Athlete Development

Four budsSince 1979 one of Badminton Alberta's highest priorities has been to promote the Sport Outreach program. In the past 18 years virtually every community in Alberta has participated in this program, accounting for 100,000 players attending over 2,000 clinics conducted by Badminton Alberta staff coaches. Those attending must possess a Badminton Alberta membership. Five types of clinics and camps are provided to clubs and schools through funding provided by an annual grant from the ASRPWF provided they are members of their zone association:

Basic instruction - Available during regular phys-ed classes to any school, or to community clubs weekday evenings.

Intermediate instruction - Available to school teams after school or to community clubs weekday evenings. Emphasis is on drills and tactics. Yonex Mavis 300 nylon shuttles are provided for the above clinics by Badminton Alberta.

Zone Training clinics - Available only on weekends from September to April. These clinics can be either one or two days, each day consisting of six hours of intensive training, drills and competition. Any member of Badminton Alberta, 12 years of age & over may attend a training clinic. Any school or club may host a training clinic. 60 days notice is normally required in order that the clinic can be advertised in Badminton Review.

Training camps - Organized by Badminton Alberta during summer holidays and Christmas breaks. Three to five days in length, camp instructors are certified level 2 or level 3 coaches. Training camps normally offer live-in accommodation and meals and there is a registration fee of $185 to $325, depending on the length of the camp. Scholarships are available from the ASRPWF directly to Alberta residents which subsidize the cost by approximately 40%.

Training camps are restricted to Badminton Alberta members 12 to 21 years of age who have competitive experience and have attended at least one Badminton Alberta clinic. Yonex feather shuttles are provided for training camps by Badminton Alberta.

YONEX – Sport Outreach training camps are being offered during the summer of 2004 for junior badminton players aged 7-18 years. Provincial camps conducted by Badminton Alberta are five days in length.

Registration fee for provincial training camps range from $150 - $350 (plus GST) for day and residence campers.

Accommodation, meals, coaching by NCCP certified instructors selected by Badminton Alberta, evening activities, camp T-shirt and feather shuttles are included in the camp fee.

Fees must accompany each application in order to register. Please make cheques payable to BADMINTON ALBERTA. (Athletes under 14 years of age are GST exempt).

At all camps there will be both technical (strokes and drills) and tactical (match play) coaching. Match results will be entered in the Badminton Alberta computer ranking system.

Effective 01 June 2003, Alberta Sport Recreation Parks & Wildlife Foundation terminated the scholarship program. Athletes are encouraged to apply through the Initiatives.

Due to the limited enrollment at each camp, interested athletes should apply early. Phone Badminton Alberta to request your camp application form.