Geraldton squad continues strong tradition of badminton as National Championship looms

Badminton stars from Geraldton will make the cross-country trip to compete in the National Badminton Championships in Ballarat next week.

The Under 17s Junior Team will take part in team events for the first three days, and then individual events across the last five days of the competition.

The squad was selected in June and the team was announced at the end of July. They have been training twice a week, along with the juniors taking part in the Senior Competiton A Grade Pennants teams.

Geraldton has had a strong badminton history being the only team in Australia that competes as its own State.

This started in the 1980s when the entire WA State team consisted of players from Geraldton — who didn’t see the need to travel to Perth to train.

Badminton Australia saw the strength in Geraldton and allowed them to enter as a team and this tradition continues to this day with the latest squad.

It will be the first National Championships since 2019 as the last two competitions were cancelled due to COVID.

Coach Michelle McDonald said the squad continues a proud history of badminton for the region.

“We have had several players over the years go from the Under 17s Geraldton team, move to Senior State teams, Australian teams and also represented Australia at a junior level and then even at the Commonwealth Games winning medals,” she said.

“A few of our players over the years have also received Top 10 Player Australian Rankings and were also selected to captain State WA and Australian Teams.”

She also said steps were being taken to ensure the success of not only this squad but of talent in the region for years to come.

“Our under 17’s Squad and team along with the coaches and the Association will also now be working with Darren Winterbine from the Midwest Academy of Sport for the first time.”

“The team will learn more about nutrition, sleep, sports psychology, strength and conditioning, sports science and body recovery.

“We have also started an under 12’s Development Squad where kids are introduced to the important basic fundamentals of badminton at a younger age, which will assure by the time they start the Under 17s Development Squad their skill level and ability to adapt to structured training sessions will be at a greater level.”

The championships are scheduled to get under way on Saturday, September 24.