Talking to one of my friends who runs Thurrock badminton club near me, says that i'm a premier class player now, wonders why i havent been to these tournaments. But, he's been asking round for a lift for me more often, which hopefully should get some replies. If i get into the Essex squad (still aint been to the trials!), then i could be going to the ICC next april, so, maybe see some of you there! Matt
It was a Challenger so pretty tought to get through 1st round. I know a few people that played yesterday. Shame I wasn't there otherwise I might have bumped into you. Too much work to do otherwise I would have gone
I don't suppose you know the results, UKP. I know that in the mixed Chris and Emma won. They beat Matthew Honey and Rachel ???? in the semi rather too easily for my taste seeing as it was them that did for me in the 1st round. In the mens I cannot see anyone other than Boxall and his partner winning, they were playing some of the best badminton I have seen outside the nationals for a long while. Next outing will be this weekend at Middlesex followed by Wiltshire two weeks after that. Will only play mixed next week and both in Wiltshire. Hope I do better than Yorkshire. I know it was a Challenger but I have ruined my record of always getting through the 1st round in the mixed. Perhaps the curry and lager the night before was a little ill advised...
Northumberland is anybody going to northumberland in a couple of weeks? anybody got an idea of the sort of people that might be going? its going to be mine and my partners first satellite tournament - just trying scope it out before we get there Neil
I think that it happens at the same time as the Wiltshire, so I won't be there. I know a couple of good players who will be though. I have had enough of the M1 anyway. From what I hear the standard of the Northumberland is a little below that of the Wiltshire so you should be alright. This could change fast is the Yorkshire players decide to go, as the standard is very high there. Still, if it is your first Satellite then just try your best, watch the games, talk to lots of people and get a feel for what it takes to do well. Often the players you notice early on as very technically gifted can lose to players who have the correct mental approach. Watch the latter type of player. Getting through rounds is more of a habit than anything else, if you have done it several times before you can go into the game and do the right things. At the moment you do not have that advantage but you can still learn a lot from watching. Above all just enjoy yourself , it is a day out after all.
Slanter - you're not the only one who didn't play well at Yorkshire. I was absolutely shocking! The doubles was a marginal improvement but not much! I don't have the excuse of lager and curry the previous night! Don't know who won on the Sunday. I know in the women's singles Jemma Foster beat Caroline Smith in the semi, but that's the only result I know. I was very impressed with the standard in some of the games, as I've only seen/played in the North East Challenger at Gateshead before and this was a higher standard. Best games for me were Panesar/Clarkson beating Vincent/Scholes and Frye/Tonks beating Roebuck/Higgins. coops - I will be at Northumberland hoping for an improvement over Yorkshire. Well it can't get much worse. I can't train very much at the moment due to a bit of patellar tendonitis, but hopefully its on the mend.
hey andy - how old are you - my partner played for the scottish national team in his junior years - he's just about recoverd froma very serious injury and got fit again. he won the scottish U14 singles and level doubles win '95 /'96 . Check it out onthe scot badders website his name is Phil Burton. also - do you know who ^shaz^ is me and phil don't recognise the name but we reckon phil probably knows him or know's of him Neil Slanter - cheers for the advice, i have to say i'm pretty nervous but i'll be okay on the day - my partner is my coach and he's a great guy, but he needs me to keep him on a leash, good thing one of us has a cool head Neil
coops - I'm a little old to know your partner, as I would probably have been an U19 at that time (and not a very good one either). Its only in the last few years I've started to play a bit more seriously. Wish I had done so before! I know what ^shaz^'s name is but I probably shouldn't say as I don't know him personally! You can find his name on the SBU site in the junior rankings section. Are you just playing doubles at Northumberland or are you doing singles/mixed as well? Northumberland last year wasn't a particulary high standard except for James Vincent/Graham Crow in the doubles. They won without breaking sweat!
fair enuf - you're probably right about giving out peoples names online. yeah i'm playing the singles too but only for the experience - singles ain't really my game as i ain't fit enough yet and i have a doubles head that is difficult to swop for a singles head. Neil
Hi coops I'm going to Northumberland, but only for the singles, so unless you're there Saturday I guess we'll miss each other
Well the Middlesex went along the usual lines. Got through a round then couldn't keep the errors out of our game when it got important. Only payed the mixed. Playing Wiltshire in two weeks but meanwhile giving the Hampshire a miss to get some rest.
<yawn> it's a bit early Hi all, this it is! my first satellite tournament. i'm nervous as hell at the moment but i've got till 10.30 to lose my nerves. my coach has managed to blag some 1st class tickets from virgin so we're travelling in style from York up to Newcastle. If any of you are there text me on 07813 036302. i've got a blue inflight bag and my coach is the guy with the bionic leg (you'll see what i mean) i'm taking my digicam to get some footage of us playing singles. I'll have a tshirt with UMIST on the back when i'm on court at 10.30. hope to finally meet some of you. Wish me luck Neil
Well you must have finished by now so tell us how you did! I am not playing the Wiltshire but sitting at home nursing a bad knee courtesy of the shocking state of the courts at Middlesex Next outing will be Berkshire Open in January. Just hope that everyone will eat and drink as much as I intend to over the next month. It should be a better tournament now that it has moved from Slough, the leisure centre their was appalling for badminton I can't even do basic training with a knee injury As you may have guessed I am not in the best of moods! But I would still like to hear how people did in their games this weekend. Oh, and I would also appreciate it if the BAofE would update the rankings a bit more often
talk about beginners luck.... NOT! Hi guys, well i thought i played ok - well in the short space of time i was on court. i got drawn against the 1st seed, but i did get a bye to the second round tho. got pasted 0 and 0. he just forced me to make mistakes. not feeling to down tho. he was hte firstseed and all. but unfortunately my coach/partner pulled out of the doubles, we think his leg has finally had it. we'll know soon i'll keep you all posted. On a brighter note, congrats to Andy McG on winning his first round match, you'll have to tell us how you did in the doubles since you're partnering Ewen Clark!! talk soon Neil
The Middlesex was played at Houslow Badminton Centre. The roof was leaking which left them with only three courts. They had done a reasonable job of cleaning the actual courts but forgot the areas just outside the lines. I was taking a round the head smash in the left rear court, hit a half-smash, put down my left leg just outside the line and it just kept going. I tried to make a lot of noise so that the opposition might stop playing and give me a let. Instead of offering me any help the eighty year old official just came up to me with a broom, me still on the floor, calmly swept around me and went and sat down again, leaving a large sweat patch where I was sitting. I ended up with bruises on the inside of both of my knees, so I may well have done the splits for the first time since primary school gymnastics club . I managed to get up and win the game and it felt OK, just a little bit tight when knocking up in the next match, but it became quickly evident that something more serious had happened. Feels like the soft tissue on the outside of the right knee was strained. Rest should help but all I want to do is hit shuttles.
I got to the quarters of the singles and semis of the doubles. Lost to James Allinson in the singles, but didn't feel completely outclassed. If I could have kept the shuttle in the court I would have done a lot better, just too many unforced errors. But I haven't practiced for 2 months now due to a knee injury, so I can't really expect to be that consistent. Hopefully its starting to clear up now. coops - tough draw. I played against Stephen Mumby at Northumberland last year, and I'd never been made to feel so unfit in my life! He just moved me all over the court on every point. He did go on to win this year, taking the final quite easily against Allinson, so you did lose to the best player there. Lost to another Northumberland county pairing in the doubles. We played well in bits but managed to get stuck when we were 7-2 up in the second game. They did go on to win the final easily, so that made me feel a bit better though Was very disappointed by the entry, it was even smaller than last year. Only 4 in the ladies singles, 3 pairs in the ladies doubles and 4 pairs in the mixed. Perhaps they need to move it to another date so it doesn't clash with any other satellites. All in all, I'm quite happy with my results. I certainly did better than I thought would do. Next tournament is probably the North East challenger in January.
i wonder why mumby and allinson bother with the satellites - are they not better off playing the challengers and grand slams for the higher points rewards - this would surely also raise their game even further. i would want to play at the highest level i was elligible to. And speaking of low entries. I was speaking with Neil at the weekend about Staffs Satellite in January and apparently Dave eddy who is organising it is only allowing 32 entries. I know he has to allow for facillities and all that but surely this is a bit of a low figure. on top of that he is only allowing the top 32 ranked players to enter so i imagine that i won't be able toplay that one. I ain't too pleased about it as it is one of the more local ones for me too. Anyway - speak to youall soon Neil
