Gobi Finds it Tough in Germany - but Wins Bronze in Singles!

Gobi reports: The tournament consisted of 17 Nations, and over 100 competitors across the different disability categories. Some of the nations that took part included Spain, The Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Japan, India, Israel and Turkey.  Read the rest of Gobi's report by clicking here

Herts Youth Games

Another great annual Youth Games took place at the weekend at Herts Sports Village. A full report and more photos will follow soon, but in the meantime here are the final rank of the Districts in the Badminton Tournament: 

1st North Herts, 2nd Hertsmere, 3rd Three Rivers, 4th Watford, 5th Welwyn Hatfield, 6th East Herts, 7th St Albans, 8th Dacorum.

Thanks, particularly to Barbara Lewczynska Tournament Organiser and Gill Bartlett for score entries, Team managers and Coaches for coaching and organising their teams and Herts Sports Partnership for the overall organisation and funding, Tony Marmo, Herts Senior Competitions Manager, and all the players (who played their socks off!) and their parents/carers. 

Gail Emms, MBE

Gail Emms, born in Hitchin and coached for 8 years by Bill Goode at University of Hertfordshire and who regularly plays for the county, was awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List,12th June, for her services to badminton.  Paul Widdicombe, Herts Chairman of Selectors, sent her HBA's congratulations.

See also, BE's report  and Gail's 'cv' on BE  website

Helena Lewczynska Herts County Player of the Season

                                              click here for a larger copy

Helena received the Senior County Player of the Season Trophy and medal from HBA President Bob Walsh at Herts AGM 1st June: Chairman of Selectors, Paul Widdicombe reported:

 'Helena started the season playing for our senior county 3rd team with great success.
  After the first two matches she was asked to play for our 2nd team in Premier B and won matches against tough senior opponents.
At the final Premier A weekend of the season Rachel Howard dropped out of the 1st team the night before and Helena came up with no hesitation and won singles matches over that weekend.
To continually step up and meet these challenges Helena is worthy winner of Herts Senior Player of the Season for  2008/9.'

Great Herts Junior County Successes!

Dear All,

 I know that the Committee would wish to share in congratulating our under 13 and under 17 teams for their stunning results this weekend.

In a less than easy year, our under 17’s excellent result at ICT to finish in 5^th position is a further outstanding tribute to Tony and Pat.

For the under 13’s, may we express particular thanks to Graham Hall and Natalie Munt,  who have helped to expertly guide our younger players towards this brilliant achievement as runners up to Yorkshire.

No single e-mail can adequately express the enormity of such achievements but, on behalf of the rest of the Committee, may we express our admiration and gratitude for keeping Hertfordshire towards the forefront of junior badminton in this country.

Well done!

Ken Winchester, Chairman HSBA

Annual Herts Community Summit took place at The fielder Centre, Hatfield Monday 20th April, 2009 

This year’s free event built on the success of the 2008 summit, and attracted over 130 delegates, representing Community Sports Networks (CSNs) and voluntary sports clubs from across Hertfordshire. The evening event included:

• A variety of workshops tackling some of the key issues facing your sport, club or organisation.
• A range of exhibition stands, including organisations offering a mixture of services and support available in Hertfordshire

For copies of the presentations go to the HSP Summit webpage

End of Season Report for Herts Senior Inter-County Teams

HERTS 1st TEAM
Herts 1st team finished 2nd in Premier A three points behind winners Yorkshire TODAY.
Three excellent wins at the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes gave them 2nd spot after winning Premier B last season.
An 8-2 win over Notts, followed by a 6-4 win over Warwickshire and a 6-4 win over Essex.
Congratulations to the squad this weekend - Gail Emms, Natalie Munt, Liza Smith, Suzanne Rayappan, Kelly Matthews, Helena Lewczynska, Richard Doling, Dean George, Lee Perry, George Bevan & Victor Liew.  Dean George was named 1st team player of the season.
HERTS 2nd TEAM
Herts 2nd retained their place in Premier B after a tense weekend in Nottingham.
A 5-5 draw with eventual league winners Middlesex, followed by a 6-4 win over Avon and a defeat against promotion challengers Cheshire completed the weekend.
Well done to the squad and team Manager Ian Mulligan.
Squad this weekend - Laura Cousin, Kate Lester, Frankie Edelman, Jo Goode, Charity Barnes, Andy Walden, David Westwood, Ryan McCarthy, Brian Lockie & Pete Gooden.
HERTS 4th TEAM
After gaining promotion last season, the team did exceptionally well and retained their place in division 3.
Team Manger Colin Walker gave opportunities to several aspiring young players.
Michelle McClements was named player of the season.
Further update to follow after the 3rd teams last fixture on 5th April and the national under 21 team event at HSV on 18th/19th April.
Regards
Paul Widdicombe

Gobi successfully defends his Men’s Singles title

The 4 Nations Disabled Badminton Championships took place this weekend in Largs, Scotland where I successfully defended my Men’s Singles title from the 4 Nations in Liverpool back in February. I was runner-up in the Men’s doubles along with another new partner for this tournament, 18yr old Owen Kilburn from Nottingham.

 You can see a list of the scores and results of my matches on the link .

   This event followed on from Liverpool with a handicapping points system as all wheelchair categories were integrated. As a Level 3 Player, Level 2 opponents were given a +3 start against me, and Level 1 opponents a +6 start which added to the challenge. Of my opponents, Greg Smith (Sco) and Rowan Crossman (Eng) were Level 2 Players, and David Follet (Eng) a Level 3. With Blaise Hughes (NI), and my opponent in the final Ryan MaDonald (Sco) being Level 3s

The photo’s attached are of me with the winners and runners-up plates, and with my doubles partner Owen.

Thanks once again to all of you who have supported and spurred me onto another success, in particular to my parents, my coach Kelly Matthews, and Herts Sports Village and Gosling Sports Park.

I’ll be back in training this week for my next tournament in Dortmund for the German Open in May.  

Kind regards

 Gobi Ranganathan

Natalie Munt, 2004 Olympian and HSBA U13 Squad Coach, lead the Practical Sessions 

at Badminton Herts Coaches Conference, 22nd February at HSV (see more on the Coaches  Page)

Gobi Stays at the Top in 4 Nations Disabled Badminton Championships - English Leg

Gobi Ranganathan, coach at Knebworth JBC, with Derek Batchelor, 

Development Board Chairman, BE

Gobi Reports: 

I’m pleased to say I retained the British Men’s Singles title again, and was runner up in the Men’s Doubles. In the Mixed Doubles, we lost in the semi finals to the eventual winners. The attached photo is with Derek Batchelor from Badminton England.

I won my group matches 15-4, 15-2 v Brian Roberts (Wales), and 15-3, 15-2 v David Crossman (Eng) and went on to win the Semi Final 15-5, 15-4 against Rowan Crossman (Eng), David’s brother.

I played against a very experienced player Dave Quarry (Eng) in the Finals on the Sunday, and came out on top with a 15-8, 15-8 victory.

I had a substitute doubles partner again for this tournament as Ryan MacDonald my regular partner was unavailable to play. Brian Roberts and I were paired together for the first time and won all but one of our group matches and lost the Final to Dave Quarry and Kevin Bettany (Eng) 15-9, 15-13.

My mixed doubles partner Sharon Barnes and I were runners up in the Group B and lost out in the semi-final to Group A Winners Dave Quarry and Kirsty Hamish (Sco) who went on to win the Mixed Doubles final.

Thanks again for to all of you who’ve given me support and helped me to another successful tournament, particularly my coach Kelly Matthews and also to all at Herts Sports Village and Gosling Sports Centre for their help and use of facilities.

Kind regards

 Gobi Ranganathan  

BADMINTON England today took a giant step towards delivering its promise to develop the game at club level like never before after receiving a Sport England award of £20.8m spread over the next four years.

The funding, which is an increase of £7.5million on the previous four-year period, comes just two weeks after receiving £8.6m from UK Sport's Elite Funding Programme geared  to producing Team GB badminton medallists at London 2012.  

Click here for BADMINTON England website announcement.

Click here for Sport England's full list of sports and their funding.

Herts Talented Athletes Recognised on Herts Sports Partnership Website

Top Herts Athletes in the HSP scheme are now tracked on the Talented Athlete section of the HSP website - click here.

Helena Lewczynska and Emily Westwood at  Herts Open in August

For example for November it shows: 

 Helena Lewczynska
Northumberland U19 England team, won team gold
Individual competition, ladies singles qtr/final, ladies doubles qtr/final.

 Emily Westwood
U19 Northumberland International Team Event: Doubles for England (with Helena Lewczynska, against Sweden and with Haley Rogers (Ch) against Scotland): WON both games.

2008 achievements are provided on each athletes' webpage:  Helena's,  Emily's, Mark Sadler's

Gobi Triumphs in the 4 Nations Disabled Badminton Championships - Irish Leg

Gobi Ranganathan managed to retain the Men’s Singles title, and regain the Men’s Doubles title in Lisburn, Northern Ireland weekend, 23rd November.  He reports:

 'I won my two group matches in the Singles event 21-12, 21-13 v Steve McGrath (Wales) and 21-5, 21-7 v Blaise Hughes (N Ireland) before winning my semi final 21-15, 21-5 against Damien Hallett (Wales). I faced Ryan MacDonald (my doubles partner from Scotland) in the final where I won 21-15, 21-14.

 Ryan and I were able to team up again for the doubles (after his absence in Wales), and won all our 4 group matches before beating Damien and Steve (the current title holders from the Welsh Leg) 21-8, 21-16.

I didn’t get a chance to do a Mixed Doubles as I didn’t have a partner to play with but still pleased, particularly as I didn’t drop a single game over the whole weekend.

Thanks to all of you again for helping me throughout this year – the court time, funding, and general support and encouragement. I really couldn’t have achieved any of this without your support and assistance. It’s rounded off what has been a fantastic year for me so thanks again.

My sights are set on the English leg in Liverpool (13-15th Feb ’09) and also the German Open in Dortmund in May. The European Championships date and venue has yet to be announced but there are also plans for a World Championships in Korea too. All going well, I’m hoping to take part in those so I can fly the flag for Stevenage and England.

In the meantime, thank you all so much for your continued support.

Best wishes

Gobi'

Attendees Start the UKCC level 1 Coaches Course at Jim MacDonald Centre, Hatfield

Twelve attendees started the first of the 3-day UKCC Level 1 Coaches course at Jim MacDonald Centre, Hatfield, 9th November. The tutor is Dave Jones, centre. 10 of  these took the final assessment, 30th November, and they all passed: Philip Skinner and Laura McLaren (Baldock), Dominic Benson (Watford), Barbara and Craig Jacobs (Bishop's Stortford), Daniel Rogers (St Albans), June Seaman and Neale Burgess (Luton) and Leanne Clark and Sofia Masood (UofH)

Congratulations to all of them!

Gosling Sports Park and Welwyn Hatfield Celebrate the Refurbishment of the Sports Hall

The Open day celebrated the culmination of work over several years of the Community Club Development  Programme project team.  Click here for a full report and more photos.  

HSBA Tournaments for Various Ages at Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre

See HSBA Website for Results

Hertfordshire Badminton Association

Badminton Festival

Sunday 2^nd November 2008 at Herts Sports Village was a great success!

Malcolm Jellows, BDO, Liz Bateman event organiser and Bob Walsh, HBA President

Very many badminton players attended the event with options on coaching trying new kit, etc.  Thanks to Liz - and all -  for a successful day. Full report to follow..  

Badminton Herts Communication:  Performance Centre on Hold

Many of you have heard that HBA, HSBA and several Premier Clubs have been working hard for the last twelve months to set up a Performance Centre in Hertfordshire. This is an initiative proposed by BADMINTON England to improve the level of badminton, and in particular singles, across England.

Unfortunately, unexpected difficulties have since arisen and we have had to put it on hold.  You can read the full statement ‘here’.

Hertfordshire Restricted 2008

Mens Doubles at Herts Restricted, at HSV, 28&29th September

 This year saw the biggest entry for the Singles events with 18 Men and 6 Women! Andrew Walden reclaimed his Herts Men’s Singles title by beating Ryan McCarthy 21-16, 21-14 in the final.

The Women’s Singles saw Helena Lewczynska and Emily Westwood emerge as winners of their respective boxes with Emily winning the title for the first time with a score of 21-19, 21-16

There were 6 pairs in the Women’s Doubles, 13 pairs in the Men’s Doubles and 11 pairs in the Mixed.

In the Women's, Helena Lewczynska/Emily Westwood and Daniella Farsiani/Jo Goode were the winners of each box.  The final went to three ends with Helena and Emily taking the title with a score of 20-22, 23-21, 21-12.

George Bevan and Victor Liew were the top seeds in the Men’s Doubles with Andrew Walden and Chris Holt in the second seed position. George and Victor proved too strong for the second seeds and took the title 21-16, 21-11.

The Mixed final was another three ender with the unseeded pair coming out the winners.  Nigel Tao and Charlotte Willis beat Douglas Furze and Helena Lewczynska 18-21, 21-14, 21-12.

See the complete results as an Excel Spreadsheet, by clicking here.

Lynne Parker, HBA Tournament Organiser.

Read more about the Herts Open and Restricted and see more photos in the next HBA newsletter, end of October.