Coaching Sessions United Badminton Club is proud to announce the addition of Coach Liu Xiaomu and Zhou Lei to their coaching staff. The classes will begin in May 7th and private coaching session will start immediately. Coach Zhou Lei Head coach of the Peruvian National Badminton Team and the Regatas Club, Lima, Peru, 1994-2002. Gold Medals in the 1993 Badminton World Championship (women's double) and the Uber Cup (women's single) Gold medal in the Asian Championship, women's double 1988. Gold medal in the Asian Games, for single's women's badminton team champion. 4 gold medals, 15 silvers and 5 bronzes from top tier international badminton tournaments such as the All England Championship, the French Open, the Swedish Open, Denmark Open, Malaysian Open, and the Hong Kong Open. Ranked number 4 in the women's singles by the International Badminton Federation in 1992. Coach Liuxiaomu Head Coach of the Peruvian National Badminton Team and the Regatas Club, Lima, Peru, 1994-2002. Head Coach for Liaoning Men's Badminton Professional League Team, 1991-1993. Head Coach for the Chiangmai Badminton Team, Chiangmai, Thailand, 1993-1994. Two of his students competed in the World Junior Championship representing Thailand in 1993. Certified Class One Athlete by the Chinese Sports Ministry in 1990. Selected for the Chinese Youth National Badminton Training Team in 1988. 6 medals in major Chinese and international tournaments despite his untimely injury and early retirement as a professional player in 1990. BS in Sports Coaching, Liaoning Institute of Physical Education, 1994. Coach Lei and Liu built the Peruvian National Badminton Team to a formidable force in South America and Pan America tournaments. During Lei and Liu's tenure, the Peruvian National Badminton Team had won 113 golds, 102 silvers and 121 bronzes in international tournaments. The Peruvian teams qualified for the Thomas/Uber Cup semi finals in the European section in 2000 under their leadership. They had repeatedly identified talented children and started coaching them when they were merely eight or nine years old, coached them all the way to win gold medals in the Junior Pan America Championship games, and to become top players in the Peruvian National Team. One of their students qualified for the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996 (in men's singles, as the only player from South American to qualify for badminton in the 1996 Olympics). As a result of their success, badminton has become a popular sport in Peru. When Lei and Liu were serving as the Head Coaches for the Peruvian National Badminton Team, they often traveled to the US to compete in tournaments. They befriended many US top players and coaches. They realized that the US is full of talented young players and that this country has great potential for ambitious coaches like themselves. They would love to identify and train the next generation world class badminton players in the Bay Area.
Wednesday 8pm a few of us are heading over to UBC this wednesday around 8pm or so to test out the new club. maybe we can meet up and play some games together. i am not in particular good shape lately so don't expect too much of a competition...
Liu and Zhou will be coaching in GGBC as well. Bintang's coaches are Phu and his team of elite players.
With their qualification, they should be coaching the US team instead. Too bad, Fremont is just too fast for me.
Looks like UBC Fremont is very serious in promoting badminton in the Bay Area and BFers living near this beautiful badminton centre are the ones really benefitting from it. I think it won't be long when others living quite a distance away will be willing to frequent it more often. UBC Management seems to be a good listener and is taking action on feedbacks from its clients. The main complaint on court fees has been resolved somewhat and action is now taken on the visibility problem. But I still think the hanging circular lights can be distracting, although where and how they are placed can affect visibility too, eg if they are lined up between the courts along the aisles, then the glare will be reduced as they will not be in direct view of the shuttle's flight. In line with UBC's improvement on the hardware aspects, I'm pleased to note that good foreign coaches have been employed to complement the software department. The bios and experience of Zhou Lie and Liu Xiaomu are impressive and if they are able to teach the very young in large numbers with the right basic skills, then their contribution to US Badminton will not be insignificant. Admittedly, this will take time and plenty of patience. As a foreign observer, I could only wish UBC Fremont the very best in its endeavours and may its top management continue to think of ways to improve its products and services.
Hey Guys! UBC sounds like a great place to expand the popular sport. I wasnt able to go on Grand Opening because i was at the Newark Tounment (High School) but anyways to my point... if the Fees are $7-10 for a drop in thats pretty harsh to all the high school players who play. Most of us dont have jobs due to schooling nor our parents are willing to pay $30+ a month for a membership. Thats like paying a second Cell Phone bill! Anyways my point is that if you have a $7-10 during "peak Hours" that will surely lose many high school players because almost all of high school students do not get out til 3pm and thats the same time peak hour starts! Just wanted to state that because it does affect me because i love the sport but i wont be able to last the $7-10 drop in fees :crying: ! Im try to go this weekend to see the gym for myself. And one last thing Did anyone get their Racket strung there yet? And how much is it? I jsut popped my strings during the tournement and hoped to restring it at a closer place instead of asby's or bintang. Thanks!
Loh, why don't you pick a date and come visit us? i will bring you to visit all these new fancy clubs we have in the Bay Area so you can try them out first hand. hey, i heard the World Championships will be held in California in August, that will be a perfect time to come visit us!
Correct me if I'm wrong with the fact, but as of now, I don't think the U.S. team has any "formal" coaches. Before last year Olympics, the U.S. National team(and its players) was coached @ OCBC, in Orange, CA by Tony Gunawan, Eti, and a several other coaches. At that time, the USA Badminton's President was Don Chew. He was also basically the main sponsor for the U.S. National team and the players. But since then, I believe he has stepped down. I know the OCBC Elite team along with several of the remaining U.S. National players as well as the USBDF Junior team are still based there, but the other U.S. players have moved and are scattered all over the U.S.. And I know there are a few players who used to train @ OCBC for the U.S. National team, that have moved and/or are living in the bay area. Perhaps with the "disolution" of the current U.S. National team, other coaches can be their next coach(es). And hope with the new Badminton Clubs opening up in the bay area, and the new international coaches who are coaching there, it will make the sport more popular up there and possibly create the next U.S. National Team Training center..
Thanks a million, Kwun. I must confess it's all too tempting and the thought of being able to proceed to Vancouver (and possibly meet up with LB apart from all the other BFers!) up north is an added incentive. Still in my dreams but turning it into reality is quite some doing!
that will be awesome. and surely will boost the Bay Area's status as a badminton center. only time will tell. meanwhile, we badminton players need to promote and support these new badminton clubs. when we can fill these 27 extra badminton courts every evening of the week, then we will know that badminton has indeed taken off very fast in the bay area.
just a week of vacation, and a flight ticket, you can do it, Loh. i will convince the owners of UBC to give you a free VIP pass for coming all the way from Singapore to try out their club. btw, does you wife like tulips? ( )
Anyone planning on playing UBC this thursday morning (the 28th)? I occasionally drive up from Fresno (Central California) to the San Jose/Bay Area to play badminton with some college friends, but none of them can make it so I have no one to play with :crying: Would enjoy meeting some of you other BadmintonCentral guys and gals out there in person and also check out this club
Count on me Hi Loh: If Kwun can't get the VIP pass for you then I will dig deep into my pocket to pay for you for the entrance fees, only you, Kwun not included(He has been getting too much benefits)
my apologies for posting the incorrect information above. it turns out Liu and Zhou will not be coaching in GGBC afterall.
As I understand, along with the above mentioned, there is also a new coach who started at Bintang last weekend. He is a former national player from India (more than 10 years ago).
