Smash Hits - Happy New Year

Dear Members,

Firstly, I wish you and your families a happy, healthy and successful 2017.

In addition to the Badminton Participation Survey we undertook last year, the Australian Sports Commission released AusPlay survey results that show that badminton is ranked in a healthy top 30 position against other physical activities and sports when it comes to adult participation (169,700), however ranks lower as an organised activity for children (8,900). In both instances, badminton is positioned only slightly ahead of its racket sport relatives squash and table tennis. Results from these surveys will be shared with Members.

As you are now preparing to encourage your members to renew their affiliation with us, remember to consider membership options for a diverse range of participants - from new (beginner) participants, to regular (non-elite) participants, to competitive (elite) participants. There are some helpful articles from Sports Community about membership modelling and engaging members at club level.

Shuttle Time is embraced as one of the best and most resourced grassroots sporting program anywhere in the world. Many thanks to Badminton WA for presenting a Shuttle Time Teacher’s Course to an audience of school teachers at their local ACHPER Conferences in November 2016. I'm looking forward to promoting Shuttle Time with Badminton ACT at the ACHPER International Conference in Canberra next week. Badminton Australia has secured support from Badminton Oceania and Yonex Australia for the supply of badminton school sets for Shuttle Time activities in Australia. We would be happy to offer resources and equipment to support Members, affiliates, schools and coaches for regular Shuttle Time development activities, competitions, and events. Note, as data capture is key to the continuation of any investment, the online Shuttle Time participation form has also been refreshed for 2017.

The inaugural 2016 Australian Para-Badminton Championships and Training Camp was a success, with over 40 people (including carers, coaches, players, officials) being part of the event. The invitations for the 2017 Australian Para-Badminton Championships and Training Camp (24-28 Feb) have been issued, to coincide with the able-bodied national championships. This event will also be a compulsory event for any players who are seeking selection and/or financial assistance for international events in 2017. It is an exciting time for the sport, as we now look to nurture new talent towards high performance.