I just played with/against World Champ Howard Bach

**ToddieO** · 01-15-2006, 06:42 PM

I want to thank Dean Schoppe for bringing World Champ Howard Bach to Manhattan beach badminton club. I have had the pleasure to play with some very good players in my 25 years of badminton! But not a reigning World Champ! I stand 6'2" and 240 lbs, more like a football player and he is very solidly built but shorter in height. I was very intimidated, making errors and feeling flusterd. I have never seen his skills live, only from the video sharing on this site. He was amazing!!!! Every shot had pace, touch, and was positioned to the corners and close to the net. The first two games were no match! Dean Schoppe a very qualified international doubles player, I am a B + player at my best, were easily defeated by Howard and a good junior player! I was glad to hear we had a 3rd game! I would play with Howard!!!! He was very kind, easy to chat with and helped me tremendously! My whole game plan was to get the bird over when hit to me and stay out of his way!! We won 15- 7, and I stayed out of Howards way! It was truely a great day to meet and play with him! He is exactly what the US needs to help promote this game! Winning the Worlds this summer, just winning the Copenhagen Masters and soon off to The All Englands. I would not be suprised to see the US team do very well for quite a while! Thank you Howard for the good games, showing an old junior player how beautiful this game can be!

**Azwok** · 01-15-2006, 07:01 PM

Damn, I envy you. Sounds like it was awesome fun.

**eskey** · 01-15-2006, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by ToddieO

just winning the Copenhagen Masters and soon off to The All Englands. I would not be suprised to see the US team do very well for quite a while! Thank you Howard for the good games, showing an old junior player how beautiful this game can be!

Wooowww, you are really fortunate man...having such great experience

Anyway, he is not playing in AE2006, did he tell you why?

**GunBlade008** · 01-15-2006, 08:50 PM

You are one lucky fellow. damn me and my not meeting professional players syndrome

**Nievk8701** · 01-16-2006, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by ToddieO

I want to thank Dean Schoppe for bringing World Champ Howard Bach to Manhattan beach badminton club. I have had the pleasure to play with some very good players in my 25 years of badminton! But not a reigning World Champ!!

Woow...mus b a vry memorable match for u. wonderin when will b my turn to play v an international player....hehe

**DinkAlot** · 01-16-2006, 01:09 AM

Nice! I just trained/played against Dean this past Monday at SGVBC. Dean's a nice guy and good player. I think I need to make a trip to MBBC one day...

**Ben Beckman** · 01-16-2006, 06:43 AM

granted my mum was an international from the 80's, she still has the touch and shots, if not the speed and power she once did, so I have a claim to this thread as I have played with and against my mum many times!hehe

**Azwok** · 01-16-2006, 06:57 AM

Oo, that sounds great Ben, is she anyone we would know? Did she win any titles in her time?

**Ben Beckman** · 01-16-2006, 07:27 AM

yeah, her name was originally karen bridge from england. now karen beckman.

she hasn't told me all of her titles but I know some of hand, i'll ask her for the rest later.

she won the english junior nationals in every age group many times. think she won the under 18/19 6 times in a row.

she has many european medals at home and commonwealth(i'll ask her for the exact amount of individuals and team)

she was part of the 1984 uber cup team who got silver beating korea in the semis.

world champs bronze(doubles)
semis of all england twice(doubles)
german open(singles-maybe doubles)
japan open
qualified for world cup that was around then(8 players involved-singles)
british airways masters(doubles)
national titles in all 3 i think

these are all i know but there are many more and i will ask my mum and post when i know.

my family are also very good friends with gillian goodwin(gilkes) who won the triple at the all england, and i've played with and against her but she is before my mum's time even though my mum has played with her and against in singles, doubles and mixed with some wins and some losses.

**alansd** · 01-16-2006, 07:47 AM

and how many times have you beaten them both? Unless there are two people with the same name your not bad yourself! Think I have seen you play in a couple of tourniments.
Probably beat about 99.5% of the people here.

Originally Posted by Ben Beckman

yeah, her name was originally karen bridge from england. now karen beckman.

she hasn't told me all of her titles but I know some of hand, i'll ask her for the rest later.

she won the english junior nationals in every age group many times. think she won the under 18/19 6 times in a row.

she has many european medals at home and commonwealth(i'll ask her for the exact amount of individuals and team)

she was part of the 1984 uber cup team who got silver beating korea in the semis.

world champs bronze(doubles)
semis of all england twice(doubles)
german open(singles-maybe doubles)
japan open
qualified for world cup that was around then(8 players involved-singles)
british airways masters(doubles)
national titles in all 3 i think

these are all i know but there are many more and i will ask my mum and post when i know.

my family are also very good friends with gillian goodwin(gilkes) who won the triple at the all england, and i've played with and against her but she is before my mum's time even though my mum has played with her and against in singles, doubles and mixed with some wins and some losses.

**Ben Beckman** · 01-16-2006, 07:48 AM

just got majority of titles and accomplishments of my mum:-

1X senior national sgls and dbls

junior nationals- U15- 3X sgls and dbls
U16- 4X sgls and dbls
U18-3X sgls,dbls and mxd(mxd 2X)
european juniors(a year young)-sgls,dbls and mxd(partner had to withdraw but had never lost to pair they would of played) and team event gold

U19 6 nations-gold in sgls,dbls and mxd.

2X commonwealth team event golds and 2X silver in dbls and mxd, semis of sgls

British Airways Masters-gold in dbls

went to grand prix finals 3 or 4 years running(tourny for top 8 in the world)

gold:-canadian,japan,taiwan(dbls), german(sgls and dbls
semis:-all england(2X), hong kong

participated in europe vs asia cup(mvc cup or mvp cup nowadays)

uber cup team silver-beat korea in semis

bronze at world champs

european seniors-sgls and dbls and 4X bronze

european seniors- team event-at least 2 golds.

i can beat my mum easily now at sgls and depends in mxd on who we both play with but have played with her and did alright. i'm an england junior, late developer, and not as successful as my mum but improving all the time.

**cooler** · 01-16-2006, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Ben Beckman

just got majority of titles and accomplishments of my mum:-

1X senior national sgls and dbls

junior nationals- U15- 3X sgls and dbls
U16- 4X sgls and dbls
U18-3X sgls,dbls and mxd(mxd 2X)
european juniors(a year young)-sgls,dbls and mxd(partner had to withdraw but had never lost to pair they would of played) and team event gold

U19 6 nations-gold in sgls,dbls and mxd.

2X commonwealth team event golds and 2X silver in dbls and mxd, semis of sgls

British Airways Masters-gold in dbls

went to grand prix finals 3 or 4 years running(tourny for top 8 in the world)

gold:-canadian,japan,taiwan(dbls), german(sgls and dbls
semis:-all england(2X), hong kong

participated in europe vs asia cup(mvc cup or mvp cup nowadays)

uber cup team silver-beat korea in semis

bronze at world champs

european seniors-sgls and dbls and 4X bronze

european seniors- team event-at least 2 golds.

i can beat my mum easily now at sgls and depends in mxd on who we both play with but have played with her and did alright. i'm an england junior, late developer, and not as successful as my mum but improving all the time.

good story

since you're a late developer, i guess your mom didnt push u into badminton but rather u ease into it on your own pace?

**Quasimodo** · 01-16-2006, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by DinkAlot

Nice! I just trained/played against Dean this past Monday at SGVBC. Dean's a nice guy and good player. I think I need to make a trip to MBBC one day...

Agreed about Dean. That guy never stops. I played a couple of matches against him a couple of years ago at MBBC. He kept trying to flick serve over me. Very good matches, enjoyed them thoroughly even though I didn't play well at all.

Anyhow, good to hear Howard takes time travelling and playing with "locals." I seriously think these sort of things are the best way to promote the sport (i.e., top pros doing a demo circuit). USA Badminton and IBF should consider expanding this if they're serious about promoting the sport in the US.

**ToddieO** · 01-16-2006, 05:25 PM

I agree with you Quasimodo about Pro's playing with locals! I was a junior player in the 80's and can hit the bird with some pace still. Howard easily returned my best with an cross court flat shot( could never get it back!) Howard is very well built from the base, large calfs, strong quadracepts and hamstrings! His ability to jump could be measured at 30 plus inches(73 cm?). He is exceptional at the low net drives, we had many great long rallies at the net! I am very lucky to have MBBC only 2 minutes from my house! MBBC has a great reputation through out the world, and many fine world class players have graced our courts! I was just glad to get Howard as my partner for the 3rd and final game! Dean Schoppe is great for badminton here in the US! He travels the world to play all the IBF tournaments, representing the US! Dean also runs HL sports, great supplier of Shuttles and rackets . He is a very hard worker and is in world class shape! I only wish I had 1/4 of his drive and determination!

**DinkAlot** · 01-16-2006, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by Quasimodo

Agreed about Dean. That guy never stops. I played a couple of matches against him a couple of years ago at MBBC. He kept trying to flick serve over me. Very good matches, enjoyed them thoroughly even though I didn't play well at all.

LOL! Yes, the first thing Dean did on his serve to me was flick serve me, but then I smashed it back at his feet. After that, he didn't flick me the rest of the four games we played.

Yes, Dean's a machine, we played four consecutive games without rest and he did training beforehand. He's a gentlemen.

Dean told me his double's partner (Matt Fogarty) is in town so I will try to schedule a match with them later on this week.

**DinkAlot** · 01-16-2006, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by ToddieO

Dean Schoppe is great for badminton here in the US! He travels the world to play all the IBF tournaments, representing the US! Dean also runs HL sports, great supplier of Shuttles and rackets . He is a very hard worker and is in world class shape! I only wish I had 1/4 of his drive and determination!

Agree wholeheartedly. Dean is an ambassador for the U.S. He's great for Badminton.

I've tried HL shuttles and grips, they are first-rate. The grip is one of the best and the HL Champion shuttle is on par with the top shuttles and only $17/tube.

**Eurasian =--(O)** · 01-17-2006, 12:24 AM

Originally Posted by Ben Beckman

yeah, her name was originally karen bridge from england. now karen beckman.

she hasn't told me all of her titles but I know some of hand, i'll ask her for the rest later.

she won the english junior nationals in every age group many times. think she won the under 18/19 6 times in a row.

she has many european medals at home and commonwealth(i'll ask her for the exact amount of individuals and team)

she was part of the 1984 uber cup team who got silver beating korea in the semis.

world champs bronze(doubles)
semis of all england twice(doubles)
german open(singles-maybe doubles)
japan open
qualified for world cup that was around then(8 players involved-singles)
british airways masters(doubles)
national titles in all 3 i think

these are all i know but there are many more and i will ask my mum and post when i know.

my family are also very good friends with gillian goodwin(gilkes) who won the triple at the all england, and i've played with and against her but she is before my mum's time even though my mum has played with her and against in singles, doubles and mixed with some wins and some losses.

You are soo lucky to have a parent like that! I first beat my mom when I played her for fun when I was 10... I had only played maybe twice in my life b4 it.