Badminton DISCUSSION ON SYSTEM OF CLUB MATCHES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29498, 27 April 1961, Page 6

Badminton DISCUSSION ON SYSTEM OF CLUB MATCHES

Discussion on the merits and demerits of the organisation of last year’s A grade inter-club badminton competition occupied corpiderable time at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Badminton Association. Last year teams in the A grade consisted of four men and four women, playing one-set matches, against the previous system of teams of two men and two women playing three-set matches.

Mrs G. Middelberg (University) urged the incoming committee to revert to the system of previous seasons, when longer snatches were played. The fj members of the representative team could not attain proper fitness by playing only one-set matches in inter-club competition, she said.

“Last season the provincial ladder did not function as previously, and there was a definite lack of hard match practice for members of the Division I team. This lack of fitness was shown in representative contests, where we

had our poorest record for many seasons,” said Mrs Middelberg. “The increasing of the size of the A grade teams has not drawn In many promising youngsters,” she said. "On the contrary, it has brought back many previously semiretired players who welcomed the playing of only one set. but who were mostly incapable of playing longer threeset matches. It is not advancing the cause of younger players to given them only one-set matches in the A grade." The vice-president of the association (Mr G. W. Miller) said the inter-club committee was fully satisfied that the correct course had been taken last season. “There seems no reason why the system should be altered for this season’s competitions.” said Mr Miller.

“Hard to Distinguish" It had often been hard to distinguish between A grade and president’s grade matches down at the badminton hall last season, said another University speaker. He said it was disheartening to a young player meeting an older player in A grade and losing a one-set match, but knowing that he could probably have won over the cegulgtion- three sets. The A groqe. find top representative olayers indicated the strength bf the game in the province and should be given every rhance for improvement.

"The A grfide players ■epresent only 4.78 per cent >f the association’s memberhip,” said the president (Mi O. P. Hickey). A loss of 123 players frorr he previous season wa.■eported by Mr Hickey in his annual report. The strength of the association ast season was 748 members compared with 871 in 1959 he said.

The main achievement luring the season had beer he opening of the new V. R skellerup Hall at Cuthbert? Sreen, said Mr Hickey. A arge amount of voluntary work had been done by the •xecutive and by club mem oers on the hall, and Mi Hickey appealed for further issistence to complete it. In proposing Mr J. Read for ■lection to life membeirshir >f the association. Mr R. K Vlacefield outlined Mr Read’tart in raising money to rssist with the building of the rail. Other speakers praised Mr Read’s activity in helping he association in many ways md Mr K. C. Wilson said that n his organising of badmin’on in the schools, he hac helped to bring many young olayers into the ga-e Officers elected were:— Patron, Mr V. R Skel’erup: president, Mr D P. Hickey: vice-president, Mr G. W Mil’er; secretary, Mrs R. M Hickey: auditor, Mr C. G. Gordon: executive. Mrs V. Edkins, Miss H. Flynn. Messrs R. K. Macefield. J. Read, V Stokes. J. Ewart. R Burrell. M. Ford. B. Faults. S Clarke R. Naysmith and J. Thomas