Talk Sport: Badminton booming in the Bay

Badminton continues to grow in the Bay of Plenty. Photo / File

Talk Sport with Delwyn Cooper, BayTrust CoachForce Badminton development officer

Get ready — the 2018 badminton season is about to start.

Bay of Plenty Badminton clubs around the region will be starting up over the next few weeks and the Bay of Plenty Badminton website has all the information about the clubs and contact details.

The website also has information on upcoming events. Highlights include:

• Bay of Plenty masters, veterans and super veterans rep team trials will be held at the Rotorua Badminton Hall, Tarewa Pl on Sunday from 9.30am. Bay of Plenty Badminton Association will be entering the following teams in the competition that is run by Badminton New Zealand across the country: Masters division 2, 3 and 5 (players turning 35+ in 2018), veterans division 1 and 4 (for players turning 50+ in 2018), and super veterans division 2 (for players turning 60+ in 2018).

• Bay of Plenty junior rep team trials will be held on March 25 at the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre, Tauranga. We will be looking for players for under-13s, under-15s, under-17s, under-19s (you need to be under the age as at December 31, 2018).

• Bay of Plenty Badminton Association annual general meeting will be held on Sunday at Rotorua Badminton Hall, Tarewa Pl starting at 2.30pm. All welcome.

Badminton is definitely growing in popularity in New Zealand and here in the Bay of Plenty region, we are seeing big increases in the number of people playing both socially and competitively.

Across the region there are 10 affiliated clubs with 1000-plus members, increased number of schoolchildren playing and many many more casual players.

Bay of Plenty Badminton is one of 25 associations across the country but based on population, we are the seventh largest. We are also one of the leading associations in the country delivering playing and coaching opportunities to all people across our community.

For anyone wanting to get involved with badminton to either play socially at a club or trial for a representative team, please visit the Bay of Plenty Badminton website.

If you are interested in anything badminton in the Bay of Plenty, contact Delwyn Cooper the Bay Trust CoachForce Badminton development officer on bopbadminton@xtra.co.nz or 027 212 4720 or visit the Bay of Plenty Badminton website.