WMPC Times – Issue 1 December 2017

Read all about it in the WMPC Times first edition – December 2017

WMPC Times – Issue 1

Some of the term’s news and results are highlighted in the first West Midlands Performance Centre’s Newsletter the ‘WMPC Times’. The WMPC Times is written by its editor Peter Clegg. One of the coaches and players at the Performance Centre.

Talking to the players he takes their information and re-lives it on paper so that other members of the PC can join in their success.

Congratulations to all the players features in this first issue of the WMPC Times, on their achievements over the Autumn term.

If you have entered your first tournament OR had have your first success at a tournament, your experiences and you views on the competition and it results are items of interest to all. Then why not get them published in the WMPC Times.

Contact Peter Clegg on 07449 974861 or PXC486@student.bham.ac.uk

Developing Team 2 – Manchester Inter PC

Did the Developing Team 1 and/or Team 2 follow in the Raw Teams footstep from yesterday?

As with the Raw yesterday we were hoping that this year the DEV groups would yield success for the WMPC. This year we entered two DEVELOPING teams on Sunday 12th July.

Team 1 – Amy Gravett, Kiara Henry, Selina Liang and Ed Groves.
Team 2 Sam White, Chris Maneffa, Joe Ball and Matt Bickerton.

Same Rules as yesterday players ranked in singles ability (see Raw Teams HERE) etc. The start was scheduled for the same time as Saturday, but with less teams, start of play was a little more laid back. Most of the players being a little older meant the early start was not so much of a shock to the system and players were keen to get on with it.
Team 1 with 4 in the group saw opponents Potteries, Cumbria 1 and Bolton. Match results saw 3-2, 1-4 and 0-5. Team 1 was first up whilst Team 2 spectated and supported big style. It was commented on my other teams how good the support and encouragement from the side line was.The first two games we’re hard fought. Evey point was worked hard for and won. They went in to the last game needing to win to stand a chance. However, one of the team members fell ill and was unable to play. With a team member down it was impossible. We changed the team round and other team members played knowing that their scores would not count but still they played and played well. Doing themselves proud. At the end of the match it was time to go home and they could travel home knowing they had played some great games.
Team 2, their draw saw Cheshire 2 (an all girls team), Bolton 1 and Merseyside. Match results 5-0, 5-0 and 3-2. First up Cheshire, the girls played well and pushed the lads hard. The lads kept their cool, stayed focused and although the girls battled for every point the strength of the boys prevailed for the win. Bolton saw some closer scores with one game going to 23-21, well done Sam and Matt. All on the last game as Merseyside had also won two matches. If we won this one it was though to the play offs. Everything to play for. Joe was up first and wow what a singles game. Two points one way, two points the other way, 20 all. Every point counts Joe was just pipped 23-25 a well played game from both sides long rallies, waiting for the right moment and the right shot to win the point. Chris and Sam up next they stayed focused to win 21-15. Matt up next for the second singles, a whippet springs to mind running from side to side to get each shot back. Worth every step to deservedly take the win at 21-19. Joe and Sam up next a good game but the opponents experience partnership shine through to win 15-21. This left the match at 2 games all. Everything was on the last end. Chris and Matt stepped on to court, everything to play for. The first half saw the lads 6-11 down, but a quick pep talk and they went out all guns blazing. Long rallies with Matt on the floor diving for the shuttle to get it back. What team work and determination fighting for every point to triumph with a fabulous 21-17 win. Team managers shock hands with the comment of ‘that match could have been the final’. Everything that you wanted to see.

Team 2 Deserved Broze

Team 2 Deserved Broze

So through to the play-offs, if nothing else we are guaranteed a Bronze, first up the lads meet Cumbria. Very close games put us 2-1 up. It was all on the doubles we just needed one game. Two very close games, losing both to 19 and 16. Overall 2-3 to Cumbria. Now to redeem ourselves taking on Manchester. Although after two games we were 0-2 down both games lost to 19. So not a lot in it really. I think the early start and long hard matches were starting to take its toll. Lost the next two games but Matt and Chris fought back in the last game to make it 1-4. So Bronze it was, well deserved I thought. Well done lads and thank you for making my job easy. So proud of all of the teams. Both of the Raw teams and both of the Developing teams. Heres to next year.

Raw Team 1 – At the Inter Performance Centre Tournament – Manchester

Could either Team 1 OR Team 2 prove successful?

The Inter-PC in Manchester last year saw some success for West Midlands PC players. We were hoping that this year would yield similar results. This year we entered two RAW teams on Saturday 11th. (See also Sunday 12th Developing Teams HERE).

Team 1, Beth Hambling, Joe Kamara, Liam Heneghan and Rohit Kale.
Team 2, Andrew Jiang, Rhea Sibal, Dileep Dhanda and Daniel Vazey.

Team 1 and Team 2 players had to be ranked in singles ability. Fortunately the Teams were in different Groups and both teams had to play a number of Matches. Games order :- first singles, doubles (not singles players), second singles, doubles with first singles player, last doubles with second singles player. Each player took part in two games per match.
Play was due to commence at 9.15, meaning an early rise, a long drive with players walking throughout the sports hall door still with a bed head on. This needed to be shaken off quickly as the start was prompt.
Team 2 with 4 in the group saw opponents Cumbria 2, Manchester and Colne 2. Match results saw 4-1, 5-0 and 0-5. Although we had two wins the teams where reasonably even in strength, with several game scores of 17 and 19. The last game was totally different. It was visually obvious what we lacked in this game was physically strength, petite players against young adults. Although well fought games the shear size of the opposition mean very little got past them. Sadly it meant mid-afternoon, tracks for home were started for Team 2.

Team 1 medals in hand

Team 1 medals in hand

Team 1 with 5 in the group saw opponents Bolton 2, Cheshire, Manchester and Merseyside. Match results saw 5-0, 3-2, 4-1 and 3-2. Team spirit was good and each player went on court determined to give their all. The score line show this with the last group game need to be won so they they could go through to the play-offs.
The play-offs saw three teams all guaranteed at least a Bronze medal. Two matches left these were expected to be harder games. Having fought hard in the first round the next two games proved a little to much for Team 1. Although mentally up for it, physically the body language was telling a different story. Score lines of 15s, 17s and 19s unfortunately don’t show in the 5-0,5-0 defeats. Presented with their Bronze medals it mean the journey home would be more enjoyable. 

Mom talks about badminton success for her son

New badminton player Joe Kamara joined the West Midlands Performance Centre recently. His mom tells us about his success so far. Click HERE.

BISI Festival Winners – Win badminton coaching prize.

West Midlands Performance Centre in conjunction with Badminton England organised a BISI festival in Birmingham to coincide with the Yonex All England Championships 2012. The participating school visited the NIA to spectate. The went to the Doug Ellis Sports Centre where 9 schools took part in the festival. The team names consisted of ‘players names’ seeing ‘Donna Kellogg’ George Dixon International School, triumph with a convincing 1518 points. Second place saw a close battle between ‘Jenny Wallwork’ Ninestiles School and ‘Nathan Robertson’ Smiths Wood College with only 15 points difference. See HERE for full details. George Dixon has won a Badminton Coaching session for the school as the prize. This will be delivered by Stephanie Cartwright-Randle – Development Officer for the PC.

And the winners are ……….?

The boys singles ran very smoothly, despite several contestants not turning up on the day. With the fantastic volunteers organising the event, time was made up. The boys singles semi-finals produced two worthy finalists. Rob Lowes took an early lead, but Matthew Smith clawed an important 3 points back to give 20-20. The next few rallies were nail-bitingly tease for spectators. Rob Lowes came up thrumps with a 26-24 victory.

The results are in CLICK HERE for the full Results