family reunions and outdoor parties. But what many people might not know is that the competitive version is the fastest racquet sport in the world. The "shuttlecocks" that players hit can leave the racquet at speeds exceeding 200 mph. World Champion players Howard Bach and Tony Gunawan shared these and other little-known facts about the sport Friday with students gathered in Durham School of the Arts' gymnasium. Their visit was not simply to show off their skills as they leaped in the air and forcefully hit shuttlecocks over the net. They brought the message: "Follow your dreams, set your goals, and above all, get your education." Bach and Gunawan were joined by Will Milroy and Mike Beres, the top men's doubles team from Canada. The four players visited schools around the area. Bach and Gunawan made history by being the first U.S. players to win an International Badminton Federation World Championship title. They won the Men's Doubles Gold Medals at the 2005 IBF World Championships at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, Calif., in August 2005. Bach told the students that he and his teammate began playing the sport around age 5, and they now train five hours a day, five days a week. "We run, lift weights, do a lot of agility work," he said. "It requires a lot of jumping and endurance." After a few rounds of showing the spectators how badminton is played, the four professional players invited students, teachers and the principal to have a shot at the game in front of their cheering peers. Principal Ron Roukema tore off his tan jacket, tossed it aside and took to the court along with a few teachers. He did not look impressed with his first few attempts to hit the shuttlecock, but he kept trying. "It's a lot harder than it looks," he said, after leaving the court. "I haven't played in almost 25 years. It's a whole new experience." Besides seeing a competitive badminton match, Roukema said he hoped the students learned about the commitment, practice and dedication the players have for the game. "[Students] can achieve anything they want to achieve," he said. Isabelle Sinclair, 13, said some students had preconceived notions about watching a badminton game, but many of them felt differently after watching professional players in action. "A lot of people thought it was lame. People thought it was a girly sport for men," she said. "But, I thought it was cool." The players will return to the Durham School of the Arts at 8 p.m. today to play an exhibition match. Admission is free for children, but $10 for adults. URL for this article: http://www.heraldsun.com/durham/4-727050.html
