NDBA Development Strategy
- 2002 Update

Introduction

The Berkshire County Badminton Association (BCBA) is supporting the development initiatives of the Badminton Association of England (BAofE) by convening a Development sub-Committee and appointing a County Development Officer (DO). The Development Officer will work in each area of the county in co-ordination with the relevant District Association and with the local council and education authority.

The Newbury and District Badminton Association (NDBA) is committed to developing badminton in the West Berkshire area and through its associated clubs. It therefore welcomes the BAofE and BCBA initiative and will support it (including financially where it is able). In discussion with the Development Officer, the NDBA Executive Committee has formulated the following Development Strategy.

Strategy Period

This strategy has been running for a year and looks forward approximately three years; whilst agreed actions are stated for the coming year, aspirations only are outlined for the later part of the period. This allows immediate action to be seen in a longer-term context, but retains flexibility to alter course slightly depending on initial results. The strategy will be updated annually. This is the first update (dated July 2002).

Junior Badminton

The greatest development effort and resource should go into junior badminton. The District has two junior clubs: the Newbury & District Junior Badminton Club (NDJBC) plays on Monday evenings (and Wednesday evenings in 2001/2) and has a membership of about 25 between the ages of 10 and 16; the Kennet Sports Centre, Thatcham organises a club on Saturday mornings for similar numbers and ages. Both clubs are run by volunteers who are mainly players in local clubs or parents or both; most possess the basic Leaders Award.

School Demonstrations
The first effort should be to secure a steady (not overwhelming) stream of younger children to join these existing clubs. The best way of doing this would be to persuade primary schools to allow demonstrations and try-outs of badminton during PE lessons (other sports have used this approach successfully); information on the two clubs would be provided through the schools to the pupils. This requires two actions:

  • establish a team of local players with Leaders Awards who are willing to commit time during school hours (either persuade those with Awards to make time or sponsor those willing to make time through the Award) - NBDA (the people and the Leaders Award course - see below) [no progress made on this in 2001/2]
  • work out the approach to primary schools through the West Berkshire Education Authority [no progress made on this in 2001/2].

Neither of these is likely to able to be sorted out in time for the 2002/3 academic year and badminton season. It might be possible to arrange one or two pilot sessions perhaps through personal contacts with specific schools.

Badminton Day
A moderately successful Badminton Day was held in November 2001 and some lessons were learned about timing and advertising. It is agreed that this should be repeated in Autumn 2002. This requires the following actions:

  • seek sponsorship for a venue through W Berks Council / EA - DO
  • advertise through the primary schools (via W Berks EA) - DO
  • find Coaches / Leaders to run the day - NDBA (with DO assistance)

Further Development
On the assumption that the above initiatives are successful in producing more junior players, the following needs to be considered in the longer term:

  • open a third junior club at a different venue / time (ie. continue to encourage players to become Leaders) and / or
  • open a Youth Section / Club to take the better / older players on from the existing Junior Clubs. [The NDJBC ran Wednesday evenings for such a group last season, but it is not clear if this will continue

Senior Badminton

Whilst junior badminton is the obvious priority, the existing corps of senior players should not be ignored. There is plenty of scope for improving the standard of badminton at all levels from those who play socially in the affiliated clubs to regular first division players. The appointment and routine employment of Club Coaches (with at least Part I qualification) would be a good first step in this direction. Whilst this is essentially a club matter, the NDBA and DO can provide stimulus and encouragement as follows:

  • recognise the coaches by publishing their names in the handbook [no progress on this in 2001/2.
  • ask them to staff a NDBA-sponsored (i.e. venue found and expenses underwritten) Coaching Day for all players in NDBA clubs [scheduled for September 2002.
  • provide funding assistance for Leaders Awards and Part I Coach courses [NDBA has obtained funding (of £2,025) from Awards for All for to be used over the next year.
  • organise (i.e. provide venue and instructor) a Leaders Award course [new in 2002/3.]

Conclusion

It is believed that all the above represent practical steps within the capability and potential funding of NDBA, its clubs, the DO and the W Berks and Newbury College authorities. This strategy paper should be shared widely with these bodies.

NDBA Executive Committee
July 2002

Addendum
Successes and Failures 2001/2

Successes
Badminton Day
Coaching Day (tbc)
Grant Funding for Coaching Qualifications

Failures
Leaders for Badminton into Primary Schools
Nomination of Club Coaches

Click here to view the original Development Strategy document issued by the Exec Committee in June 2001

Click here to view the 2002 Update

Click here to view the 2003 Update

Click here to view the 2004 Update

Click here to view the 2005 Update

This page was last updated: August 17, 2005

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