Cambs Juniors Give Excellent Showing at Eastern Region Tournament

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Cambs U13 Teams

Cambridgeshire Badminton fielded a good range of teams in the Eastern Region Single Sex Tournament held at the Sportsdock at the University of East London on 26th April.

The teams were:

U15: Boys A
Leo Huang & Peter Du

U15: Boys B
Cameron Harris & Murray Reid

U15: Girls
Amy Zhang & Hannah Milton

U13: Boys A
James Xu & Harry Zhao

U13: Girls A
Chanumi Gamage & Sophia Abbott

U13: Girls B
Rachel Owen & Alice Bates

It was a long and gruelling, but extremely fun day of badminton, with teams playing a match consisting of a doubles, and two singles against each of their opponents.  This took a toll on a number of players, with some Cambs players feeling cramp or injuries as the day went on.

Despite their difficulties, the overall results were extremely creditable.  The U13 boys James and Harry enjoyed commanding victories over all but one of the other teams in their competition, and the tournament came down to a thrilling match against a very strong Essex pair.  All four boys plenty excellently, but eventually James and Harry walked away with a well-deserved silver medal.

In the U13 girls tournament, Hertfordshire and Suffolk had also fielded two teams each, and had strong players.  The Cambs girls showed a real desire to win though, and the day came to an end with an exciting crunch match between the Cambs A and B teams.  Played in excellent spirits, the game eventually went to Sophia and Chanumi who beat Alice and Rachel 2-1.  This meant that Cambs A had secured the silver medals overall, and Cambs B took the bronze spot.

In the U15 tournaments, the Cambs A won 4/6 matches and came 3rd (Leo won 6/6 singles and 4/6 doubles; Peter won 2/6 singles and 4/6 doubles) and the Cambs B team unfortunately came in last position.

The U15 girls team also came 3rd, even though Amy suffered an injury part-way through and had to pull out, and Chanumi stood in for the remaining games.

Congratulations to all the players, who put on a great show.

Smash Up Activators Course: Camborne, 3rd May

Badminton England have organised a Smash Up Activator Course at Camborne Sports Centre on 3rd May from 10am to 2pm.  

Cost=£99 per candidate payable by card/cheque/invoice this fee covers: Training costs, DBS check, Safeguarding, Insurance.

Please note the following reduced fees are available:

• Candidate has a DBS from BADMINTON England – revised cost is £57.50
• Candidate has a valid safeguarding qualification – revised cost is £94.50
• Candidate has a DBS from BADMINTON England and a valid safeguarding qualification – revised cost is £42.50

SmashUp! is BADMINTON England’s perception changing, innovative youth badminton initiative, aimed at inspiring 13-16 year olds of all sporting ability to swing a racket for fun. With a modern ‘mashed up’ mix of big hitting badminton challenges, mates, music playlists and bold court branding, sociable SmashUp! sessions are ready to go in over 180 secondary schools and leisure centres across the region.

We have numerous opportunities to deliver SmashUp! in schools or leisure centres across Cambridgeshire immediately

Benefits of becoming a SmashUp! Activator:

• Paid work opportunities in local secondary schools – (weekly 1-hour sessions, paid at £15 per session)
• Access to SmashUp! branded pack and kit
• Access to discounted Adidas kit (dependent on demand)

Please note – you must be available to work at lunchtimes (12-2pm) and/or after school times and have a means of travelling to and from schools or leisure centres. Min age 17 yrs.

LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE. If you would like to attend this training day please complete the attached booking form (course code not required) and return to coaching@badmintonengland.co.uk as soon as possible!

Cambs Ist Team End Season on Norfolk High

Preparations for the first teams final match started early with a hearty curry on the Saturday night, putting a fire in everyone's belly. It was a lovely surprise that Olga could make it along to catch up with everyone, and we all wish her a full and speedy recovery. 

With an hours less sleep, the Ist and IIIrd Cambridgeshire teams made their way North to Norfolk. Min and Paul set the team off to a positive start, both winning their singles in straight sets. Alison, despite breaking the strings in both her rackets also took the second ladies singles in straight sets. Nat played amazingly and made a great comeback from a set down to take the first ladies singles in three, giving Cambs a 4-0 lead heading into the doubles.

The men continued their winning run, and were successful in taking all four games with an extremely close point-by-point battle between the second pairs! Both of the ladies doubles pairs were out-classed by a very strong (and ex-England) Norfolk first pair, but Nat and Sara managed to pick up their second game comfortably. Alison and Lou battled out and unfortunately lost the grip on the game against the second pair in three sets.

Heading into the mixed we had secured the win, but were even more determined to make 11 games to give us the best chance of finishing second in the division. Min and Alison had a good steady game and managed to take a straight sets victory. Nat and Si gained an early win through a retired Norfolk player, disappointing as they were both playing so well. Saving the best for last, Sam and Sara took the final mixed in three sets giving the team a 12-3 victory over Norfolk.

Player of the match deservedly goes to Sam for his grit, determination and pulling the serve out for the last match of the season!

Thanks to Si for supplying the delicious sugary treats that fueled us through the games. A special thanks to Liz Salmon of the third team for sharing her totally amazing home baked cream egg brownies!

The team: Mindaugas Dabasinskas, Paul Heads, Simon Woodhouse, Sam Scharf, Natalie Taylor, Sara Cunnington (c), Alison Meijers, Louise Tarbit.

Match report by Alison Meijers.

More information about results of the Cambs I team is available on the Team Page.

Cambs U19 Junior Restricted Results

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Tom Zhang: Boys Singles Winner

The U19 Restricted was held at Burwell Sports Centre on 23 March 2014, and was the scene of some superb badminton from the County's young guns.

Girls Competition

Singles winner: Gemma McGuire
Runner up: Amy Zhang 

Doubles Winners: Lily Matthews and Amy Zhang 
Runners up: Gemma McGuire and Lele Chen 

Amy Zhang had managed to squeeze a 21 - 20 win against Gemma McGuire in the Round Robin Section of the Girls Singles but in the Final Play off Gemma fought hard and pulled off a 21-19 win.

In the Girls Doubles Lily Matthews having won this competition last year with Gemma McGuire now paired up with Amy Zhang against Gemma and Lele Chen to regain the title with a new partner, 21-15, 21-13.

Boys Competition

Singles Winner: Tom Zhang 
Runner Up: Kaylan Sutton-Ziaien

Doubles Winners: Kaylan Sutton-Ziaien and Aiden Foo 
Runners up: Tom Zhang and Michael Duncan
 
The Boys Singles Round Robin section was tough of many players with multiple very close  games, one group having the winner and runner up’s decided by points and one player missing out proceeding into the Knock Out quarter finals by a single point. 

The quarters went with  form and all the winners of the groups continuing to show their strength by knocking out all the runners up. 

In the semi finals Jordan Huynh (15) made the older competitor Tom Zhang work hard to ensure a win and continue to the final .

The final saw Kaylan in the final for the 3rd year running having won it in 2012 and been a runner up in 2014 and this year he once again missed out with Tom Zhang winning with some aggressive play 21-15.

In the Boys Doubles the Round Robin saw a split between the stronger pairings and the up and coming challengers leading to good matches at the semi final stage of the competition. The final, however saw Tom and Kaylan again in battle with their partners Michael and Aiden.  Kaylan and  Aiden showed the strength of their 7 year partnership (having played together since they were 10 years old!) to win 21 - 17 after a greatly fought final.

More photographs are available to view in the gallery section. 

Cambs II Suffers Warks Heartbreak

With the season beginning to draw to a close, the battle for leadership in the ICC Division 5 East has been a close one.  In their penultimate match of the season, the senior IInd team faced league-leaders Warwickshire IIIrds.

There were three possible outcomes: win outright and grasp promotion out of the Division; take a narrow win and go into the last match with a chance; or suffer defeat and see the chance slip away.

Unfortunately, at the end of the day, it was not to be.  

Stephen Pickering played a strong game of singles, but unfortunately couldn't overcome opponent Will Kitching.  Both ladies also lost their singles against tricky opponents, so it was only Neil Place continuing his excellent singles record this season who won by beating Warwickshire's James Taylor.

Even though it was 1-3 after the singles, this was still one game better than when Cambs had lost the 8-7 reverse match at the start of the season, so there was still hope.  However, the scale of the challenge became evident when three of the four level doubles also went to Warwickshire. Katie Morton and Vicky Norris enjoyed a comfortable victory, while Adele Woodhams and Louise Tarbit couldn't overcome their opponents.  In the mens, both matches were high-octane crash bang affairs, running to close three ends but with Cambs unable to find the consistency and calmness to secure either.

After a regrouping, the reverse fixtures were a little better. Neil and Daniel came out fighting to win their game in two ends, as did Adele and Louise.  Warks however continued to build on their lead and with the final mens doubles matching reaching a pitched conclusion, and with everyone looking on, the eighth game - and with it the league title - was secured.

With heads held high, Cambs went on to complete the mixed and show their traditional strength in the discipline.  While Neil and Adele failed to secure the win, both Stephen and Lou, and Daniel and Katie, took the scant consolation of winning mixed games that had still been battled right to the last point.

In the end, the team had left everything of themselves on the court. Sadly, it was not enough.  Having been promoted to this Division only two years ago though, it is a very respectful result to be challenging so closely for a further improvement in position.

The team goes into the last match against Leicestershire to play for their pride, to match Warwickshire on points (some scant moral victory), and knowing that the match potentially has impact on others in the Division.

The team: Stephen Pickering, Neil Place, Daniel Bates (c), Graham Barr, Vicky Norris, Katie Morton, Adele Woodhams, Louise Tarbit.

More information about results of the Cambs II team is available on the Team Page.

Cambs I Battle Leics For Vital Points

It was a fighting Cambs Ist team that turned up to take on the almighty undefeated Leicestershire side and after the previous 12-3 loss we knew it was going to be a tough game. With all to play for as we near the end of the season, we knew the importance of that extra bonus point!

So it was a very excited (possibly due to a sugar rush) Cambs I Captain that bounced into the Babington sports hall, followed by the energetic (ahem) Paul, and then by Min’s usual chilled out stride. 

The singles were always going to be close, and they didn’t disappoint. Although Paul struggled against the consistency of one of the White twins, Min glided his way to win 22-20 against the other White twin. It was then the nail biting, heart racing, couldn’t watch it was that close ladies singles that really got the crowd cheering. Both went to three sets and came down to the last couple of points. Nat narrowly missed out in a 22-20 3rd end, while Alison, playing her debut singles, managed to fight back after being a few points down to take her third set 25-23.

So we went into the doubles 2-2, already a significantly better score than the previous 4-0 result. 

It was the debut match for Vicky Norris, and Daniel Bates also stepped in to play in the doubles. Although not winning their games, once settled into the faster pace of play they both picked up their games and did themselves proud. 

Despite being without their strongest man, Tom Armstrong, Leicester’s men proved too strong and took all 4 games. With a strong ladies side, the pairing of Vicky and Alison also lost both their doubles. It was a good day for the 1st ladies pair as Nat and Sara stepped up their game and looked in control throughout, taking both games in two sets. 

That meant that we were going into the mixed needing two games to get that all important bonus point, and the mixed 1 & 2 pairing didn’t disappoint. The new pairing of Min & Alison, followed by the regular pairing of Si & Nat stormed their games to both win in two sets. Once again demonstrating the strength of Cambs mixed.

So prior to this game Leicestershire’s worse score had been an 11-4 win, therefore a 9-6 score was a good result for Cambs I.

There were several strong performances making selecting a player of the match tough, but it deservingly went to Alison Meijers for her enthusiasm for playing singles, willingness to step into whatever position was needed, and for meeting the challenge set by winning her singles and mixed.
 
Thanks also to Min for baking (another ahem needed), and more importantly for also buying brownies

The team: Mindaugas Dabasinskas, Paul Heads, Simon Woodhouse, Daniel Bates, Natalie Taylor, Vicky Norris, Sara Cunnington (c), Alison Meijers.

Match report by Sara Mason.

More information about results of the Cambs I team is available on the Team Page.

Apollo Charity Championships Charity Badminton Tournament

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Apollo Badminton Club are excited to announce their first annual Charity Badminton Championships, to be held at Vivacity Werrington Leisure Centre on the Sunday 13th April 2014 from 10am to 6pm. The one day event provides an opportunity to take on the areas best in; Mens and Ladies Singles, Doubles and Mixed doubles. Each event costs £6 to enter and guarantees at least three matches per discipline, with the early rounds being played in a round robin format. In addition to tournament play, there will also be a number of extra competitions to take part in, with a fastest smash competition (using a speed gun), 60 second rally challenge and badminton skittles! 

The proceeds of this tournament will be going to Little Miracles, a Peterborough based charity who provide support for children with additional needs, disabilities and life limiting conditions, and recently appeared on DIY SOS!

As well as being a great opportunity to raise money for charity, it is a great chance to bring all badminton players from the local area together for a fun filled day of action. Plus, to reward your efforts on the court, The Ploughman pub across the road from the centre will be providing some post-tournament refreshments for everyone to enjoy!

The closing date for entries is 28th March, so please spread the word!