the Shuttler magazine - Volume 2 Issue 1 by Badminton Ontario

shuttler the

Official Magazine of Badminton Ontario

MICHELLE LI and her journey to the 2012 Olympics

Canadian Publications Mailing Agreement #40069570

Volume 2 Issue 1

4 6 9 17 20 22

coaches corner triple threats 10.11 championships feature: michelle li 10.11 awards banquet where are they now? With Wayne King. Question for the coach? Send an email to theshuttler@badmintonontario.ca

Jason Ho-Shue takes us through his adventure at the 2011 Junior National Championships.

Results from the Ontario Junior, Adult and Masters Championships as well as the Ontario Team Cup.

Her journey to the 2012 Olympics and words of advice for student athletes.

Athletes of the Year, Ontario Championships Banner, Coach of the Year and more.

Kerri-Lee MacDonald and Kevin Ng helped lay the groundwork in the north.

Badminton Ontario 209-3 Concorde Gate Toronto, Ontario M3C 3N7 tel: 416 426 7195 fax: 416 426 7346

NEW

coaching course certification now available! (page 26)

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: James Duncan james.duncan@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

District Presidents TDBA: Pry Gnana pry@badmintonbirds.com

WOBA: Jeff Goldsworthy goldy@golden.net

ODBA: Fei Tam kanatajrbc@yahoo.ca

COBA: Russ leBlanc russleblanc@rogers.com

NOBA: Frank Boulanger nobafb@yahoo.ca

GBDBA: Alan Henry siralan.62@rogers.com

Badminton Ontario gratefully acknowledges the funding support of the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport

On the cover: Michelle Li proves to be a dominant force in the Pan Am region and a front runner for the 2012 Olympics. Thank you to Ming Leung and Picture in Motion for the cover shot.

g ne Kin y a W with

S E H C A

R E N R O

MAKING CHOICES IN SPORT THE CONCEPT OF GOAL SETTING For more years than one would like to count there has been a recurring concern within Badminton Ontario and other similar badminton communities - Where do the badminton players disappear to after junior? How do we get them back? What programmes can we offer that will keep them involved? The simple answer is that most of the junior players go off to university or college to continue their academic careers and, for the most part, unnoticed by our association, many of them continue to train and to compete in either the college level within OCAA or the university level within OUA. There are seven universities in Ontario that have 7 university teams (McMaster, Queen’s, Ryerson, Toronto, Waterloo, Western and York) and 13 college teams (Boreal, Cambrian, Centennial, Conestoga, Fanshawe, George Brown, Georgian, Humber, Mohawk, Redeemer, St. Clair, St Lawrence and Seneca).At the university level of play a team consists of 20 athletes (10 male and 10 female) meaning that there is a minimum of 140 competitive badminton student athletes within OUA and perhaps another 200 such student athletes within OCAA so perhaps there is not such a dramatic drop in numbers at all. The sport of badminton is certainly alive and well among 18 to 23 year olds and they are enjoying the OUA/OCAA experience as offered at present.

This article looks at one major issue that every university badminton recruit faces when they make the decision to continue in the sport –

that issue is the process of appropriate GOAL SETTING within the context of university life. The other major issue that confronts our incoming student athletes is TIME MANAGEMENT at university but that issue will remain untouched at this point. What follows is a shortened version of how we approach goal setting with our varsity badminton athletes at University of Toronto but certainly every OUA/OCAA coach deals with goal setting with every athlete at some point in their student life and hopefully assists those students in that regard. GOAL SETTING in BADMINTON Goal setting is a powerful technique that can give a student athlete strong returns in all areas of life because if you understand what you want to achieve then you know what you have to concentrate on to improve and you also recognize those things at university which are mere distractions. Goal setting gives an athlete long term vision and short term motivation. But even a good plan is bound for failure if a student athlete has not taken the time to set performance goals that will give direction to training. For a large group of junior badminton players their success is related to the concept of winning/losing so if they win perhaps they are happy and if they lose they are definitely sad – for a well balanced student athlete we try and move the focus away from the actual win/loss but rather on how did we play? Was the match a good performance on our part? What could we have done better? That leads to looking at factors we can control within the match itself and these skills are the quality

of our service and the accompanying quality of our service return. These skills can be charted just like face offs in hockey, foul shots in basketball or first/second service percentage in tennis and from that simple base of simple defined goals an athlete can measure the success of that goal, take pride in that achievement and have real progress as the season unfolds. Goal setting within badminton is important in that an athlete can decide what is important to achieve in their life, can separate the important from the irrelevant, improve performance on the court, increase motivation towards success and build positive self-confidence. Research shows that people who make use of effective goal-setting suffer less from stress and anxiety, concentrate better, perform better in many aspects of their life and are more content with their own performance. FIRST STEPS The obvious first step for a university/college badminton student athlete is to decide their own personal level of commitment to the sport of badminton. That is very difficult for many junior players within our badminton community because for some of those players that decision has been made by parents and/or coaches based on their relative success at provincial/national/international competitions and this may be the first time that they are making the decision to play or not to play, to train or not to train. And for that decision to be made well a student athlete needs to be totally honest and answer a few questions about their commitment; • Is badminton an outlet to reduce stress from the demands of studying?, or • Is badminton an extracurricular activity that you want for your resume at graduation?, or • Is badminton a place to meet new friends and to socialize? There are student athletes on every OUA/ OCAA team who are looking for one of those things but on every team as well there are student athletes who want to achieve similar excellence at the top level that they enjoyed while a junior within Badminton Ontario or elsewhere. Most post-secondary badminton

programmes offer three to five training sessions per week for almost the entire season after a selection camp that may involve anywhere from 30 to 100 athletes trying out for their team and that means the product of excellence is only gained from dedication to training and competition within the framework of that specific university. So the most important decision to be made by every student athlete is one of priority – where does badminton fit in the activities of university life? (school and study, residence life, family, friends, significant other, part-time job if any, badminton training). Often the first year student who first appears most reluctant to commit to rigorous training in our Blues badminton programme turns out to be the most committed athlete in both badminton and academics and perhaps that is because the reluctance was really a function of the decision that had to be made. But at this level if the daily training is to be enjoyable for the athlete then the decision must be made by the student athlete and not by a parent or coach. NEXT STEPS After the decision is made to commit to badminton and the athlete has been selected to represent the university/college team then the next step for the badminton athlete is to do a self analysis with respect to the following: What basic skills are needed in badminton if I want to attain the level of performance wanted? What skills did you learn in each part of the past season? What skills do you need to refine? What new skills do you require to get to the next level? For the recruit with national laurels they may already satisfied with their entry level skills and perhaps will remain at that level for their entire university career while for many others daily training may be a new venture and they will improve dramatically within the within structure. At Toronto we had a recruit Andy Lam arrive at selection camp in his rookie year having played only “school” badminton but with determination, a lot of natural talent and a true understanding of the strategy of the game Andy became an OUA All Star on three occasions, enjoyed a huge victory in mixed doubles

with Caroline Cheung against Charles Pyne/ Amanda Carruthers, became one of Ontario’s top-ranked U23’s while with the Blues and now is one of Ontario’s finest young coaches at lee’s Badminton Training Centre. Andy is living proof of how goal-setting may be used to achieve success at several levels

of performance and in many areas of life – the Blues will always be part of Andy’s life experience and Andy will always be one of the great legacies of our Blues programme. PROCESS, OUTCOME OR PERFORMANCE GOALS (continued on page 26)

Smart Principles of Goal Setting Specific Goals

Measurable Goals

GOOD EXAMPLE To improve the number of corners done in our 4-corner workout by 6 in 3 months

NOT SO GOOD EXAMPLE To get faster (too general to really motivate an athlete)

Any athlete is able to chart and document progress toward their goal and thus measure their progress

Action Oriented Goals

Athletes need to consider HOW they plan to achieve their goal as well as what they will actually achieve. Once set goals must be ﬂexible enough to allow for unexpected challenges (injury, low grades, family tragedy) or to allow you to raise your goals since progress is so quick

Realistic Goals

Start where you are and set your goals accordingly. If you are an inexperienced player with little tournament experience then it would not be realistic to win the OUA singles title in your ﬁrst season. Try and improve your ranking within your team program keeping in mind that as you become more ﬁt and approach your current potential gains become less noticeable. But if your goals are too simple to achieve then you won’t feel much satisfaction when they are attained – only you know what is realistic for you.

Time-based Goals

Without a time frame there is a tendency to procrastinate. You may also need to set short term goals that will keep you on track for the long season within OUA. In general goals that stretch our beyond 6 months are too long to keep an athlete interested/motivated.

there’s just no

stopping them:

Triple Threats With many elite athletes focusing their training on just one event, winning all three at a tournament isn’t such a common occurrence anymore. However every once in a while a super athlete sprouts up, reminding all of us, young and old alike, that hard work really does pay off. These athletes are forming their own pop culture of triple crown winners; the triple threats. In 2007, junior icon Nyl Yakura was a triple crown winner at the Junior National Championships as well as the Junior Pan Am Championships. He was again a triple crown winner at the 2010 Junior Pan Am Games and is the front runner for the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto. Following in his footsteps are many up and coming junior athletes joining the triple threat realm. In fact, there were an astounding four triple crown winners at the 2011 Ontario Junior A Championships; Bryan Poon (U12), Jason Ho-Shue (U14), Rachel Honderich (U16) and Bethany So (U19). Each of these individuals have taken their training to the next level and experienced success. The following is personal account written by Jason Ho-Shue who is our latest triple threat; tripling at both the Ontario and National Junior Championships at only 12 years of age. The Junior National Championships were held May 2-5, 2011 at the Olympic Oval in Richmond BC. A Triple Crown Journal by Jason Ho-Shue Day 1

After a long flight of 5 hours, I finally arrived in Vancouver, B.C. on April 30th. I met my Aunt at the airport and she brought my family, coach, and partners to her apartment where we would stay for the week. From the outside I thought it was a five star hotel. From the inside it was more like… well put it this way, it was “cozy” with a “basic” charm. Who needs

TV or Wi-Fi anyway? All we needed was a place to sleep. After a meal at a nearby Chinese restaurant it was time to call it a night. Note to self: It’s impossible to determine if your doubles partner snores until you share a room with them. Second note to self: Always bring earplugs!

Day 4 - Round 1 and Round 2 (Singles) I’ve been waiting for three days and I’m excited! I had a bye in the first round. I watched some other games and cheered on my team-

Day 2 The Olympic Oval was not available for players yet. That means we headed to Clear One to play a few games. Things went pretty well despite having to adjust to the air circulation system and its effect on the shuttles. I adjusted fairly quickly to the bird floating and was able to practice my strokes. The rest of the day was spent relaxing while preparing for or the first day of the tournament. Did I mention my doubles player/roommate snores? Day 3 - Qualification Round Finally, we arrived at the Richmond Olympic Oval. The ceiling was really high and the bird floated a lot (it must be a Vancouver thing). My first stroke was a forehand clear and I missed it completely. As I practiced longer, I adjusted again to the floating bird and soon began trying other shots. I was really glad that I had this day to practice and get used to the high ceiling. Practice was followed by supporting one of our teammates who had to play in the qualification round. In the late afternoon, Coach Efendi and my teammates went jogging for about 30 minutes around the block. It kept us motivated and really lifted up our team spirit. From then on jogging became a daily ritual. If only I could run away from my roommates snoring!

mates. Finally, it was my turn to play! Round 2 went very smooth. It was a good warm up game. I couldn’t wait for the 3rd round which happens tomorrow. Chinese food for dinner and returned to rest early in our room. Note to self: Alittle kick can stop snoring. Who knew? Day 5 - Round 3 (Singles) Round 2 (Doubles and Mixed Doubles) Excitement kicks in as I’m about to play my 3rd round in singles. It was a fairly easy win and I make it to the quarterfinals. Meanwhile in doubles it’s a first round bye for my partner (Newton Zheng ) and me. Adapting to these ceiling heights continues to be a challenge for us yet we won round 2 with a score of 21-7 and 21-8. Once again I get a bye and this time it’s in mixed doubles. My partner Michelle Tong and I are playing well together. Round 2 means another win with a score of 21-6, 21-6. The National Championship’s Triple Crown could be a possibility but enough of that. I have three quarter finals to think about tomorrow and a snorer to face tonight!

something my late father always wanted to see and I hope his spirit witnessed the game. “I did it Dad!”

Day 6 - Quarter Finals Excitement is being replaced by nervousness. Having to play seed 5/8 seat in singles won’t be easy. Meanwhile I have to play on a court where seeing the shuttle can be difficult because of the glare coming in from the windows. These were no easy games but I did score a win 21-11 and 21-13 against Byron Holcek from Alberta. In doubles, Newton and I were ready for just about anything but seeing one of our opponents falling victim to food poisoning wasn’t exactly the way we wanted to advance but it happened. Sad but true. In mixed doubles, Michelle and I face seed 5/8 from Alberta. Things went smoothly and we won 21-13, 21-8 against Austin Bauer and Sarah Beattie. My goal of winning a national title this year was coming closer! Who cares about snoring!

won 21-17, 21-14. In mixed doubles, Michelle and I played against Jonathan Lai and Cecilia Zheng who are from E Badminton Club too. Play ends with us scoring the win 21-10, 2115. They gave us a pretty good match! As the day turns into night I have some good news waiting for me at the apartment. My coaches inform me that I’ve been selected as Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player from Badminton Canada. I’m happy… very happy!

Day 7 - Semi Finals My stomach feels weird. Hopefully it’s just a case of nerves. Maybe it’s a result of having to play James Ho from B.C. who is seed 3/4 in Canada and seed 1 in B.C. I lost to him last year in the National Championship hosted by Toronto in the quarterfinals in three games. Nervous but very excited. I’m so ready for this challenge. James was in the lead throughout the first game by one or two points. The linesmen have made a couple of questionable calls. I can’t let that bother me. I can’t give up. I’m hearing an internal voice saying; “Stay calm. Stay focused”. My determination is paying off. I win the first game in overtime 22-20. It’s the second game and I’m in the lead. I’m moving along and get to 11 points first but I can’t ease up. My play instills confidence and leads to the win of 21-16. Winning makes the waiting of a year to face James worth it. It was one of the best matches I’ve played in a long time. In doubles, Newton and I face James Ho and Jack Chen from B.C. who were seed 2. We had a good game with them and

Day 8 - Finals I’m playing all three finals and the nervousness re-appears! Excitement also tops my emotions. I have a chance for a triple crown in the National championships! I’m heading into singles play. I have to face Ty Lindeman who is seed 2 in Canada and seed 1 in Alberta. Many people have said he improved a lot and has really good shots. I find out they were right as the first few rallies are hard fought. Things then become easier. I’ve won the first game! The second game proves to be exciting. I’m playing well and come out on top at the end beating him 21-15, 21-12. I’m beyond being happy! I won the National Championships singles U14. It’s

It’s great but I can’t get distracted. I have to concentrate on doubles play. The time has come and we experience some long, hard fought, and exciting rallies. Newton and I are playing well and we take the lead. The lead becomes the win! We pulled it off against the very tough team of Jonathan Lai and Adwin Lau. The score was 21-16, 21-13. I was even happier! That Triple-Crown is getting closer. It’s time for the mixed doubles finals. Our opponents are Ty Lindeman and Takeisha Wang from Alberta. We’re facing some intense rallies. This team is really good at controlling the bird but Michelle and I are holding our own. The match goes to three games ending in scores of 21-13, 17-21, 21-10. We won! All other emotions are replaced with shear happiness! I can’t believe it. I won the U-14 Triple Crown at the age of 12! This is something my dad would be really proud of. “This one is for you, Dad!” This is a tournament that I will never forget! Bring on the snorer! In conclusion, I want to thank the most important people in my life, my mom and my sister Katie who are always there for me, my two coaches Efendi Wijaya and Faye Liang for their coaching and support. I also want to thank all the people who cheered me on at the Junior National Championships. Last but not least, I would like to thank my beloved father who inspired me to play the game he loved so much, badminton. It’s a game that I love too!

Thank you to Pictures in Motion for the photos of Jason Ho-Shue pictured here from the 2011 Junior Nationals (far left) and 2010 Ontario Junior Championships (above pictured with Tony Ho-Shue). pictureinmotion@rogers.com

Protein & Related Sports Supplements Athletes need more protein than inactive individuals. While high quality food sources (milk, meat, eggs, cheese, soy) can easily meet their protein needs, athletes often turn to popular protein supplements as a quick fix. They may also be confused about the effectiveness and appropriate use of other amino acid supplements, such as L-glutamine, creatine, and possibly “weight-gainers.” Examples of Protien Rich Foods Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, tofu, nuts, nut butters, milk, yogurt and legumes (kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.) Protein is an essential nutrient needed for growth and development, to maintain muscle, to produce hormones, enzymes, red blood cells and white blood cells/ immune system. Dietary protein is required on a daily basis, especially on days of physical training. Supplemental protein (in powders, bars and drinks) is not superior to protein-rich foods, especially since many protein supplements lack essential carbohydrates, vitamins (e.g. B-vitamins) and minerals (e.g. iron, calcium, zinc) found in natural foods, hence the use of supplemental protein as an “extra” rather than as a replacement in meals. Individually, athletes should have their diet assessed by a Registered Dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition to determine if extra protein is warranted. A dietitian will design a customized meal plan that ensures optimal energy, protein, carbohydrate and fat are balanced to meet desired body composition and training goals. Protein supplements, in the form as whey, casein and soy, offer a portable, convenient source of protein and calories for exercise recovery or a bedtime snack, especially when combined with a mixture of milk/soy drink, fruit, yogurt/ice cream and/or possibly juice. In comparison, 125 ml (1/2 cup) of dried skim milk powder provides the same amount of protein as 1 scoop of most whey powders; skim milk powder also contains both whey and casein proteins.

If building muscle is an athlete’s personal goal, be aware that a high protein diet or

protein supplements alone are not the answer. Instead, to gain muscle athletes require enough calories (energy) from fibre-rich carbohydrates, and healthy fats, in addition to adequate high quality protein, and regular strength training, i.e., 2 – 3 times a week. Excess protein from the diet and/or supplements will be either used for extra energy (if calories are too low), excreted as waste, or potentially stored as body fat; excess protein can also be dehydrating unless ample fluids are consumed. Popular “weight-gain” types of supplements usually provide 600-1200 calories (or more) per serving and while convenient, they are expensive and not recommended for young athletes. Most weight-gainers contain a combination of protein, carbohydrates, and fat with or without added vitamins and minerals. Consider this less expensive, quick and easy recipe: Homemade High-Protein Shake: 50 ml (1/4 cup) dried skim milk powder OR ½ scoop of whey 1.5 cups ice cream 1.5 cups 2% milk 1 banana 2 Tbsp chocolate syrup

Creatine Supplemental creatine has been used by athletes for decades, usually under the premise of building muscle. While indirectly it may help promote muscle gains, specifically creatine works by restoring energy (ATP) faster than normal recovery between high intensity exercise efforts. Therefore, if an athlete can recover faster after lifting a set of weights, or recover faster between sprint intervals, they may in turn be able to do more training and subsequently build muscle. But it’s not all great news. There is no research to conclude if creatine is safe to take by those under 18 years of age. Also, some athletes may experience weight gain/water retention, and increase the risk of tearing tendons or ligaments. This “short cut” to building mass is not a quick fix solution to training hard and eating well. While product manufacturers may make grandiose claims about the benefits of supplemental protein and related supplements, it is strongly recommended that athletes seek expert dietary advice by a sport dietitian before reaching for these or other dietary supplements. For more information visit www.coach.ca

Blend for less than 1 minute 1 serving = 953 calories, 35 g protein, 139 g carbohydrates, 28 g fat What is...... L-Glutamine The most abundant non-essential amino acid in our body is L-glutamine. It has received popularity with athletes since research has found that during times of exhaustive exercise glutamine levels in the blood are reduced. It is inconclusive if supplemental glutamine helps to reduce post-exercise muscle soreness and/or boosts the immune system. Protein rich foods contain sufficient glutamine (e.g. 4 ounces (120 g) meat, fish or poultry = 40005000 mg glutamine). Milk, soy beverage, tofu, legumes (i.e., kidney beans, chickpeas, baked beans) and nuts also provide glutamine and help keep the immune system strong.

NEW! otein grams of pr

s carb grams of

EXCELLENT SOURCE OF CALCIUM!

10.11

championships

Left: JR BC Boys Singles C Champ

review

2011 Black Knight Ontario Junior BC Championships Ajax High School U14 XD C Championship 1 Matthew Sem & Carol Ng 2 Levi Hughes [1] & Katie Harris 3/4 Kyle Gallagher & Aswini Ganesh 3/4 Otto Pang & Julia Ann Malone U16 XD C Championship 1 Felix PK Lam & Joyce Lai 2 Caleb Seguin & Raven Ocean Lam 3/4 Evan Stolpmann & Dorothy Duck 3/4 Chris Murphy & Vanessa Dunlop U19 XD C Championship 1 Lawrence Cheung & Brittany Jo-Wai Lee 2 Carter Wickson & Keara Leibovitz U12 BS C Championship 1 Patrick Sem 2 Brian Chan 3/4 Brandon Lee Cheung 3/4 Sean Edward Crotty U14 BS C Championship 1 Adam Vincent Wilson 2 Sheng Chen 3/4 Cyrus Koy 3/4 Otto chi shun Pang [2]

U14 BD C Championship 1 Gavin Leung & Kingsley Wu 2 Levi Hughes [1] & Jeremy Kielbiski 3/4 Thomas Hache & Brady Wills 3/4 Brandon Cheung & Kristjan Evans U16 BD C Championship 1 William Sze & Eric Ye 2 Christopher Cluett & Chris Murphy 3/4 Sheng Chen & Masayuki Mark Takada 3/4 Luke Armstrong & Evan Stolpmann U19 BD B Championship - U19 BD C Main Event 1 Derek Leung [1] & Matthew Robertson 2 Max J Barill & Brian Burrell 3 Ivan Kan & Thanushan Ravi U19 BD C Championship - U19 BD C Main Event 1 Victor Zw Liang & Scott Weng 2 Charles Cheung & William Weng 3 Richard Liu & Carter Wickson U12 GS C Championship 1 Dana Bennett [1] 2 Hannah Maureen Huxter 3/4 Alyssa Hum 3/4 Kiersten Leigh Hillman U14 GS C Championship 1 Aswini Ganesh 2 Lisa Tang 3/4 Hannah L P Duck 3/4 Julia Ann Malone U16 GS C Championship 1 Kim Sarah Carswell 2 Stephanie Chan 3/4 Dorothy L A Duck [1] 3/4 Jane Feng Sheng Situ

U16 BS C Championship 1 Masayuki Mark Takada 2 Eric Ye 3/4 Christopher Cluett 3/4 Chris Murphy U19 Bs C Championship 1 William Weng 2 Adam Ager 3/4 Charles Cheung 3/4 Scott Weng

U14 GD C Championship 1 Aswini Ganesh & Lisa Tang 2 Samantha Kong & Julia Ann Malone 3/4 Hannah L P Duck [1] & Nicole Morgan Dunlop 3/4 Hannah Maureen Huxter & Megan Southwell U16 GD C Championship 1 Kim Sarah Carswell & Dorothy L A Duck 2 Jennifer Cheng & Joyce Lai 3/4 Isabelle Beaudry & Janice Wong 3/4 Teresa Dan & Aarthi Ganesh U12 XD B Championship 1 Arthur Cheung & Dana Bennett 2 Brandon Lee Cheung & Alisha Sharma 3 Francis Coulombe [1] & Sabrina Kong U12 BS B Championship 1 Michael McQuade Farrell [1] 2 Francis Coulombe [2] 3/4 Arthur Cheung 3/4 Yi Chen U12 BD B Championship 1 Omar Matthew Cabello & Mitchell Theriault 2 Yi Chen & Arthur Cheung 3 Christopher Ng & Patrick Sem U12 GS B Championship 1 Julie Midroni [2] 2 Sarah Gale 3/4 Alisha Sharma 3/4 Maggie Wong U12 GD B Championship 1 Sabrina Kong & Maggie Wong 2 Dana Bennett & Kiersten Hillman U14 XD B Championship 1 Minh Pham & Claudie Coulombe 2 Vincent Dao & Chyna Liu 3/4 Adam Wilson & Hannah Huxter 3/4Nicolas Karwowski [2] & Carolyn Elaine Lloyd U14 BS B Championship 1 Minh Pham 2 Vincent Dao [5/8] 3/4 Alvin Ngo 3/4 Phillip Choi U14 BD B Championship 1 Nathan Jiang & Alvin Ngo 2 Geoffrey Zhou Hill [1] & Tony Sun 3/4 Azeem Munawar [3/4] & Adam Vincent Wilson 3/4 Cyrus Koy & Otto chi shun Pang U14 GS B Championship 1 Chyna Liu [3/4] 2 Katie Jane Harris [3/4] 3/4 Jackie Midroni [1] 3/4 Claudie Coulombe [2]

Above: U19 GD B winners and finalists

U14 GD B Championship 1 Claudie Coulombe [2] & Chyna Liu 2 Carolyn Elaine Lloyd & Carol N 3/4 Hannah L P Duck [1] & Nicole Mor-

gan Dunlop 3/4 Katie Jane Harris & Elsa Tan U16 XD B Championship 1 Matthew Robertson [3/4] & Alexandra Lloyd 2 Shawn Jagmohan [2] & Joletta Cheung 3/4 Ken Su [1] & Samantha Kong 3/4 Nicholas Hon [3/4] & Stephanie Chan U16 BS B Championship 1 Nicholas Hon [3/4] 2 Giulian Redentor Dela Merced 3/4 Shawn Jagmohan [5/8] 3/4 Matthew Robertson [3/4] U16 BD B Championship 1 Justin WH Cheung [2] & Nicholas Hon 2 Shawn Jagmohan [3/4] & Hilbert Li 3/4 Jeffrey Or [1] & Ken Su 3/4 Hamza Munawar [3/4] & Graeme Thompson

U12 BS 1 Bryan Poon [1] 2 Kyle To [2] 3/4 Tommy Du 3/4 Brian Yang [3/4] U12 BD 1 Nathan Lau [1] & Bryan Poon 2 Victor JJ Chan & Christopher Overvelde 3/4 Tommy Du & Brian Yang 3/4 Kyle To [2] & Caleb Yang U12 GS 1 Cara De Belle [2] 2 Kelly Carter [1] 3/4 Helen Ng [3/4]

U19 GS B Championship 1 Chinue Joisse Dela Merced 2 Jessica Fang 3 Vivian Pham U19 GD B Championship 1 Arielle Beaudry & Jessica Fang 2 Hilary Lau & Inga Lo 3 Brittany Jo-Wai Lee & Vivian Pham

2011 Yonex Ontario Junior A Championships - Georgian College

U12 XD 1 Bryan Poon [1] & Kelly Carter 2 Nathan Lau [2] & Cara De Belle 3/4 Caleb Yang & Jailyn Alize Joensen 3/4 Kyle To & Katie C Ho-Shue

U16 XD 1 Nathan Cheng [1] & Rachel Honderich 2 Joshua Sham & Caitlin Sherry 3/4 Alex Le & Joanne Chen 3/4 Andrew Lee [2] & Jamie Wood U16 BS 1 Adrian George [1] 2 Nathan Cheng [3/4] 3/4 Kartikay Tyagi [3/4] 3/4 Bosco Lau [5/8]

U16 GS 1 Rachel Honderich [1] 2 Jamie Wood 3/4 Joanne Chen 3/4 Sarah Bowman [2]

U16 GD B Championship 1 Joletta Cheung [2] & Jenny Zhang 2 Stephanie Chan & Grace Zhong 3/4 Eryn Danielle Belanger [1] & Vanessa A Dunlop 3/4 Raven Ocean Lam & Alexandra Lloyd

U19 BS B Championship 1 Brandon Somers [1] 2 Derek Leung [2] 3/4 Lawrence Cheung 3/4 Ryan Phan [3/4]

U14 GD 1 Caitlin Sherry & Michelle Yeemin Tong 2 Jayme Carter [1] & Danica Lau 3/4 Giselle Chan & Michelle Cheng 3/4 Sommer Li-Ting Chou [2] & Chantel H Lui

U16 BD 1 Bryan Jok [2] &Andrew Lee 2 Nathan Cheng [1] & Bosco Lau 3/4 Alex Le [3/4] & Joshua Sham 3/4 James Zai Ming Sun & Jason Sun

U16 GS B Championship 1 Alice Zhu 2 Alexandra Lloyd [2] 3/4 Eryn Danielle Belanger [1] 3/4 Joyce Lai

U19 XD B Championship 1 Tim Mok & Chinue Joisse Dela Merced 2 Giulian Redentor Dela Merced & Arielle Beaudry 3/4 Ivan Kan & Inga Lo 3/4 Charles Cheung & Jessica Fang

3/4 Caitlin Sherry 3/4 Sommer Li-Ting Chou [3/4]

Above: Jack Hall @ Jr A's 3/4 Jailyn Alize Joensen [3/4] U12 GD 1 Cara De Belle [1] & Helen Ng 2 Katie C Ho-Shue [2] & Jailyn Alize Joensen 3/4 Ella Anne Krane & Natalie Sybil Lam 3/4 Catherine Choi & Belle Tuen U14 XD 1 Jason Ho-Shue [1] & Michelle Yeemin Tong 2 Samuel Goh [2] & Brittney Tam 3/4 Stephen Lau [3/4] & Sommer LiTing Chou 3/4 Adwin Chi Yu Lau & Cecilia Zheng

U16 GD 1 Rachel Honderich [1] & Brittney Tam 2 Sarah Bowman [2] & Jamie Wood 3/4 Yini Liu & Rachel R Xian 3/4 Joanne Chen & Emily Lam U19 XD 1 Andrew Lau [1] & Bethany So 2 Nyl Yakura [2] & Stephanie Yeung 3/4 Sergiy Shatenko & Qufei Chen 3/4 Michael thomas Diamond [3/4] & Surabhi Kadam U19 BS 1 Andrew Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Souza [1] 2 Sergiy Shatenko [5/8] 3/4 Nathan Leung [5/8] 3/4 Nyl Yakura [2]

U14 BS 1 Jason Ho-Shue [1] 2 Stephen Lau [2] 3/4 Adwin Chi Yu Lau [3/4] 3/4 Jonathan Lai [3/4] U14 BD 1 Jason Ho-Shue & Newton Zheng 2 Samuel Goh [2] & Stephen Lau 3/4 Adrien Chan & Justin Law 3/4 Brandon Chau & Hok Poy Lo U14 GS 1 Brittney Tam [2] 2 Michelle Yeemin Tong [1]

Above: Cara de Belle @ Jr A's

U19 BD 1 Michael thomas Diamond [2] & Nyl Yakura 2 Joshua Hurlburt-Yu [3/4] & Jackie Yeung 3/4 Andrew Lau [1] & Andrew Wilkinson 3/4 Andrew D’Souza [3/4] & Sergiy Shatenko U19 GS 1 Bethany So [1] 2 Qufei Chen [2] 3/4 Vivian Kwok 3/4 Christina Nguyen U19 GD 1 Vivian Kwok [2] & Bethany So 2 Jody Chan [1] & Stephanie Yeung 3/4 Adrienne Goldsworthy & Victoria Hall 3/4 Robyn Bennett & Christy Yau

2011 Victor Ontario CDE Championships - Cedar Springs Badminton Club Men’s Singles 1 Reaz Vawda 2 Adrian Press [1/1] 3/4 Nicky Chang 3/4 Boris Chiu [3/4] Men’s Doubles 1 Kevin J.T. Luo [1/1] & Michael Tjioe 2 Eric Chiu [2/2] & Eugene Yue Hin Lau 3/4 David Chow & Jordan Yeung 3/4 Mohammad Saad Khan & Kenny Yuen Women’s Singles 1 Yuki Yamagishi 2 Esther Son 3 Yuti Hu Women’s Doubles 1 Adrienne Ng & Esther Son 2 Yuti Hu & Yuki Yamagishi 3 Noel Ly & Kathleen Uy-Favis Mixed Doubles 1 Kevin J.T. Luo & Esther Son 2 Michael Tjioe [2/2] & Adrienne Ng 3/4 Eugene Yue Hin Lau & Yuti Hu 3/4 Anas Bajwa [3/4] & Noel Ly

2011 Victor Ontario B Championships - Humber College Men’s Singles 1 Ernest Nketiah [5/8] 2 Nathan Cheng [5/8] 3/4 Adrian Press [3/4] 3/4 Gary Wan [5/8] Men’s Doubles 1 Aiden SIN FU Lim [1] & Simon Yip 2 T.D. Nguyen & Gary Wan

3/4 Michael Tran & Francis HS Wong 3/4 Len R Carter & Ernest Nketiah Women’s Singles 1 Rachel Honderich 2 Joanne Chen 3/4 Adrienne Goldsworthy [1] 3/4 Rachel R Xian Women’s Doubles 1 Rachel Honderich [1] & Brittney Tam 2 Fong Cho [2] & Vivian Tam 3/4 Adrienne Goldsworthy [3/4] & Victoria Hall 3/4 Katherine D Chengli & Esther Son Mixed Doubles 1 Joshua Hurlburt-Yu [5/8] & Joanne Chen 2 Aiden SIN FU Lim [1] & Vivian Tam 3/4 Ernest Nketiah & Jayme Carter 3/4 Nathan Cheng & Rachel Honderich

2011 Victor Ontario A Championships - Mandarin Badminton Club Men’s Singles 1 Timothy Chiu [2/2] 2 Wei che Kao 3/4 Will Schram [3/4] 3/4 Tim Lam [3/4] Men’s Doubles 1 Brian Prevoe [1/1] & Raymond Wong 2 Timothy Chiu & Wei che Kao 3/4 Choo Sung Tai [3/4] & David Trin 3/4 Sébastien Guérard & Aiden SIN FU Lim Women’s Singles 1 Jenn Lam [1/1] 2 Brittney Tam 3/4 Vivian Kwok 3/4 Amanda Lee Carruthers Women’s Doubles 1 Katie Dejak [1/1] & Jenn Lam 2 Rachel Honderich & Brittney Tam 3/4 Amanda Lee Carruthers & Shilin Lok Yee Cheung 3/4 Fong Cho [2/2] & Vivian Tam Mixed Doubles 1 Joshua Hurlburt-Yu & Renee Yip 2 Danusha C Ambagahawita [2/2] & Amanda Lee Carruthers 3/4 Aiden SIN FU Lim [1/1] & Vivian Tam 3/4 Darion Sin Kui Lim & Michelle Chow

2011 RSL Ontario Masters Championships - KW Badminton Club MS35+ 1 Mark Krempien 2 Chun-Shun Ma 3 William John Pass

MD35+ 1 Ed Gregorio [1] & Garnet Shawn Lucas 2 Alan Fung [2] & Raju Neote 3/4 Ian Assing & David Hicks 3/4 Chin-Yi Liu & Lam H Trinh WD35+ 1 Yiwen Jiang & Min Zhao 2 Teresa Prevoe [1] & Yung Yu 3/4 Sue Bain & Maybelle Wong 3/4 Sarah Ball [2] & Yukiko Nogawa XD35+ 1 Christopher John Dorey [1] & Yiwen Jiang 2 Jeff Goldsworthy & Penny Parkes 3/4 Ian Assing [3/4] & Yukiko Nogawa 3/4 Richard Gabriel Tremblay [2] & Virginia Young MS40+ 1 Mark Krempien 2 David Hicks MD40+ 1 Pat Cassano [1] & Sabino carmine Maione 2 Paul A. Taylor [2] & Richard Gabriel Tremblay 3/4 Raju Neote & Don B Wagar 3/4 Ian Assing & David Hicks WS40+ 1 Yung Yu 2 Cindy Newman 3 Anne Lim WD40+ 1 Yiwen Jiang & Min Zhao 2 Debbie Mccoy [2] & Penny Parkes 3/4 Teresa Prevoe [1] & Yung Yu 3/4 Karen Ko & Yukiko Nogawa XD40+ 1 Christopher John Dorey & Min Zhao 2 Clovis Mclaughlin [3/4] & Sarah Ball 3/4 Richard Gabriel Tremblay [1] & Virginia Young 3/4 Ed Gregorio [2] & Angela K Bukowski MS45+ 1 Jeff Goldsworthy 2 Keith Jack Priestman [2] 3/4 Kenny Tu [1] 3/4 Chun-Shun Ma MD45+ 1 Christopher John Dorey [1] & Steve Mccoy 2 John Chen & Danny C Tsang 3/4 Ed Gregorio [3/4] & Ron Taylor 3/4 Jeff Goldsworthy [2] & Glenn L Prevoe WD45+ 1 Debbie Mccoy [1] & Penny Parkes 2 Sarah Ball & Anne Lim 3/4 Angela K Bukowski & Donna Van Der Schilden 3/4 Jennifer Evelyn Aziz [2] & Sally Dakin

XD45+ 1 Jeff Goldsworthy [1] & Penny Parkes 2 Ron Taylor [2] & Debbie Mccoy 3/4 Mike Van Der Schilden & Donna Van Der Schilden 3/4 Clovis Mclaughlin & Sarah Ball

WD50+ 1 Jennifer Evelyn Aziz & Sally Dakin 2 Marlene Mader & Cindy Newman 3 Susan Mcmaster & Donna Van Der Schilden XD50+ 1 Ron Taylor [2] & Debbie Mccoy 2 Gary Helmkay & Jennifer Evelyn Aziz 3/4 William Reid Thompson [1] & Marlene elizabeth Mader 3/4 Mike Van Der Schilden & Donna Van Der Schilden MS55+ 1 Ian Bishop [1] 2 Naomichi Aoki 3/4 Mike Van Der Schilden 3/4 William Reid Thompson [2] MD55+ 1 Ole J. Tang [1] & William Reid Thompson 2 Gary Helmkay [2] & Mike Van Der Schilden 3/4 Jim Duncan & Glenn L Prevoe 3/4 Cordell saunders Parsons & Bruce Shaw XD55+ 1 William Reid Thompson [1] & Sally Dakin 2 Ole J. Tang [2] & Marlene elizabeth Mader 3/4 Gary Foong & Dany CT Chan 3/4 Gary Helmkay & Jennifer Evelyn Aziz MS60+ 1 Ian Bishop [1] 2 Peter Christensen 3/4 Michael Chan 3/4 Ole J. Tang [2]

MD60+ 1 Ian Bishop [1] & Peter Christensen 2 Michael Chan & Gary Foong 3/4 Rod Jansen & Ole J. Tang 3/4 Dave Kumar [2] & Richard Long

MS65+ 1 Liew Hui Di [1] 2 Owen Stickels [2] 3/4 John Gilbert 3/4 Rainer Schroeder MD65+ 1 Liew Hui Di & Owen Stickels 2 John Cree & John Gilbert 3/4 Don Gidley & John Sterling 3/4 Rainer Schroeder & Ed Whiteside WD65+ 1 Lillian Cree & Karen I. Jackson 2 Patricia L Eldridge & Margie Uyeda XD65+ 1 John Gilbert & Val Butler 2 Owen Stickels & Karen I. Jackson 3/4 John Cree & Lillian Cree 3/4 Ed Whiteside & Patricia L Eldridge MS70+ 1 Liew Hui Di 2 Rainer Schroeder MD70+ 1 Liew Hui Di & Wai How Hui 2 Rainer Schroeder [2] & Ed Whiteside 3/4 Fred Janes [1] & Tosh Uyeda 3/4 Arthur Lawrence Brown & Kaj Eskesen MD70+ 1 Fred Janes [1] & Tosh Uyeda 2 Arthur Lawrence Brown & Kaj Eskesen XD70+ 1 Ed Whiteside & Patricia L Eldridge 2 Tosh Uyeda & Margie Uyeda

2011 SOTX Ontario Team Cup Championship - Ajax High School 1 A. Bujak Badminton Club (seen below)

10.11

championships

MD50+ 1 Jeff Goldsworthy [2] & Ron Taylor 2 Christopher John Dorey [1] & Steve Mccoy 3/4 John Hunter & Jun-Lung(John) Lee 3/4 Gary Helmkay & Mike Van Der Schilden

XD60+ 1 Ian Bishop & Val Butler 2 Owen Stickels & Karen I. Jackson 3 Peter Christensen & Susan Mcmaster

review

MS50+ 1 Dan Hui Li 2 Le Luke Huang [2] 3/4 Kenny Tu [1] 3/4 Jim Duncan

WD60+ 1 Karen I. Jackson & Susan Mcmaster 2 Val Butler & Patricia L Eldridge

Michelle Li Originally from Hong Kong, this Canadian raised athlete has big dreams for a professional career in badminton. Like other athletes pursuing their sport full time, she faces challenges like choosing between school and sport as well as funding her dream. But as one of the nation’s top athletes, the support surrounding her dream is enormous as she

in their shots,” she says. “I got my inspiration from just watching them compete and just from watching them fight in each rally and the intensity of every point of every game for me was inspiring enough to get me wanting to do the same.” Now, as one of the nation’s top female ath-

As she struggles to find additional funding for travel, she only hopes the Olympics are an attainable goal. “The cost of qualifying for the Olympics is very heavy,” she says. Currently Michelle is ranked number 1 in Canada and 40 in the world. But just attending the Olympics isn’t enough for this determined athlete. “I want to be able to rank top 10 in the world and

“I never would’ve thought when I first started playing badminton that anyone would look up to me.” continues her path towards the 2012 Olympics in London, England. Michelle first started playing badminton recreationally at Lee’s Badminton Training Centre when she was 11 years old. As most athletes do, she enjoyed the sport so much she started taking lessons to improve and her enjoyment progressed from there. It wasn’t until her coach, Jennifer Lee, travelled with her to the 2008 Swiss Open when she was just 16, that she decided to pursue badminton professionally. “I was really lucky to have a coach like Jennifer who brought me to this tournament at a pretty young age to get me prepared for the road I will have to take, and let me see where the world level badminton is at. So when I actually do play professional I will know what to expect,” says Michelle.

After seeing the world’s top athletes compete she started to aspire to be like them, move like them and train like them. “It was always very impressive how they could so consistently stomp their opponents every time and making it look so easy, with such accuracy

letes, she is that player that athletes look up to and aspire to be. “It definitely makes me happy to know that young Athletes look up to me, because I never would’ve thought when I first started playing badminton that anyone would look up to me. It’s always good to have someone to look up to and for them to set a good example so you can always learn from them, for me I always looked up to the older players at Lee’s. I look up to all the top players in the world now like the Chinese players, and Lee Chong Wei , Taufik, Peter Gade. Just by watching them play I can always learn new things and therefore I can improve faster.” Top athletes, even in just Ontario, seem to spread out over many clubs. Even being in the GTA, it can be hard to find times to travel to train with sparring partners. But Jennifer has taught Michelle that this isn’t the key to reaching all your goals. “I have always been taught that you don’t need to train with really good people for you to improve; it depends on yourself. Because one will not always have the best to train with so you have to learn to cope with these hardships and make the best of what you already have.”

be able to give the top players now a good match.” Already a dominant force in the Pan Americans and the world, recently finishing first at the Peru International and second at the Dutch International, she looks forward to life after the Olympics and her competition on home soil. “I’m excited to play on home turf because I will have my family there to support me because they have never seen me play an international tournament yet, along with all my friends and local people to support me.” She continues in support of Markham hosting the games, “It’s a good thing that the Pan Am will be held in Markham because it will definitely be good for the sport. Having such a high level badminton tournament at a city where the sport is underrated will help increase the popularity of the sport because then people will start to see the intensity of this sport and what it really is and not just a backyard activity.” The Markham council had recent debates on whether hosting badminton in their city was their best plan of action but the community fought back showing them that it is alive and strong. Another struggling community, the York University badminton team was demoted

at their school to a recreational sport and their Varsity funding was cut. But like Michelle said, showcasing high performance badminton will elevate the sport in the community, increasing interest and participation. Any badminton athlete will agree; it’s an easy sport to fall in love with. But before 2015, Michelle will once again face the challenge of school or badminton. After graduating high school, she was accepted to the University of Toronto for Life Science. An

aspiring Doctor, she found it hard to travel internationally and find time for her studies, sometimes staying awake for 3 days at a time. “I thought, ‘I have been balancing school and badminton in high school pretty well so university and badminton wouldn’t be so different’. But it turned out my first year of university was one of my toughest years. I definitely would not choose to live that year again.” She goes on to say that it’s okay to choose sport over school, you only have one chance to pursue your dreams, “I wish I would have start my

badminton career from the beginning instead of wasting a year of not putting my 100 percent in anything.” Many athletes are facing the same problem between choosing their passion or their career but for Michelle, the choice became clear when she followed her heart. “Pursue your badminton dream when you still can and not try to do both because it is really not beneficial.” Thanks to Terry Ting for the photos below.

“Pursue your badminton dream when you still can."

The Canada Winter Games team brought home gold medals this past March, showing the Nation that they are the best. On May 28, 2011 we brought Halifax to Markham and gave the community a sense of what it takes to become the best team in Canada. Members of the team held a coaching session in the morning, showing recreational players the basics of badminton. Working with the Markham Badminton Federation, league play was also run in the morning which resulted in huge success. Thank you to all the volunteers from the community who helped make yet another exciting event.

2011

cwg ton n i m d ba on i t i b i h ex

Above: CWG team members Nathan Lee and Neil Tai-Pow compete during the exhibition

Above: participant in league play

Above: CWG team member Tracy Wong competes against top junior Brittney Tam. Right: CWG team member Bethany So in action. Below: CWG assistant coach Melissa Hill demonstrates technique during the morning coaching session.

Above: learning to swing during the coaching session

Above: a young participant of the coaching session

Thank you to Minnie Huang and Ke Xin Chow for the great pictures!

2012 - ?

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tainment and laughs to the crowd of observers. These gentlmen introduced everyone to a little game of ‘triples’ video footage found on our page www. facebook.com/badmintonontario - that had the crowd on their feet.

U16 Male Athlete of the Year - Jason Ho-Shue

Spearheaded by Vice President Dave Kumar, this action packed event was enhanced with the expertise of the Markham Badminton Club. Many volunteers joined in to promote the sport by running league play in the morning as well as participating in a beginners skills clinic run by some of the exhibitors.

U19 Male Athlete of the Year - ‘Nyl Yakura’

Experienced Line Judges from the 2011 Line Judge training program also participated, giving the crowd an added view of what a professional match looks like. Many thanks to the volunteers who helped roll up the portable courts as well as our Referee’s Richard Williams and Charles Chow. U16 Female Athlete of the Year - Rachel Honderich

U19 Female Athlete of the Year - Jody Chan

U19 Male Athlete of the Year - Andrew Lau

Year the f o am ow h Coac Alfred L Nick Sn y b ed sent pre

f te o ow e l h t A Ch male ichelle e F M or Vict ear Y Below left: the Volunteer of the d r a s Aw d n e Year award couldn’t go to a le oll can own h H Keit Jim Dun ren Br more deserving people: Roy ar W y b Yakura, Susan Yakura, Robert Lau, pted acce Mala Lau. Bottom right: Championships banner awarded to Mandarin Badminton Club.

where are they now? Lifelong friends Kerri-Lee MacDonald and Kevin Eng (seen below) helped pave the way for badminton in the north, competing at several OFSAA championships along the way. Coach Frank Boulanger reflects on the impact they made on the badminton community and where they are now.

“Friends for life” I first meant Kerri and Kevin when they tagged along with their siblings for summer badminton at Timmins High. Kevin Eng and Kerri-Lee MacDonald, along with several other neighborhood kids had been playing badminton in their back yards for years. They would play until it was too dark to see the shuttle. Sometimes an occasional bat would find the strings of the racquet. Not exactly the type of bird they intended on hitting. Meanwhile, at the other end of town, Tim’s older brother was looking for someone to rally with. With no badminton courts available, they practiced on the street using the cracks in the road as lines. Tim liked the game so much that he joined the Grade 8 badminton team at Ross Beattie Public School. Kerri Lee and Kevin were also on the team. However, the three would not become friends until high school.

Everyone that I encountered with badminton is a life long friend. Whether they are highly skilled or just a beginner, a coach or a teammate, it’s not how we play, it’s what we play that brings us together. - Tim Yu

The junior high school team was a closeknit group and pushed each other to excel. Soon they were beating their siblings on the senior team. Kevin and Tim joined the adult club to gain extra experience. For several years Kevin and Tim dominated the NOBA Championships, often playing each other in the singles final. However it was in doubles that they would excel. In 1994, Kevin, Tim and Kerri would compete in their first OFSAA Championship in Toronto - Kerri in singles and Tim and Kevin in doubles. The following year Kevin and Tim would capture a bronze in doubles at the OFSAA Champion-

ship in Cornwall. I tore my calf muscle of my right leg the week before OFSAA so I was unable to attend. However, they obviously did not need my words of wisdom; I would save them for the next year.

doubles where he had to settle for silver.

Bronze medals.

Upon graduation he went to Western where he played on the University team. Western would win three OUA titles during this time. Upon graduation Kevin also coached the Western badminton team for a year before moving on to Sarnia.

Today Kevin works as a civic engineer in Sarnia, Tim is Athletics Coordinator at Cambrian College and Kerri – Lee teaches at Golden Avenue Public School in South Porcupine.

In 1996, at Sault Ste. Marie, Kevin and Tim reached the finals in doubles. Kerri – Lee and Kerri has taken her knowledge in badminton her partner were in the adjacent court playing and applied it to the elementary badminton in the mixed finals. I recall watching Kevin and Meanwhile Tim had moved to Sudbury to atprogram at Golden Avenue. Next year she Tim’s opponents drill on an empty court before tend Cambrian College. At Cambrian Tim won will be taking over the Timmins High School the match. They were obviously from Badminton program as I leave for “They have awesome smashes don’t they?” a private club. They had outstandwarmer pastures. They boys nodded their heads in agreement. ing jump smashes. As I stood there “If you don’t lift the shuttle they can’t admiring their skills I turned to see The trio are still close friends smash.” Kevin and Tim would heed my advice my doubles team watching the show and several times a year will get and win OFSAA gold in doubles. as well. It was apparent from the together at a badminton tournalooks on their faces that they were ment. A few years back Kevin impressed. I wasn’t sure what to say. flew in from Newfoundland The harm had been done. My players to compete in the Porcupine were totally psyched out. I simply Open in Timmins. He was not blurted out the obvious. “They have about to miss the chance to be awesome smashes don’t they. The with his lifelong friends. boys nodded their heads in agreement. I then countered, “if you don’t lift Tim Yu succinctly expressed the shuttle they can’t smash.” my thoughts as I prepared to write this article. Tim wrote, Kevin and Tim would heed my advice “Everyone that I encountered and win OFSAA gold in doubles. Kerri with badminton is a life long would settle for silver in mixed. As a friend. Whether they are highly coach this was my proudest moment. skilled or just a beginner, a coach or a teammate, it’s not In 1997, Tim and Kerri were off to York Unisilver and a bronze in CCAA doubles. Upon how we play, it’s what we play that brings us versity. Both would make the varsity badmingraduation, Tim followed in Kevin’s footsteps together.” ton team. In 1998 – 99 Kerri would be part of and became head coach of the Cambrian the York University Team that captured the team. During his tenure as coach, Cambrian Frank Boulanger OUA Badminton Championships. Kevin Eng, captured two OCAA Overall Women’s title, who was one year younger still had one year one OCAA Overall team title, five OCAA gold of high-school to finish. Once more he would medals, two OCAA silver medals, one CCAA reach the OFSAA finals, this time in mixed Nationals silver medal and 3 CCAA National

W W ORDS ARE NOT ARE NOU

HEN HEN ORDS

150 total athletes and an average of 10 times per week. In addition to badminton he volunteers each fall to do brush work on the cross country ski trails, and has for the past 30 years. He convenes numerous tournaments each year, 4 junior tournaments, 1 senior tournament, NEOAA High School Regional Championships and has hosted 4 OFSAA Badminton Championships. He organizes, coaches and travels with his teams to various events, most often travelling long distances. He can drive a school bus and usually helps fund raise to rent these buses to porter the kids across the northern towns. On average he raises $10,000 a year, which includes BINGO twice a month.

much for Badminton in Ontario, especially Northern Ontario. Frank Boulanger was the recipient of the Syl Apps Volunteer Award. Also awarded at the Ontario Sport Awards was Doug Fox from Humber College Athletics with the Sport Citation award. Humber is a partner in Excellence with Badminton Ontario. Nyl Yakura was a finalist (top 3) for Male Athlete of the Year, competing in the ranks with other Elite Athletes and Olympians.

NOT GH NOU

EGH Every once in a while you come accross an individual or organization who’s devotion touches your heart. The Ontario Sport Awards once a year gives us an opportunity to acknowledge these people. But in this instance, words and recognition does not do him justice. The following is an exerpt from his award application: Frank Boulanger is one of the few people who is truly selflessly devoted to the sport of Badminton. Being from our Northern District, the distances he has to travel and the stories he has of moose and snowstorms are neverending.

Frank is the President of NOBA (Northern Ontario Badminton Association) and has been a part of the NOBA administration since the 1980’s. He started off as the Junior Development Chairman and eventually became president. He served as President in the 90’s before passing on the reigns. In 1996 he once again agreed to be President and has been in that role ever since.

Frank has been a volunteer badminton coach at Timmins High School for over 35 years. Over the last 5 years he has also coached at 2 additional Public Schools. He coaches about

Aside from coaching during the season, he also organizes 2 summer camps every year and for the past 16 years has assisted a top Coach in Ontario, Dominic Soong, Above: Frank Boulanger and wife receiving the at an Advanced Summer Camp in Syl Apps Volunteer Award from the Minister Ottawa. of Health Promotion and Sport, Margarett Best. Below: Frank Boulanger accepts a plaque from Frank has also teamed up with Benno Kurvits for his services in the North. Warren Brownlee from the Georgian District Badminton Association with new Junior Programs, who both face the same challenges being more northern areas. Frank faces many obstacles being from the North. He competes regularly with Hockey and Gymnastics for the few kids at every school but has teamed up with several principals and superintendents to encourage kids to play Badminton outside the regular school season. Even by reading this short biography it’s hard to imagine dedicating that much time to helping others and asking nothing in return. I sometimes wonder if being from the North, they have more hours in the day than we do. He leads by a strong example and his pursuits reach far beyond badminton, touching the lives of many other organizations and their programs. I cannot imagine there is any way to show someone of this calibre your gratitude. He is the epitome of selflessness and has done so

Play was halted for a few minutes on April 2nd at the 2011 Sudbury High School Invitational Badminton Tournament held in Sudbury in order to recognize Frank Boulanger. As the coach of the Timmins High School Team, Frank has made an outstanding contribution to the sport in Northern Ontario. A round of applause was heartily given to Frank as Benno Kurvits, a coach in Sudbury, honoured Frank with a few words and a plaque recognizing his contributions.

Scenes from the First Annual COBA Awards, AGM, and Junior Fun Day BBQ held at the Port Hope Town Park Rec. Centre on Saturday May 15, 2011

NEW

coaching course certification now available!

NCCP Super Clinic Badminton - Community Course Will run Sunday September 18, 2011 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM “Participants of all ages are encouraged to participate in the sport and are introduced to the sports basics in a fun, safe and self-esteem building environment regardless of their ability''. The Badminton NCCP course will cost $130.00.

(continued from page 5) There are 3 definitions to consider when looking at goal-setting: • Outcome Goals Athletic performance in comparison to other athletes • Performance Goals Athletic performance independent of others • Process Goals How an athlete achieves specific goals Process goals can consist of: technical goals, tactical goals, physiological goals and psychological goals. Another way to look at personal goals might be to list current practices (e.g. physical or technical drills) and add the phrase “so that”… to the end. For example: I will complete my circuit training three time per week …so that… I can reduce the training time by 10% by the end of the month. If every “so that” could be followed by a goal or stepping stone then your everyday behavior could be in tune with your goals. UNREALISTICALLY HIGH GOALS At Toronto there have been student athletes who have set goals that are too high and that may be a result of one or more factors.

• Advice from other people. Other people (parents, fellow athletes, coaches, spectators) may set unrealistic goals for an athlete based on what they want for the athlete and not what the athlete actually wants for himself/herself. Within the Blues programme every attempt is made to allow the individual athlete set their own goals and then to assist in their attainment at our practice sessions and tournament structure.

• Insufficient information. Often student athletes arrive at university and are not aware of the various standards of performance within our sport and then set goals that will not be achievable. This behavior is not just an element of our Blues recruits but is also common within the badminton community as there is really no understanding of how the performance an elite player like Michelle Li (Blues 2009) differs from the average provincial competitive player. • Always expecting best performance. Many of our university student athletes base their goal-setting on their best-ever performance no matter how long ago that was. That ignores the backsliding that can happen for various reasons and ignores the factors that helped you achieve your best performance in the past. It is better to set goals to match your “average” performance and thus achieve consistency. GOALS THAT ARE TOO LOW Goals may be set too low as well for several reasons, including: • Fear of failure. If an athlete is frightened by the concept of failure on the court during competition, then they may not take the risks needed for optimum performance. As goal setting principles are applied to performance and the achievement of personal goals then self-confidence should increase and allows for bigger risk-taking. Know that failure is a positive thing - the most important factor in becoming a winner on court may be the losses that are needed to get there as an athlete discovers areas that need to be improved in order to get better outcomes.

• Taking it too easy. It is easy to take the reasons for not setting goals too high as an excuse to set them too low – if an athlete is not prepared to stretch themself and to work hard then it is extremely unlikely that they will achieve anything of real worth. THE LINK BETWEEN OUA/OCAA AND BADMINTON ONTARIO Now that we know that we have lots of student athletes competing on university/college teams how could we create a continuing link between those athletes and Badminton Ontario? In the past there has been relatively low interest in a provincial U23 championship and the major reason is that for that group of athletes the OUA and OCAA league and championships are the focus and provide motivation to train and perform for their school. There are some who still compete at OBA tournaments but for the majority they are not willing to devote entire weekends to competitions; further they come to love the tournaments in both OUA and OCAA and the shared team goals that have taken the place of individual one as in junior. I think perhaps the best way to grow the link between graduates of the OBA junior programme and Badminton Ontario to a new link between OUA/ OCAA athletes and Badminton Ontario would be to create separate player rankings within Badminton Ontario based on OUA results and another ranking based on OCAA results – these rankings would create a system that includes 18 to 23 year olds in large numbers within our provincial organization during their “away” years and would indirectly create another motivation for players and another tool that could be useful in the goal-setting process. An interesting concept indeed….will the connection be made?