Challengers etc in the UK....

Too late for Hertfordshire. Pity, Matt! I was going to make you pay for posting that 'Women' thread! I'll be at the Hertfordshire Open for the doubles. Not going to play the Wimbledon this year as my game is not right yet. The ones near you are Middlesex and Suffolk. I believe the Middlesex is later this year. As for the Essex, well you probably will not get in unless you have played several other ranking tournaments first and got a good ranking as they tend to be over-subscribed and go on previous results. Each event costs around £10-£12. When starting it may be best to play in tournaments which run a plate event, that way you get at least 2 games.

 

Yeah Essex is picky. I'll probably be at a few which have a slightly lower level and a plate event. Herts is a little too soon for me. Wouldn't mind reaching far flung places such a Jersey just to get away as well!!

 

Yes , challengers are really for top 30 ranking players to get in, you need to play about 8 opens to get your ranking up (ranking points divided by 8 gives your score) so that when you're older you'll be in a position to get into challengers / grand slams.

Plus realistically challengers you'll get beaten first round and not learn much where as opens with a good draw juniors can get through a few rounds. Better value, better experience. Cornwall is usually very easy standard olus there is a plate, likewise Jersey is low standard, also Devon only few top players.

 

I will try to get my ranking up this year so I can access the Challengers later on. As dlp says you need to play 8 events a season to get your optimum ranking. More than that, though, you need to be averaging at least the quarter finals to get respect. Anyone could enter 8 events, lose them all in the first round and get an average of 37. This would get you into the top 50 in mixed and the top 100 for mens doubles.

I will play as many Satellites reachable from the South East as possible. If they have a plate event then I will definitely be there. I might give the Hampshire a miss though - I heard that it is oversubscribed to the point that they had to put an extra round in. If the opportunity comes up to play Essex, or even the Sussex Grand Slam, then I will have to think about it. Good decision to play the Jersey if you can UKP, I heard that there were only 8 pairs for the doubles. If you can compete with the Thingy-Goodfellows, nothing to do with the mafia, then you might win! I will play in Guernsey because it coincides with the Easter holiday, the perfect time for a break in my studies.

 

You can try and enter challengers but if the entry is strong you'll just be a reserve. Plus you'll likely lose first round (with respect ,cos you're a junior) , its better to play satellites first, build your ranking. Once you have a base of 8 tournaments you will have a true avareage for your ranking.

If you can play people stronger than yourself at satelite level I think thats the way to go. If you're under 17 you need to pick tournaments carefully as you will have huge commitments. Typical tournament load for under 17 england boys I've coached include 3 under 17 tournaments + nationals, 3 under 19 tournaments + nationals, satelite events, international matches and tournaments plus any county senior weekends. So its very easy to be overplaying in this age group.

But anyway you should plan out your season with your coach, idebtify your main goals, tournaments,

 

All true, Matt.

Think about how far you want to go and play the matches in order of priority. I would imagine that the more visibility you can gain the better when the selectors are around. A decent senior ranking won't hurt though. There is little visibility in Satellites but in playing them you will build up your ranking. Once your ranking is sufficiently high you can play in the Challengers and Grand Slams. At the very least it will give you valuable experience of playing senior tournaments.

I think the main jump from junior badminton to senior badminton involves two things. The first is that if finally opens out the age restrictions so that you can compare yourself directly to the best players in the country. It is fine being the best player in your age group but that means little when you enter senior competition.

The other is the difference between being a good player and and an effective player. You can teach technique to people but tactics are more difficult to impart and come more from playing. I have watch many scenarios where excellent juniors are included in club teams and the statement "It won't be long before they start beating you, you know" is endlessly repeated. Most of them still can't beat me five years later. The only exceptions are the ones who play right at the top and those who get included in the top county teams. They have excellent technique but little knowledge about how to go about winning a competitive game, especially if a change in tactics is required.

I have gone off the point a bit here but I believe that playing Senior tournaments at you age would be really good for your game. Even better would be to have your coach or some knowledgeable person present to help you think about the games.

 

Events diary for next season is up on BAE site , watch the closing dates they come up fast!

 

Matt,

You're right BAE haven't put it all up yet..typical! You can get a printed booklet of the fixtures for the year by sending an SAE to BAE at Milton Keynes, or get one from your county or your coach, it should be out very soon

The under 17 tournaments / nats are on the esba site now. The Derby/notts under 19 is normally just before xmas and is one of the main tournaments to play up an age group.

The Oxford, Wiltshire and Wessex(Dorset) satelites are normally before xmas. The under 19 nationals are usually mid jan and often clash with the Devon satelite, the senior nationals are usually at the end of Jan.

Hope thats some help

 

From memory you get 37 points for a first round loss in a Satellite. You get 45 for a second round loss and it increases with each round. I think you get 120 points for a winning the event. There are more points on offer at challengers, but not that much more. So the answer to your age question is no - you do not remain on 0 points. The only exceptions may be in tournaments where the entry is large enough to mean there is another round before the quarter finals - in this case you get 30 points for a loss.

If you think about it, playing 8 events will give you an average of 37 points at the very least - this will get you relatively high on the ranking list. The more points you get the less chance you have of drawing a top seed in the first round - maybe even getting a bye.

Age is no problem, Opens are open.

 

Matt,

I coach, I don't play competitvely anymore. The best player I have coached won under 19 national doubles this year and is currently senior ranked top 10 mixed, top 15 mens doubles. I do not coach him anymore because he trains with the national players at MK and loughborough.

You don't need to worry about scouts not seeing you because you aren't at challengers. Junior selectors pick on form at the big junior tournaments, York under 19, Derby/Notts , junior nationals, international junior tournaments if selected.

Don't waste to much energy trying to second guess selectors and don't set targets which are outside your control. For instance its no good saying I want to be in this squad or be selected for that match because that depends on other people. Instead aim to play well at the junior nationals , aim to improve parts of your game, set measurable fitness goals, record your improvements.

 

I only played one event last season ant my ranking is currently poor. I will be making more of an effort this season though. Starting at Herts. I thought about the Harrogate but will probably not be going. If it is to be your first Satellite then I would seriously think about playing the Duchy of Cornwall. That date is one of two or three occasions when two Satellites run concurrently. I seem to recall UKPlayer stating in a previous post that he was going to play both! Anyway, comparing the two the Harrogate loses out because it is does not have a plate event and the standard in Yorkshire means that you are highly likely to get someone like Trueman in the first round. It is a long distance to travel for one or two games.

 

No not both lol, I wrote that I was going to pick between the 2 lol