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Badminton BRIEFS
Everything you didn't know you needed to know about the Badminton
Nationals ... |
The programs will be available on
BucksTV.co.uk
on Monday and Tuesday, and DVDs will be available too ...
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Fancy seeing you here ...
As you know, we normally cover squash events, so it was a bit of a
surprise to see a retired squash player turn up at the Velodrome on
the morning of day two, as part of a film crew.
It turns out that Sue Wright, former world number three and
British National Champion in 2001, was here with the Bucks TV team,
with Sue conducting interviews with players from their neck of the
woods (she's actually Head of Sport).
 Sue
hasn't played squash for a while now, but still follows the game (on
SquashSite, of course).
"I enjoy badminton too, in some ways it's an easier sport to follow,
it comes across on TV better and there's certainly no trouble in
seeing the shuttle, which is sometimes an issue in squash. But
there's nothing like being up close to a top squash match to see the
physical effort and movement that's being put in.
"Wouldn't it be great though if Squash could join Badminton in the
Olympics for 2016, it would really make the game take off and it so
deserves it.
She's also suitably proud that her six-year-old son Ethan is a keen
player and has just been selected for a National Squad ...
Badminton, that is ... pffff. |
Mission Control
There's a lot of tournament admin to be done at these championships,
but give me a laptop, a walkie-talkie, a printer and a big box of
sweets and I can do anything ...
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Marching them out
 Talking
of organisation ... the players don't just wander on court when the
previous match finishes, oh no.
First of all the match team, consisting of the umpire,
service judge, scorer, four line judges and two or
four players, is assembled in the tunnel.
When they're all ready word is passed to 'mission control' and
compere Andy Nickeas (above, with the mic) announces the match to
the audience and the match team troop off to the court.
It goes like clockwork, which when you consider there are 79 matches
to organise on day one alone is a pretty impressive effort!. |
What a load of Shuttles
They don't half get through a lot of shuttles at events like this!
Chatting to Keith Parry, who has been looking after the
shuttles in events such as this for the last twenty years, you
discover some interesting facts.
You may know that the feathers on shuttles come from Geese, but it
was certainly news to me that only the right wing is used. After 20
years Barry didn't fully understand why, so I'm not even going to
hazard a guess!
Players always use new shuttles during a match, and the discarded
ones are then used as warm-up shuttles. "These players earn their
living doing this, so the demand the best and won't settle for
anything else," says Barry. "And quite rightly so too," he adds.
"It's an expense, but Carlton are sponsoring the tournament so we're
not going to be paying retail price for sure, and just as with
everything else the shuttles are built in to the running costs of
the event.
 I
asked him how many shuttles players might go through in a match. "It
depends on the length and type of match," said Barry, "but I've
known men's doubles matches to go through up to a couple of dozen."
Just then, one of the buckets used to collect the discarded shuttles
was brought back to 'shuttle control'. It was from a men's doubles
match, and Barry counted them out .... twenty eight! Blimey, what a
load of shuttles!
PS: I was asked a perfectly sensible question yesterday - "why are
you taking photographs of buckets?" ... well, now you know! |
A Familiar
Voice
 As
the early matches were introduced onto court I heard a familiar
voice ... the master of ceremonies here at the Velodrome is none
other than Andrew Nickias.
Anyone that's been to any of the squash events in Manchester and
other parts of the country will instantly recognise Andy, who has a
happy knack of bringing players into the arena feeling a million
dollars, and get the crowd going too.
 "It's
a bit different at the Badminton, at least in the early stages,"
says Andy, in this his third sting at the Badminton Nationals. "With
four courts on the go continuously you can't have the music and
lights each time, you just have to announce the match, a little info
on the players and get on with it."
"Come the finals it will be different, we'll have all the usual
razzmatazz and it's a great atmosphere, but for the first day I'm
just sitting here bringing on one match after another." (there were
78 matches on day one!).
 It's
not just the players who troop onto the arena either - they are
accompanied by the umpire, the service judge, scoreboard operator,
court mopper and up to ten line judges (it's always an even number
though).
So Andy, here's hoping your voice lasts until the finals ... |
On Duty at the Velodrome
 Events
like this need volunteers, and Manchester has a loyal band of them
who offer their services free for many events run by Manchester
Leisure.
 The
organisation has needed to round up and amazing 100
for day one, 110 for day two, and 70 for finals day, and the jobs
they do, essential all, really are too numerous to mention.
Betty Guinane, for example, has previously helped out at
Squash events and is in her first time at the Badminton, while
Hilary Greenwood and Barbara Parry have been handling the
check-in desk at badminton events for many years.
So thanks to you all ... it couldn't be done without you ... |
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