Official Magazine of Badminton Ontario
Volume 2 Issue 3
Pan Am 2015 Beware: Ontario's Golden Girls Michelle Li and Alex Bruce move to 27 in the world rankings in doubles, and Michelle breaks the top 25 in singles.
Canadian Publications Mailing Agreement #40069570
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coaches corner profile: joseph rogers where are they now? hall of fame induction
With Efendi Wijaya. Question for the coach? Send an email to theshuttler@badmintonontario.ca
How mutiple concussions in hockey led him to badminton.
Jim & Nancy Lynch have been to one end of the world and back again.
Jeff Goldsworthy is inducted into Waterloo’s Athletic Hall of Fame for his excellence on the court.
christin tsai & world juniors The only junior in Canada’s history to make it to the quarter finals, Christin shares her experience.
feature: pan am games
Cover story: Michelle Li and Alex Bruce contribute big to the medal count at the Pan Am Games.
Badminton Ontario 209-3 Concorde Gate Toronto, Ontario M3C 3N7 tel: 416 426 7195 fax: 416 426 7346 www.badmintonontario.ca jolande.amoraal@badmintonontario.ca robyn.caton@badmintonontario.ca
Board of Directors President: Eduardo Gregorio eduardo.gregorio@badmintonontario.ca
Vice-President: Dave Kumar dave.kumar@badmintonontario.ca
Treasurer: Jeff Sum jeff.sum@badmintonontario.ca
Director: Warren Brownlee warren.brownlee@badmintonontario.ca
Director: Eric Lee eric.lee@badmintonontario.ca
Director: Anne Lim anne.lim@badmintonontario.ca
Director: Jordan Hearn jordan.hearn@badmintonontario.ca
Director: Harrison Choy hcbadminton@gmail.com
Director: Boris Chiu
District Presidents TDBA: Pry Gnana pry@badmintonbirds.com
WOBA: Jeff Goldsworthy goldy@golden.net
ODBA: Fei Tam kanatajrbc@yahoo.ca
COBA: Russ Le Blanc russleblanc@rogers.com
NOBA: Frank Boulanger
boriswingchiu@hotmail.com
nobafb@yahoo.ca
Director: Kevin Willington
GBDBA: Alan Henry
kevin.willington@hotmail.com
siralan.62@rogers.com
Badminton Ontario gratefully acknowledges the funding support of the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport
Above: Badminton on Ice was a popular thing in the 50’s. The picture above shows four participants posing for the press. It was taken at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto and was recently in the news commemorating the history of the Gardens, which is now home to Ryerson University and the Loblaws flagship store. www.torontoist.com
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ijaya W i d n fe with E
S E H C A
CO
R E N R O
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The Quintessence of Badminton Following are some of the quintessential elements of Badminton: 1. Enjoy the Sport 2. Mental Preparation 3. Mental Speed 4. Skill Set 5. Stamina 6. Strategy 1. Enjoy the Sport Based on my past experience coaching beginners to international players, the most important thing that a coach needs to put forth is a love of the game - a love and passion of coaching the players. The coach needs to facilitate the love and enjoyment of the sport in his/her players. The coach’s passion for the game will ignite the students’ passion so that the players will feel motivated and will strive to improve.
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2. Mental Preparation Most players are unable to perform their utmost in a tournament in comparison to their performance during training. They can get nervous and have a mental block. I teach my students to celebrate their play. Most Asian players have been taught to think this way. Being vocal on court (for instance a grunting sound while hitting a shot) is not meant to distract or disturb the opponent but is rather a form of motivation to eliminate the feeling of nervousness. The International tournament circuit is all about the mental battle on the court. We are teaching our students to focus on the game and stay calm and play their best, irrespective of how large the audience and the outcome of the game.
3. Mental Speed Most players think the reaction of their body comes from their legs and their hand. The speed of the mind in actuality is as important in the game of badminton. A slow mind can lead to defeat despite a player having good skills and physical speed. A fast mind strategizes shots ahead of time, makes quick decisions and anticipates the opponent’s shots. 4. Skill Set To become a good player one needs to master one’s skills. In badminton the right grip, basic movement, body coordination, footwork and good quality shots are crucial to being able to control one’s opponent. 5. Stamina Most sports today need stamina along with speed and power. One must be able to last longer than one’s opponent hence energy needs to be utilized properly. Cardio and light weights training with quick reflexes are necessary ingredients. 6. Strategy Last but not least, when one has developed the above, one requires strategies to play different players. One needs to know one’s own ability on the court versus the opponent’s ability. For instance, if the opponent has more speed and power but you have more stamina then emphasize patience and shots that will tire out your opponent. Hence one needs to change one’s strategies based the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. Efendi Wijaya - E Badminton Club
“the most important thing that a coach needs to put forth is a love of the game” coach Efendi
Born and raised in Ottawa, Joseph Rogers started playing badminton at the age of 13 when several concussions forced him to give up hockey. After browsing through the selection of sports offered at the RA Centre, Rogers decided to join in on a game of ‘around the world’ with the badminton club. When he won, he decided that this was his next sport. Currently the top ranked male in the country, Rogers is only focused on two things: improving his game and giving back to the community at the RA who has never stop supporting him. In Ottawa, Rogers only lived within minutes of former National Champion Stefan Wojcikiewicz and Olympian Andrew Dabeka. When he later joined the badminton club at the RA and realized he was surrounded by amazing athletes, it motivated him to win a National Championship
With the strong group of athletes surrounding him at the RA, Rogers decided that after high school he was going to pursue badminton full time. As with most other athletes, he struggled to pay for all the travelling to more competitive events. “I made the decision to really focus on badminton, but I needed the money to do it,” he says. “I was always raised that if I wanted something, my parents would do what they could to support me, but the rest was up to me. “I quickly realized that with funding in this country being almost non-existent, that I would need to have a part time job to help cover my costs. I have to work roughly 25 hours a week so I can support what I’m doing.”
at the same time, you can do it. “There is nothing wrong with going through University or College, and training as much as you can and then pursuing badminton once you have completed your education.” He admits that he sees a lot of talented juniors stop playing badminton once they pass high school. “We’re in a tough sport, not just on the court, but every aspect about it in this country makes it very difficult to keep good players
Rogers isn’t alone in his badminton career though, he has gained the support of Yonex along the way. He has also been a recipient
himself. “It’s something I’ve been trying to win for a while, but haven’t managed to pull it off yet,” he says.
of the government’s Quest for Gold program, which assists Ontario athletes on the road to the podium.
But as with pass concussions, Rogers faces other injuries slowing down his progress. “I have struggled with tendonitis issues since I was about 15 or 16,” Rogers states. “I’ve really been putting a lot of work over the past year and a half to get my body, and more importantly my knees, healthy. I’m getting there, and it’s helping my confidence as I go.”
Along with his decision to pursue badminton full time came the decision not to pursue postsecondary education. Many student-athletes face this dilemma when they reach their final years of high school, but Rogers wants you to know that there is nothing wrong with either choice. “I honestly believe that if someone wants to stay in school and pursue badminton
playing. “It is really sad to see the number of talented individuals and players with great potential who feel like there is nowhere to go with badminton so they just stop by the time juniors is done.” Throughout the years playing badminton across Canada, overseas and in his home province of Ontario, Rogers still prefers Ottawa. “I’ve chosen to stay at the RA. It’s home,” he says. The club has many talented players ...continued on page 20
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info. Upcoming tournaments National Elite Series Toronto Open January 6-8, 2012 Master Series Cedar Springs January 14, 2012 Junior Competitive (B) Series Peterborough Junior January 14-15, 2012 Junior High Performance Series U16/19 Mandarin January 28-29, 2012 Junior High Performance Series U10/12/14 Granite February 4-5, 2012 Junior Competitive (B) Series Port Hope February 4-5, 2012 Junior High Performance Series U10/12/14 Cedar Springs February 11-12, 2012 Junior High Performance Series U16/19 Lee’s February 11-12, 2012 Adult Open Series KW Valentine February 11-12, 2012
important JR HP#4 mandarin
Date Change
Due to the overlap in competition between the JR HP#4 at Mandarin Jan 21-22, 2012 and the Montreal National Junior Elite, the JR HP#4 has been reschceduled to
JAN 28-29, 2012
Above: Jessica Cheng at the Stratford JR HP event Photo by official photographer of Badminton Ontario, Mike Tjioe 2012 Adult Open Championship
Prize Purse
update: Only 2 events have taken place so far, KW Oktoberfest and Doug Grant, adding $435 to the purse which now sits at
$1435
Competition Services
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With 3 more events to come, the competition is starting to look up.
OJRS top 5 jr National
sr national
over all events
rankings by event
rankings
U19 Male 1. Nyl Yakura 2. Andrew Lau 3. Andrew Wilkinson 4. Joshua Hurlburt-Yu 5. Nathan Cheng
singles - U19 Male 3. Nyl Yakura 5. Andrew Lau 5. Andrew Wilkinson
singles - Male 1. Joseph Rogers 3. Sergiy Shatenko 4. Timothy Chiu 9. Stephan Wojcikiewicz 11. Nyl Yakura
U19 feMale 1. Bethany So 2. Vivian Kwok 3. Jody Chan 4. Kacey Tung 5. Qufei Chen U16 Male 1. Jason Ho-Shue 2. Stephen Lau 3. Jack Hall 4. Adwin Lau 5. Newton Zheng U16 feMale 1. Rachel Honderich 2. Brittney Tam 3. Michelle Tong 4. Joanne Chen 5. Caitlin Sherry U14 Male 1. Jason Ho-Shue 2. Brandon Chau 3. Clement Chow 4. Bryan Poon 5. Anson Lee U14 feMale 1. Jayme Carter 2. Michelle Cheng 3. Cecilia Zheng 4. Kelly Carter 5. Giselle Chan U12 Male 1. Kyle To 2. Nathan Lau 3. Brian Yang 4. Caleb Yang 5. Matthew Donnelly U12 feMale 1. Katie Ho-Shue 2. Jailyn Joensen 3. Belle Tuen 4. Sabrina Kong 5. Catherine Choi
doubles - U19 Male 1. Andrew Lau/Andrew Wilkinson 2. Joshua Hurltburt-Yu/Jackie Yeung 5. Nyl Yakura/Nathan Choi (BC) singles - U19 feMale 1. Bethany So 3. Qufei Chen 4. Viviak Kwok
doubles - Male 5. Kevin Li/Darren Hong (BC) 6. Brian Prevoe/Nyl Yakura 7. Tim Lam/Nathan Lee 9. Kevin Li/Joseph Rogers 12. Tommy McKee/Sergiy Shatenko
singles - female Michelle Li Doubles - U19 feMale 1. 2. Joycelyn Ko 1. Jody Chan/Stephanie Yeung 3. Suneeta Khare 2. Viviak Kwok/Bethany So 9. Reid 5. Qufei Chen/Emilie Fleury-Larocque (QC) 10.Charmaine Alex Bruce mixed doubles - U19 2. Nyl Yakura/Christin Tsai (BC) 3. Andrew Wilkinson/Jody Chan 4. Andrew Lau/Bethany So singles - U16 Male 2. Jack Hall 3. Jason Ho-Shue 6. Jonathan Lai doubles - U16 Male 7. Adwin Lau/Stephen Lau 13. Alex Le/Joshua Sham 18. Clarence Chan/Jack Hall singles - U16 feMale 1. Rachel Honderich 2. Brittney Tam 5. Michelle Tong doubles- U16 feMale 1. Rachel Honderich/Brittney Tam 3. Sarah Bowman/Jamie Wood 6. Michelle Tong/Kyleigh O’Donoghue (AB) mixed doubles - U16 1. Jason Ho-Shue/Michelle Tong 2. Jason Sun/Emily Lam 5. Jack Hall/Katherine Pastewka (QC)
doubles - feMale 1. Alex Bruce/Michelle Li 2. Joycelyn Ko/Grace Gao (AB) 6. Val Loker/Fionna McKee 7. Katie Dejak/Roxanne Fraser (QC) 8. Nicole Grether/Charmaine Reid mixed doubles 2. Michelle Li/Francois Bourret (QC) 4. Kevin Li/Alex Bruce 8. Joycelyn Ko/Adrian Liu (BC) 4. Bryan Poon 10. Nathan Lee/Tracy Wong
banner race The race for the 11.12 Championship Banner is heating up fast. It didnt take long for defending champions, Mandarin Badminton Club, to be overcome by up and coming clubs such as KC Badminton Club and E Badminton Club. However it is Mandarin’s close rival, Lee’s Badminton Training Centre, who has stolen the spotlight for the first half of the season. The have been dominating the charts with 125.5 points, a staggering 33 points over the runnerup, E Badminton Club. Lee’s Badminton Training Centre is located in Markham, Ontario and is home to Ontario’s Golden Girl, Michelle Li.
Top 5 Clubs in the Race 1. Lee’s Badminton Training Centre 2. E Badminton Club 3. Mandarin Badminton Club 4. KC Badminton Club 5. Suria Badminton Club
ontario in the World rankings Michelle Li - ranked 24 in women’s singles Stephan Wojcikiewicz - 69 in men’s singles Kevin Li & Francois Bourret (QC) - 96 in men’s doubles Michelle Li & Alex Bruce - 27 in women’s doubles Joycelyn Ko & Grace Gao (AB) - 34 in women’s doubles Joycelyn Ko & Adrian Liu (BC) - 41 in mixed doubles Charmaine Reid & Nicole Grether - 23 in women’s doubles
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Annual Girls Getaway The Ridges Badminton Club, located in the middle of the forest in Millbrook Ontario, is home to what is now the ‘Annual Girls Getaway Badminton Weekend’. Participants drove from far and wide, up to a five hour drive, to attend the weekend of badminton, fun and friendship. With two full days of well-organized and competitive badminton, sixteen ladies attended the anticipated event this past June.
“Oh the Ridges; the diamond in the woods,” says one lady, “[I am] so glad that I had the chance to have an awesome time and good smashing games with a great bunch of friends”.
“My favourite part [was] chilling in the evening, chatting with everyone off the court and generally getting to know the people behind the racquets,” says one of the ladies.
All ladies are invited to attend next year! If you are interested, please email Sheilagh O’Driscoll for more information sodrisco@sympatico.ca. “We all had such a great time,” Sheilagh states, “and isn’t that what badminton is all about?”
Some of highlights of the evening include an extensive potluck meal featuring everyone’s favourite foods, intense Scrabble matches and a sleepover at the club.
The group of women would like to thank Henry and the Ridges Badminton Club for allowing them the use of their facility and to enjoy their amazing club.
series january 14-15- 2012
Cedar Springs
$30
ADULT OPEN SERIES
2
masters
11.1
11.12
Above in no paticular order: Anne Lim, Lynn Michel, Sarah Ball, Cindy Newman, Debbie Arbor, Teresa Prevoe, Donna Nelson, Eva Karwowski, Angela Bukowski, Melissa Harvey, Trudi Tilley, Heather, Debbie Tom, Sheilagh O’Driscoll
#3kw valentines
for 1 event, or $40
for all events to a max of 5 in 2 age groups
$20
1 or more or $40for all events, max 5 inevents 2 age groups
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This is a Badminton Ontario Sanctioned EventA Competition B card membership is required
This tournament is a sanctioned Badminton Ontario event and is a part of the 11.12 Adult Open Series. A Performance A card membership is required. For more info email kwbadminton@execulink.com For series info email competitions@badmintonontario.ca
$40 1 event $50 2-3 events FEB 10-12,
2012
SERVING UP excellence in both
education and sport. 9
where are they now?
Remember the days when badminton wasn’t rally point and you played your last game at 5am and started the next day at 7:30am? Jim and Nancy Lynch do.
club. Jim focused on winning but Nancy, while also wanting to win, mentioned to her parent’s on the way home to Gravenhurst: “I’m going to marry Jim.”
From his humble beginnings in Amherst, NY young Jim only needed a tennis racquet, a ball and $5 to join a summer tennis program, make his first hit and fall in love with the sport. His coach, Bea Massman, was good friends and often partnered with Ethel Marshall, then the best female player in the world. They adopted Jim and he was off to tournaments, both tennis and badminton, in the US and Canada. Jim couldn’t stop praising the generosity and influence that Bea and Ethel had had on his life in general but especially in his development in tennis and badminton. Nancy was daughter of Cyril Vincent, a very capable player and coach who had been attracted to badminton while a student at University of Toronto and then had had to move to Gravenhurst because of the sudden death of his father. Once there he coached and ran a club out of the armories in Orillia. Nancy played and loved all sports but she was surrounded by badminton and went with the flow.
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At the age of 12 (they were born only 15 days apart) Jim and Nancy made each other’s acquaintance at a tournament at the Boulevard
By the age of 21 Jim and Nancy were married and working in Hamilton both in the field of education. History repeated itself and when Cyril suddenly died Jim and Nancy moved to Gravenhurst to look after the business and be with Nancy’s mother. By now the Lynchs are National level players and so made the trek from Gravenhurst to the Boulevard Club twice a week. (Torontonians take note of this fact! – it can be done! ). Their accomplishments over the next forty years would fill a lengthy and interesting novel. Only Nancy and Jim could ever explain how they managed to accomplish everything that they did because to the outsider it seems impossible. Their accomplishments ranged from the local to the international level in playing, coaching, officiating and administration while raising their family and working as educators. Jim was part of the US National Team from 1963 – 1974 and the Canadian National Team from 1975 to 1983. He had one Canadian Men’s Doubles Championship (1971) and many Doubles and Mixed Ontario Championships including 4 with Nancy. Another special result was winning gold in Mixed at the Canada Winter Games. During this time Nancy was heavily involved
with both Badminton Ontario and Badminton Canada. From 1974 – 1980 Nancy was the chairperson in charge of Officiating for B.On. Her responsibilities as Vice-President of High Performance with B.Can (1979 – 1989) included the selection of our National teams for International event as well as frequently managing these teams at Thomas Cup, Uber Cup and World Championships. Nancy was responsible for the hiring of Canada’s first National Coach and kept our National Training Centre in Calgary running smoothly. Jim’s playing dropped off after he turned 35 because, for women, masters started at 35 but for men it didn’t start until 40. In Sweden in 1983 Jim was one of nine out of thirty tested to be certified as an International Umpire at the first International Umpire testing. Nancy joined him as an International Official in 1986. His International experience includes US and Canadian Championships, 5 World Championships, 3 Commonwealth Championships and many Thomas and Uber Cups. Both he and Nancy officiated in the first ever Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992 and Jim repeated at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. All this international activity didn’t diminish local and provincial activity with coaching and officiating and playing even at a less competitive level. Officiating was second nature to Jim and Nancy as they would often be officiating matches while involved in competing in a tournament. Many is the time that Nancy remembers umpiring the semis or finals of Men’s Singles and or Doubles. They frequently did officiating clinics and NCCP coaching clinics passing on their vast experience and knowledge of the sport. Through all this flurry of activity Jim and Nancy also had a son (Michael) and a daughter (Kris-
Highlights of my badminton career: Brett, Jake and Andrew. They are both having immeasurable fun involving them in sports of all kinds. They may or may not end up being as involved in badminton as Jim and Nancy but they are enjoying sport as much as Jim and Nancy enjoy sharing their time with them. Jim and Nancy not only made history on an International level, but are a part of the foundation of badminton in Ontario. Their influence over the years will never be forgotten. ta) born in the early seventies. Partly for them but also for the love of the sport and their belief in community involvement led them to run both junior and adult badminton clubs in Gravenhurst that continued through this time period until almost 1990. Both clubs involved large memberships especially for the size of the town and the legacy of players and coaches lives on today in the Georgian Bay District. Michael is now a teacher in York coaching championship volleyball and badminton teams at this school. Krista lives and works in Gravenhurst and has become involved in the new community club. Knee problems for Jim and back problems for Nancy meant that they had to slow down. Nancy can’t play anymore but Jim is still playing at the local Gravenhurst club that he helped rejuvenate last year for local adults and high school students. Since their retirement from their careers in education and business they have been running a Bed and Breakfast near the Taboo Resort and Golf Course in Gravenhurst overlooking the uniquely beautiful Lake Muskoka. Michael and Krista have provided Jim and Nancy with three grandchildren, all boys –
Warren Brownlee
Below: Nancy and Jim at the Barcelona Olympics, enjoying a bottle of champagne.
How many readers would choose one of these? It’s center court Peking (now Beijing) and you’ve just beaten one of China’s top Men’s Doubles teams in a tightly fought 3 game match. You look up at the 18000 strong spectators and they’re descending on you. Fear grips your heart but suddenly you and your partner are hoisted on shoulders and given a victory lap of the court while the crowd appreciatively applauds. You umpire the Gold Medal Men’s Singles match at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games between Paul-Erik Larsen (Denmark) and Dong Jiong (China). You play your last games of Singles at 5am and your first games of Doubles at 7:30…….AM!!! You, your husband and your partners win all 5 events at a major Canadian tournament in Montreal studded with international players.
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A simple reminder about our code of conducts: Spectator and parent code of conduct: Cheer in a positive manner for good shots by any player or team. Respect the decisions of officials—the referee/umpire/lines people are the people qualified to interpret the rules impartially. Do not interfere with play on court. Remember it is the athlete’s responsibility to make the calls and do not call lines. Keep off the playing area, only athletes and coaches are permitted on court. Be courteous and respectful at all times to players, coaches, officials, and tournament organizers. Ontario officials code of ethics Each official shall follow and enforce the laws and procedures as outlined in the B.On Officiating handbook, in accordance with the IBF Statute Book. An official shall be dressed in proper attire according to the B.On Dress Policy and present a meticulous appearance. An official shall remember that while at work as an official it is important to act in such a way that attention is drawn not to the official but to the players. An official shall shape his/her character and conduct so as to be a worthy example to players who play under his/her jurisdiction. An official shall be fair and unbiased in all decisions, rendering them without regard to the score. The actions of an official should be firm, but not overbearing; courteous but not ingratiating; positive but never rude; dignified but never arrogant; friendly but not companionable; and calm but always alert. An official shall be prepared both physically and mentally to administer the game. An official shall be constantly alert to the possibility of player injury, so that an injured player may be properly treated. An official shall act towards fellow officials in a courteous and correct manner at al times and never in a critical manner in public. An official shall act towards coaches in a correct and courteous manner at all times. An official shall offer an explanation, if requested, after declaring a call to players. Furthermore, the official shall not give the appearance of obvious familiarity before, during or after a match.
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Bon coaches and managers code of conduct The purpose of the Ontario Coaches and Managers Code of Conduct is to establish and maintain standards for badminton coaches and to provide a safe and positive environment for coaches, athletes and officials. Each coach and manager shall adhere, at all times, to standards of personal and professional conduct which reflect credit on the coach and manager, Badminton Ontario Coaches Association, and the province of Ontario.
Any individual or organization wishing to make a complaint against a badminton coach within the context of this Code of Conduct should make a written report of the allegation to B.On. Detailed procedural guidelines will be issued thereafter to all parties concerned in the complaint. Misconduct may give rise to disciplinary action by B.On. Any criminal conviction of a serious nature that comes to the attention of the Association shall result in an immediate review of Coaches Association membership. Each manager appointed to a provincial, district or club team shall adhere, at all times, to standards of personal and professional conduct which reflect credit on the manager, Badminton Ontario, and the province of Ontario. Misconduct may give rise to disciplinary action by B.On, as detailed in the preceding paragraph referring to coaches. Refrain from criticism of fellow coaches. Do not compromise athletes by advocating measures which could constitute seeking to gain an unfair advantage. Treat opponents with due respect, both in victory and defeat. Do not publicly question the judgment or honesty of tournament officials If an athlete commits an act that is contrary to any B.On rule, the coach should report it to the association. If you should become aware of a conflict between obligation to your athletes and obligations to an organization employing you, you must make explicit the nature of the conflict, and the loyalties and responsibilities involved, to all parties concerned. The coach has a responsibility to declare to athletes and/or employers any other current coaching commitments. Clarify in advance with players and/or employers the number sessions, fees (if any), and method of payment. If you enter into a commitment with an employer, with a team, or with an individual athlete, the nature of that commitment shall be deemed to be specifically agreed. Avoid undue intimacy with athletes, both during coaching and during that period following coaching. Actions may be misinterpreted and lead to allegations of misconduct or impropriety. Do not attempt to exert undue influence over the player in order to obtain personal benefit or reward. Do not abuse athletes, other coaches or officials in any manner. Do not divulge confidential information relating to a player to a third party without the expressed approval of the player concerned. Do not drink alcohol or smoke while coaching. Take all reasonable steps to ensure that a safe playing environment is provided to athletes. Do not in any way misrepresent coaching qualifications, affiliations, or professional competence to any athlete or in any publication, broadcast, or seminar. Do not be alone with an athlete in changing rooms or hotel rooms.
$10
Shuttle Program
tube
for affiliated clubs
Affiliated Badminton Clubs of Badminton Ontario are now offered the opportunity to purchase the BK Tru Flight 4000 nylon shuttle, as well as 3 grades fo feather shuttles, twice a year through their respective District Associations for the purposes of events and tournaments. These shuttles are not intended for resale to players. Orders can be made and paid for to your District office only. Birds will be drop shipped by BK to the District offices for distribution to clubs. COST of Nylon: $10 per tube of 6 plus tax, shipping included! Orders must be in multiples of 17 tubes where an additional 3 tubes will be given for every 17 ordered which evens out to $8.50 per tube. Feather shuttle prices - price includes shipping, tax extra 6800 shuttles $20.50/doz - 6500 shuttles - $15.50/doz - 6450 shuttles - $12.50/doz Bonus’ below are not included with purchase of feather shuttles. A bonus is given to clubs who purchase nylon shuttles depending on the quantity ordered: When you order 40 tubes you are given: 1- BG 619 Bag 3- Cotton T Shirts 3- ZyMax 70 badminton string sets 2- AC 085 Ultra Grip packages 2- AC 078 Competition Grip packages
$140 retail value!
When you order 80 tubes you are given: 6- Micofibre shirts OR 2- 40 tube packages When you order 120 tubes you are given: 1- Magic SuperLight racquet 1- MaxForce racquet OR a combination of the lower levels
Next order deadline: January 15th, 2012 To place your next order contact your District Representative.
Club Services
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Sports Hall of Fame for
Jeff Goldsworthy
On September 24, 2011
Dr. Jeff Goldsworthy was one of four men inducted into the University of Waterloo’s prestigious Athletic Hall of Fame. His success on the varsity team during his tenure at Waterloo reaches far and beyond just athletics. It turns out the doctor is smart too. At Waterloo, Goldsworthy won the Mike Moser Award for Academic and Sport Achievement. He was in the honours co-op Kinesiology program and graduated from Waterloo in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science. He completed his doctorate in chiropractic medicine in 1987. He then opened a chiropractic clinic in Kitchener called the Goldsworthy Chiropractic & Wellness Centre, which he still practices in to this day. He is currently the President of WOBA, the Western Ontario Badminton Association, a branch affiliated with Badminton Ontario. In 1994 Goldsworthy was the Canadian Masters Champion in the 35+ age category. In 1997 he won the Masters 35+ singles and doubles in the Yonex US Open and remains actively competing on the Ontario Masters badminton scene. During his first season as a Varsity athlete, Goldsworthy claimed his first OUA Team title in his first season. Over the 5 years he played for Waterloo, he also individually won 2 silver medals and 1 gold. “The success of the team brought badminton into [the] mainstream for
sports, and helped increase the funding for the sport at Waterloo”, Goldsworthy says. Dr. Goldsworthy specializes in singles. He and fellow Waterloo teammate Keith Priestman, also in the Hall of Fame, were both on the National Team at the time and couldn’t train very often with the team. While most other members of the team were also members of the KW Badminton Club, they arranged to play there outside their demanding schedules when they were able. Getting used to the continuous switch from National team training to Varsity was tricky at times for him. The OUA championships at the time played with nylon birds, which was tough to use after the intense training with the national team. “I would practice with the nylon shuttle a couple of times before the tournaments”, he says. The Varsity team also did not have a full time coach. “We did not have a coach per say,” Jeff begins, “Judy McCrae was more a manager or administrator.” Although the atmosphere from one team to the next was quite different, being a part of the Varsity environment at Waterloo was an experience he would not have given up, even though badminton and his studies demanded literally all of his time. “It did make me feel more a part of the University. It also provided me the opportunity to meet some key people in the sports administration area who I still remain in contact with today.”
Above: Jeff Goldsworthy (centre) with one of his daughters Adrienne (left) and son Scott (right).
“Playing on the team was neat. There were not too many team events in badminton [at the time].”
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HELLO MY NAME IS
Christin Tsai With what seems to be a record breaking year for her, Christin Tsai became the first Junior ever to make it to the quarter finals at the World Juniors Championships. And it doesn’t stop there. She was also the youngest in Badminton Canada’s history to make it to the finals at the Senior National Championships.
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or the biggest tournament of my career so far, I couldn’t have asked for a better ending. Although everything started off a little shaky, things eventually began to look better. Leading up to the competition, which happened to be held in my hometown, Taiwan, I was feeling confident with my condition. I spent the weekend before up in Prince George helping out in clinics and doing exhibitions with Anna Rice, as she assisted me in improving my game when there was spare time. Her experience on court is definitely gold and I learned a lot last minute before having to go to Taiwan. The trip also allowed me to take my mind off of pressured thoughts for the upcoming tournament. The first two days I landed in Taiwan, I spent visiting family and relatives from the very South of the country to the very North. It was wonderful to see everyone again, however my fitness just dropped to a whole new level. Well, at least it gave me some time to get used to the heat! When the team met the day before the team competition at the venue for a practice hit, I could feel my nerves pinning me down. The hall looked gorgeous and stunning, yet it was terrible to play badminton in. There was a vast draft that made all the shots either go out, or impossible to hit the far end line, and the background was just too complicated and colourful to see the shuttle clearly. Since it was such an enormous hall, it was hard for me to hear my own shots and it messed up my timing by quite a bit. In general, it was a pretty ruthless place to play in, or I’m just a little too picky!
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I would say that it was seeing the players from the other countries play was what really made the strands of hair on my arm fly up. Everyone seemed to have the perfect form, the perfect shots, and the perfect footwork. I would not be surprised if the majority of the Canadian team were thinking the same thing. Not only were their skills so defined, the discipline they had was just incredible. I believe that is definitely
something us Canadians players have room to work on, or perhaps it’s just me again. The team competition commenced the next day and unfortunately, Team Canada did not have the best start. We lost to Denmark and Netherlands in our pool, which was for sure disappointing for all of us. But as what Ram, our coach had said to us; it was more about overcoming our own fears and winning a battle against ourselves more than anything. Although Canada eventually placed 19th in the team event, we earned the respect of everyone at the tournament. We had the ability to beat any of the teams there, regardless if it were the Danes or the Netherlands, but fear held us back and it cost us a place in the top 8 or top 16. But that did not really matter to us. We left our hearts out on the court and fought our hardest to win every single point. If we lost one match, we lost as a team. If we won a match, we won as a team. There was never “me” or “I.” That is what’s so great about Team Canada; we are a real team. As the team competition came to a close, we had a one day rest before the individual competition would begin. I took the train and underground subway from Taoyuan (where the tournament took place) to tour around Taipei city. The underground subways are always packed with people, and coincidentally, I clashed into Nathan Choi and his family as they were also going to Taipei to shop at the night markets there. At the night markets, the food was way too delicious and the merchandises were way too cheap. But surprisingly I had no appetite, which is extremely unusual for me. If you knew me personally, you’d know how much I LOVE to eat. However the food just wasn’t very tempting, that’s when I realized that I’m really getting anxious for the competition. The following day, I had my first singles match in the morning against Chloe Birch from England. Being that it was my first match in the individual event, my hands were very unsteady and there were butterflies in my stomach. I stepped onto the court with a confidence level of a
bagel. But with the encouragement and guidance of Jeff White (he arrived in Taiwan on the last day of the team event to coach us for individuals), the match went quite smoothly and I stepped off the court with slightly more confidence. In the afternoon I was up against Laura Wich from Germany for round 2. She was small, but very agile around court and a very good fighter. Luckily, I had the most consistent shots that match, which was particularly unlike the normal me. So that went fairly decent as well. Adrianna and I had to play Sophie Brown and Holly Smith from England as our opening round for doubles. We lost 19-21 and 26-28 to the English pair; the four of us are very close friends off court, but both teams on court grinded and struggled for a place to compete in the next round. Too bad luck just wasn’t on our side for this one. “We left our hearts out on the court and fought our hardest to win every single point. There was never ‘me’ or ‘I’. That is what’s so great about Team Canada; we are a real team.”
For mixed doubles, Nyl and I defeated a Japanese pair in two straight sets. I was honestly satisfied with the way we played, considering how much that draft was affecting the game, as it changed from day to day. We eventually failed to upset the ¾ seeds from Malaysia in 3 tight sets, but we certainly made them sweat! In the end, singles was the only event I managed to survive in. My third round of singles against Chinese Taipei took practically every breath out of me. I was drenched and lifelessly tired at the end of the match; I thought there was no way I could play another singles match later on that day. Yet I had no choice, so that afternoon I took on Neslihan Yigit from Turkey. The first 11 point interval of the match, I was literally daydreaming. My legs would not obey my commands and my brain felt dead as if it ran out of batteries. But reality finally smacked me hard in the face and I instantly got back on the game. My body was truthfully exhausted and beat, but I wanted to win it so bad. I guess determination does take you to places. Along with the cheering from the Canadian team, including the parents, I ended the game in two and advanced into the quarter finals. It felt overwhelming to be able to make it to the quarter finals of the World Junior Badminton Championships. It was the goal my coach, Sandiarto, had set for me since two years ago, and I couldn’t believe that I actually made it. All those years of hard work, it’s finally paying off. My quarter finals match was against the number one seed and two times World Junior Champion, Ratchanok Inthanon from Thailand. I knew that my chances were awfully slim, but I also knew that no matter what happened on court against her that day, my family, coaches, teammates, friends, sponsors, and supporters will still be proud of my accomplishment. I had no pressure and nothing to worry about, only to try my best and learn from the experience. I played, and I lost. It marked the end of my journey, for this tournament. It was an unforgettable
YONEX
BWF
WORLD JUNIOR
BADMINTON
CHAMPIONSHIPS
2011 TAIPEI memory that will follow me for the rest of my career, if not for the rest of my life. All in all, I am satisfied with my performance this tournament, but will continue to work hard to improve myself even more. It was amazing to be able to represent Canada, and compete against countries all around the world with my teammates. It opened my eyes to a whole new world of badminton; something I never thought existed when I first started playing with my brothers out in our backyard 6 years ago. I entered the tournament with a confidence level of zero, but left with a ten. I honestly couldn’t have asked for anything better, only a chance to go at it again next year. Below: members of Team Canada at the World Juniors (from left to right) Andrew Lau, Nathan Choi, Nyl Yakura, Clinton Wong, Adrianna Giuffre, Christin Tsai, Kacey Tung, Bethany So. Canada placed 19th in the team event. Not pictured (participated in the individual events): Jody Chan, Andrew D’Souza, Andrew Wilkinson
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medal match, and the majority of the crowd seemed to be cheering for the Canadian pair. A chant even started at one point. “It felt like we were back home in Canada, with just a little Spanish accent,” Bruce said. Their coach, Ram Nayyar – official coach of the National team – has big hopes for the pair. “They’re so young,” he says, “the skies the limit.
When you p and ju ut their “That’s a team they needed to beat and they st the names did it with confidence and certainty.” thoug toget Between ht of t her yo Michelle Li’s speed and reflex They will certainly be one of the youngest hat is u get combined with Alex Bruce’s power and adif they do earn a Women’s Doubles intimi Bruce teamsspot vanced net play, together they form an aggres- douthe Olympics. At only 21 dating Li, (Bruce)at and sively lethal combination, which suits their new ble gold 19 (Li), the girls have . medalist Michelle Li of name quite well. to overcome the very experienced Recently competing at the 2011 Pan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, the duo returned to Ontario with a gold medal in Women’s Doubles and a gold for Li in Women’s Singles. “After the game I could barely stand,” Li said. “My legs were pretty weak. I was just so happy.” This was an important win for Bruce Li as they continue to try and qualify for the Olympics. “At the last Pan Am tournament, I made the finals in two events and lost, so it’s nice to have won two golds this time,” says Li. Not seen in many competitions on their home turf, the pair has been travelling the world competing in events that will help secure their invitation to the Olympics.
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Badzine.net recently released their ‘Olympic Dummy List’ and says, “New Pan Am Games
Canada managed to cement her status in singles but she and Alex Bruce have still not tipped the scale in women’s doubles. Instead, Charmaine Reid and new Canadian Nicole Grether, in spite of not playing the Pan Am Games, were able to pad the gap between themselves and the chase pack made up of Bruce/Li and the U.S.A.’s Wang sisters.”
The Wang sisters were seeded 1st for the Pan Am Games, but Bruce Li towered over the US. “We just tried to use that, get the angles and just power through it,” Bruce said. Bruce and Li are a bit unusually tall for badminton, and with Bruce defending the net it can be intimidating to make perfect shots or you know it’s coming back hard. Although they started off a little shaky, they defeated the US team in 2 sets, both 21-15. The venue was about ¾ full for their gold
Canadians, Charmaine Reid and Nicole Grether. Realistically, they’re not too far off. Not too long ago, their current world ranking jumped up to the 27th spot where as Reid and Grether sit at 23rd. Bruce Li have continued their continent hopping, jetting off to France for the French Open and then to Peurto Rico to claim the Women’s Doubles title, and Women’s Singles title (for Li). Then it was off to the Hong Kong Super Series event in China, where Michelle Li turned heads and gained dozens of new fans worldwide.
She defeated Hsiao Ma Pai of the Chinese Taipei in three sets, but in the second round was unable to defeat the #5 ranked Tine Baun of Denmark (then ranked #7 at that tournament). This first round victory however moved her up to top 25 in the world which she has been fighting for.
After being disappointed at their next stops on the world tour; the Malaysia International Challenge, where they were seeded 1st in both events, and the Kumpoo Macau Open, we hope Bruce Li just have a bit of jet lag and can quickly bounce back. Li has quickly become the face of badminton in her home town of Markham, and a fan favourite to win at the 2015 Pan Am Games. With three out of five gold medals won at the Pan Am Games this year, our athletes are well on their way to owning the podium at the next Pan Am Games in Toronto. And with Li taking two gold medals this time around, who knows; maybe she’ll try a triple crown on for size in 2015.
Grace Gao agrees with her partner adding, “Every time we’d played them, it was always really close. It always went to three games. Winning the Pan Am Games was reassuring us that we should stick to what we’ve been taught.” Finally, Derrick Ng and Adrian Liu lost their semi final match in Men’s Doubles to a US pair. but also bounced back to win bronze. You can read more about Joycelyn Ko and all of her adventures in Asia in the next issue of the Shuttler magazine.
Canadians at the Pan Am Games returned with an astonishing 6 medals; 3 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze. Competing for team Canada were Grace Gao, Derrick Ng, Toby Ng, Michelle Li (Ontario), Joycelyn Ko (Ontario), Stephan Wojcikiewicz (Ontario), Adrian Liu, and Alex Bruce (Ontario). Stephan Wojcikiewicz competed in the men’s singles event, falling to Osleni Guerrero in a very close three set battle. Ontario’s Joycelyn Ko also did exceptionally well at the Pan Am’s, winning silver in Women’s Singles next to team mate Michelle Li. Ko and her partner Grace Gao from Alberta lost in the semi finals to the Wang Sisters from the US, but bounced back to claim the bronze medal.
Below: Michelle Li and Joycelyn Ko hold up their medals from the Pan Am games Image from www.guadalajara.olympic.ca
Grace Gao and partner Toby Ng, also on the road to qualifying for the Olympics, have risen as high as 16 in the World Rankings. They took gold in Mixed Doubles, but it wasn’t an easy task. They faced Halim Ho and Eva Lee from the US, with whom they share history. “We had just lost to Halim and Eva in Brazil a few weeks before,” Ng states. “It almost got to the point where we were kind of getting nervous and we thought we should change our tactics and I felt that we were worrying a little too much.”
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OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS OF BADMINTON ONTARIO Terry Ting & Mike Tjioe Terry Ting and Mike Tjioe are not new to the world of Badminton in Ontario. Most of you know Terry as the newcomer who got the chance to photograph the Golden Boy, Nyl Yakura, for the cover of the Shuttler Magazine. And Mike Tjioe is no stranger to local clubs and competitions. They pair recently joined forces as they realized they both had a passion for badminton, and photography. Terry has a unique viewpoint on his interest in badminton photography. “I enjoy photograph...continued from page 4 who have given up their time to help him develop into the incredible athlete he is. Where once there were those he looked up to he is now a role model to the up and coming players at his club and across Ontario. Rogers can’t stress enough the importance of paying it forward. “I have always tried to give back to the sport, and especially my club, when I can. I always try to set an example for the younger players. “Growing up at the RA Centre it was always a giving environment, whether it was my coaches or current national team players. Every player older than me would give me advice and their pointers on my game. They would always be willing to give me an extra game or feed me some drills, and that is what I really try to pass along at my club and when I can at other clubs.
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“Some players keep to themselves too much. There are certainly times to be selfish as an athlete but when it comes down to it, it’s all the people who had something to give back to me in Ottawa that helped me become a pretty good badminton player. I owe a lot to a lot of people in Ottawa, and one of the best ways for me to pay them back is just to pay it forward.” Rogers has faced the challenge of choosing to
ing badminton because it takes me back to my youth as a player. I don’t have any photos of myself playing badminton except once when i was featured in the Guelph Mercury. I ended up cutting out the photograph and framing in my living room where it still sits today. It’s a horribly embarrassing photo, but the feeling is nostalgic each time friends or family ask me about it. If I had never kept that newspaper clip, the memories of that day would never be as clear to me, perhaps even lost. But with the photo, I remember that it was taken in our third game of the finals, the score was nearly deadeven and I was going up for a killer smash.” This is a story of which most athletes can relate. As sport has left a positive influence on most players lives, Terry and Mike have joined Badminton Ontario in the hopes of capturing some of these important memories for years to
come. The plan is to be at as many events on the tournament Series as they can. They will be focusing on the Junior High Performance Series, Junior Competitive Series and Ontario Championships where they can fit them in. If they will be at the event, their information will be posted on our website under the event listing in the calendar. They will be available to set up video and take pictures for parents. Prices for these packages will be available along with their information for each event. To take a look at some of their interests and past work, you can visit their websites: www.terrytingchaleun.com www.miketjioe.com
travel overseas to train, but lack of funding has held him back. “It would be great if I had top international players to spar with all the time,” he states. It seems that opportunity wasn’t too far off as Rogers was the only player invited to play a singles match against Wong Choong Han, formerly ranked number 1 in the world, at an exhibition at Humber College this year. “[It] was a great experience,” he says. “Even just playing him in an exhibition, you can see how he won.
show some trick shots and make everything look exciting for the fans.” It takes a certain type of individual who was taught the importance of the ‘sport beyond the game’. Understanding what that means to you personally and being able to exhibit that to others is rare to find in a person, and Rogers is one of them. Anyone can attest to how entertaining this final match was and both competitors gave the audience a sport to get excited about.
“I have watched a lot of his matches and learned a lot of things from seeing him play, so when I found out he was coming to Toronto I was really excited that I was asked to a part of the exhibition.”
With no immediate career goals in his future, other than winning the 2012 Men’s Singles National Championship title, Rogers does know that he will never give up on the sport he has grown to love.
Rogers believes in the importance of exhibitions. While there are many tournaments to watch, exhibitions speak to crowds on a completely different level. “[They are] supposed to be showcasing our sport, so it’s a time to have fun on the court without any pressure and just
“One thing is for sure. I will always be around the badminton scene; playing recreationally or just helping coach at a club when I can. I will always want to stay involved. “
Badminton Ontario and Black Knight present:
high school badminton coach certification
with focus clinics
Part 1: Focus on Singles Saturday January 21, 2012 (Peterborough) or Sunday January 29, 2012 (Ajax) Part 2: Focus on Doubles Sunday February 12, 2012 (Ajax) or Sunday February 26, 2012 (Kingston) Part 3: Focus on Mixed Saturday March 3, 2012 (Belleville) or Sunday March 4, 2012 (Ajax)
Throughout the 3 clinics, the ‘focus’ will be athlete centered coaching. Through game simulations and a mini tournament, you will learn how to make use of an athlete’s own knowledge of the sport to create appropriate individualized game strategies. This then enables them to create solutions and strategies of their own. The technical aspects of the Focus clinics include game etiquette, single and Birdzooka feeding techniques, game situations, stroke-movement patterns, dynamic stretching and appropriate cool down routines, attack and defence positioning and more. For more information and how to register, email: fabcoach@rogers.com or visit www.badmintonontario.ca Your players are encouraged to attend the focus clinics too, at an exceptional price. Cost for players is $30 and includes a booklet and Black Knight shirt. These clinics will fill up fast, be sure to register early!
$50
per clinic
Coaching handbook, lunch and Black Knight shirt included. Coaches will receive certifcation upon completion of all three clinics.
Coaching Development Services
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“When you do well at something, you have to appreciate there were a lot of people that helped you get there.” Lucio Fabris
Start with a sport that, for the most part, does not receive a boatload of publicity — say, badminton.Throw in the passing of more than three decades.
“We played Malaysia in the semifinals, they were favoured to win,” Fabris said. “We beat them in the fifth match (mixed doubles) in a game that lasted more than two and a half hours.”
Finally, mix it all together with the wonderful humility of a soft-spoken man, who takes at least as much pride in the sporting accomplishments of his children as he does in discussing his incredibly athletic past.
The silver-medal performance was the pinnacle, athletically, for Fabris. The Sudbury native returned back to the area, with his wife Judy, raising all five of their children back home.
It’s easy to understand why the phenomenal talent of Lucio Fabris might go under-appreciated — except to those who witnessed, firsthand, his rise to international badminton prominence in the 1970s. Fabris grew up in Creighton Mines, the son of a longtime Inco employee. Though the population of the town numbered only 1,200 or so at the time, sport was integral to the very fabric of the people who called Creighton home.
make a mistake,” Fabris said.
“It was an absolutely phenomenal community to grow up in,” Fabris said. “It was a melting pot of different nationalities, but the support you felt within the town was incredible.”
First introduced to the sport at the age of seven, Fabris was playing competitively by nine.
“We tried to teach them that in order to be good at something, you have to really commit yourself to it,” Fabris said.
“Prior to going to high school, I had already gotten fully engrained in badminton, doing well provincially.”
“And when you do well at something, you have to appreciate there were a lot of people that helped you get there.
As a junior, Fabris achieved the rare feat of capturing gold in men’s singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles all in the same year — one of only three people in the history of the Canadian Junior Badminton championships able to make such a claim.
“I think sport attracts good people and can be such a positive avenue for so many things.” By Randy Pascal www.sudburysports.com
A graduate of St. Charles College, Fabris moved onto the University of Toronto — quite convenient given the national training centre for badminton was already situated in the Ontario capital city.
The 1978 Games was the first time the name ‘Commonwealth Games’ was used. Prior to 1978 it was called the British Commonwealth Games. Originally called the British Empire Games, the first Games was held in 1930 in Hamilton, Ontario!
In that era, baseball was a mainstay, but thanks to the efforts of one man, another sport joined the spotlight. “In badminton, we were lucky enough to have someone like Ev (Everett) Staples, who basically devoted his whole life to the sport,” Fabris said. “His main thing, when he decided to coach, was that he wanted to get involved in a sport that would get a lot of kids in Creighton involved,” Fabris said. “He picked a sport where he thought he could really encourage athletes to become good people, and the sport was a secondary thing.”
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Blessed with natural athleticism, Darryl, Gregg, Kristina, Joanna and Michael are also a shining example of the benefit of sport, well-grounded and ripe with life lessons that come with years of involvement with teammates and friends.
A gifted athlete, Staples had little to no background in badminton, but quickly mastered his new passion. “His forté was making us believe in ourselves, letting us know that it was OK to
The approach produced impressive results right across the board, but few blossomed more than Fabris.
The highlight of Fabris’ career came in 1978, as a member of the Commonwealth Games team that competed in Edmonton, where Fabris competed in both men’s doubles and mixed doubles play.
They are the type of off-spring who paid close attention when parents shared their wisdom.
Did you know?
As a host nation in 1978, Canada topped the medal table for the first time. At that time, there were only 10 sports and this was the first year Badminton was included.
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