SUSSEX SCHOOLS BADMINTON NEWSLETTER

 

                ISSUE 10 (Online Version) - JUNE 2004

 

Welcome to the last newsletter of this season.  The trial dates and times are included so keep it handy ready for September.  I have not had much news on results due to my email going up the creak but I now have a new email treelarge@hotmail.com and if there is any news you would like me to include in the first newsletter next season please let me know.  I also have regular contact with the Evening Argus but I cannot pass information on if  no-one lets me know.  I also can be contacted at 01273 388876 or 4, Jubilee Road, Portslade, BN41 1SU.  Franky Wiyanta does a tremendous job on our website www.ssba.co.uk - take a look for regular updates. Teresa Large.

 

AGM  DATE

Everyone is very welcome to attend our AGM at Portslade Sports Centre in the managers office, Tuesday 20th July at 7.45pm.

 

HOME COUNTIES REPORT BY LUKE THOMSON

We arrived at Luton airport and we prepared to check our luggage in.  We had all checked in expect Wendy Taylor, Caroline Felton and Andrew Brunning because they didn't bring their passports, the airline would not let them fly without their passports even though we were only going to Glasgow.  In the end they let Caroline and Andrew on the plane but Wendy had to drive to Glasgow with Caroline's dad.  She was hoping to make the team match in the evening.

We all arrived in Glasgow, got to our hotel and then we went down to get something to eat and after that we went to the hall to do some training before the match against Wales in the evening.

Wendy finally arrived just before the opening ceremony.  We played Wales beating them 9-1.  The following day we played Ireland and we beat them 6-4 and then came the BIG match against Scotland. We got off to a great start leading 2-0, then Scotland caught up 2-2.  The final result was 4-6 to Scotland.  We had put up a great fight, Scotland had finally beaten England, the first time for several years. 

Then came the individual event.  In the mixed doubles I played with Gabby White and we beat the No1 seeds in the semis (Stephen McPhail and Linda Sloan).  We won the final 15-6 and 15-5.  Andrew Brunning reached the quarters of the singles, Fontaine Chapman reached the semis of the singles but Gabby won the singles again by beating Linda Sloan.  Ben Stawski and I lost in the doubles semis and Gabby won her third gold medal by winning the final of the girls doubles by beating Kate Robertshaw and Alssia Lim - another English pair.  And on the way back we almost saw Joan Collins.

I will just explain about the Joan Collins bit - according to Jason there was a rumour that she was at the airport and it was a case of missing the plane or waiting to see Joan Collins - no contest eh? The plane it had to be!

 

SHIRES LEAGUE FINALS - UNDER 15'S

The under 15 team came 4th in the Shires League Finals at Leicester on 23rd May, the team was Luke Thomson, Alasdair Hall-Jones, Chris Clarke, Sam Lock, James Curry, Felicity Porter, Helen Merrett, Justine Thomson, Tessa Saunders. 

 

VANCANCIES

We have two posts to be filled for next season - Chairman and Match Secretary if anyone is interested in these posts please contact Chris Byerley on 01903 233330.   

 

Badminton Writers Luncheon by Jason Large

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens was the setting for this Annual Awards Luncheon held on the 12th of March 04 just before the quarter finals of the All England Championships.

I had been invited to attend this famous and traditional luncheon by Finn Trearup Hansen on behalf of the "Elite" department of the Badminton Association for my "valued and committed contribution to the development of English Badminton"

The luncheon provides the opportunity to present the "Dorothy Hinchcliff Junior player of the year award, and the Badminton Writers Assn Player of the Year Award".

David Mercer from BBC television was the compere, with guest speaker Simon Clegg OBE (Chief Executive of the British Olympic Association).

The first award was presented jointly to Chris Langridge (Surrey) and Robin Middleton (Yorks) as young players of the year, and I was honoured that Chris mentioned in his speech that I was responsible for turning him in to an International Player. I felt very proud to have helped Chris develop his game over the past three seasons, and in fact It was me that first played Robin and Chris together as a pair.

Next came the Senior player award, which this year went to Tracey Halam (Staffs) for winning the National Championships for the first time.

Simon Clegg gave a very interesting speech regarding the Olympic's in Athens, and the positive support given by Labour Mayor of London Ken Livingstone for the London Olympic bid for 2012.

It is a great honour that the work I have put in to Badminton over the past fifteen years was  recognized, and I feel encouraged by the fact that the Badminton Writers recognize the value of rewarding up and coming young players as well as Senior players. I hope that some more Sussex players (four so far) will have the ambition to achieve these awards in future.

 

TRIAL DATES

4th September 2004 at Portslade Sports Centre

Under 11's - New Hall 12 midday to 2pm

Under 13's - 11am to 2pm

Under 15's - 2pm to 4pm

Under 17's - 4pm to 6pm

 

UNDER 11 SINGLES CHALLENGE BY HOWARD WALLIS

Sussex came 5th overall in the regional qualifying rounds at Slough on 15th May.  Jack Thomson came first and Marilyn Messenger came 4th which meant these two players were able to continue to the finals which were held at the National Badminton Centre in  Milton Keynes on 12th June.

4 regions took part, North, Midlands, South West and South East.  South East was represented by Hertfordshire, Surrey, Essex, and Sussex.  South East region came third and in the individual singles event Jack Thomson came 6th and Marilyn Messenger came 13th - which are excellent results considering this is the whole of the country.  24 boys and 24 girls took part.  The South East also achieved 1st in the girls and 2nd in the boys.

 

Under 17 6-NATION INTERNATIONAL

The Under 17 6 Nations were held at Milton Keynes from 22nd April to 25th April and I couldn't missed the chance of seeing my first European International as it was so near us.  So off we went to Milton Keynes for 4 days.  England started against Holland and won a comfortable 8 games to1, next up was Germany who threaten to cause an upset but England won 7 games to 2.  By this time us parents and younger siblings were well into banging thundersticks (they are plastic blow up thingy's and you bang them together very hard to make a horrid noise!), singing (well trying anyway), and shouting.  The last match of the day was against Sweden and a 7 games to 2 win earned a place in the final against Denmark the next day as long as we could beat France in the morning.  The players wander off to the lodge and us parents wandered back to the Holiday Inn Express to debate the day, organize the team for the following day and enjoy a few bottles of wine.

France was a warm up - England won 9 games to 0.  And then it was the two giants England against Denmark in the final.  The match started at 1.30 and lasted for 4 hours.  The first two games went our way, Michelle Cheung won her singles, Tom Dunlop and Jenny Wallwork won their mixed game,  the atmosphere was electric, I admired these young players from both teams for their guts to come onto court and rise to the occasion, the quality of the play was superb.  Every single point was earned and in the end England lost  4 games to 5, so near but so far away.  Every single team member could hold their heads up high, they all were truly the best in Europe.  And so off to the Holiday Inn Express for another decamp and analysis by us parents, and oh errrrr  a few more bottles of wine.

The individual event took place on Saturday with the semis to be played on the Sunday.  Dean had to play the best game of singles ever to beat the number 3 seed from Germany Dieter Domke to get through to the quarters after beating a lad from Scotland in the first round (the Scots were allowed to enter a small number of players to make the numbers up in the individual event), and his best game he did indeed produce by beating him 15-12, 9-15, and 15-12.  He lost to Mads Conrad from Denmark in the quarters but as this was played 20 minutes after this could be excused. 

Dean and Andy Ellis had played their semi of the Mens Doubles on the Saturday evening, they beat the No2 German pair which just left the final to be played on the Sunday against the No1 Danish pair (Mads Conrad and Mads Kolding) who they had lost to in the team event, in two games.  This game proved to be the most exciting of the day, Dean and Andy lost in a close 3 sets 6-15, 17-16 and 9-15.  Dean said after that the Danish pair were, at the end of the day, better…………… but only just. 

A brilliant four days of badminton and social bonding - in two years time it is England's turn to host the Under 19 6 nations and I have booked our seats already.

MBE'S

Congratulations to Jo Goode and Simon Archer who have been awarded with MBE's for their services to badminton.  I hope you will all remember my interview with Jo in my previous newsletter - she was from Sussex and I think I am right in saying that her partnership with Simon started in Sussex as he lived in Cuckfield when he was young.    

 

AND FINALLY……………..

Sussex Schools Badminton Association wish all our Under 17 players all the best as they into the Seniors next season.  I hope you all enjoy the summer break and look forward to writing my first newsletter for you next season.