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Derbyshire
youngsters get a lesson from Japan ’s badminton
stars
A group of Derbyshire youngsters rubbed shoulders
with some of Japan’s top badminton players at
Loughborough University this weekend during a
special coaching clinic for promising players from
the East Midlands (Saturday 17 October). The group
of ten young athletes aged eight to 13 were put
through their paces by Japanese players Kenta Kazuno,
Kenichi Tago, Mami Naito and Hirose Eriko just hours
before they took on and beat Team England in a
five-match head-to-head hosted at the University.
Derbyshire’s players were specially invited to
attend the two-hour coaching clinic which was run by
students from the Loughborough University badminton
club and supported by the East Midlands Development
Agency (emda), who also backed the
international fixture.
Players took part in a warm-up and spent time
working on attack and defence skills before the
Japanese athletes dropped by for an entertaining
demonstration match and some one-to-one batting with
the youngsters. Derbyshire junior badminton
committee secretary Judith Rowbottom said the
experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity for
her young charges. “This is something they’ll never
forget,” she said. “All the players are very excited
and it’s fantastic they’ve been able to play one on
one with the Japanese. It’s very possible some of
our older kids could play against them
professionally later in their careers.
“It’s been good to watch them and see how quick the
play is at the top level. It gives our youngsters
something to aim for. Many of them have had quite a
lot of coaching and so are able to analyse the game
and see what the players are doing and the tricks
and techniques they are using, and that’s very good
for their own development.” Loughborough University
students David Westwood and Lauren Cooper led the
session and underlined the value of being able
to see play against some of the best players in the
world.
It’s really good for the kids to be able to bat
with international players,” said Westwood. “I don’t
think they realise how good they are until they see
them up close. It’s been a real eye opener for
everyone and I think the Japanese players really
enjoyed themselves as well.”
It’s really good for the kids to be able to bat
with international players,” said Westwood. “I don’t
think they realise how good they are until they see
them up close. It’s been a real eye opener for
everyone and I think the Japanese players really
enjoyed themselves as well.” |