Named after the splendid home of badminton in Jersey, the new initiative is the brainwave of Island Senior players Ian and Kerry Coombs-Goodfellow, Gavin Carter and Clive Dunford.
They will be joined by Kim Jespersen.Club sessions will run on Sunday mornings from 7 September and will give juniors, of all abilities, under 16 years the opportunity of learning all aspects of the game.It is envisaged that each Sunday morning there will be three one-and-a-half hour sessions catering for U10s, U13s and U16s.In order to ensure that each junior gets the appropriate coaching sessions will be limited to a maximum of 20 juniors and each of the five courts graded according to ability.Coaches will be actively involved on court during each session.JBA president Val Wood said: ‘This is a marvellous opportunity for juniors in Jersey to get on court and be helped and coached by the Island’s top players who between them have a vast amount of experience.’All five have shown great enthusiasm and given a huge commitment to this initiative and the association is right behind them.
None will be charging any form of fee and any surplus funds after the cost of court hire and equipment will be utilised to enhance the facilities at the New Gilson Hall.Four of the five are already part, or fully qualified, Badminton Association of England coaches and the fifth, Kim Jespersen, has recently attended a coaches course.
They have a vast wealth of experience with Kerry Coombs-Goodfellow having been appointed as a World Class Junior Cell coach by the BAE last year with responsibility for overseeing the coaching and development of Jersey’s England junior international Mariana Agathangelou.
Husband Ian has been involved in managing and coaching the Senior Island County and Island Games teams for several years, a role now undertaken by Gavin Carter and Clive Dunford who are both involved in junior coaching.Anyone interested or wanting additional information should contact Kerry Coombs-Goodfellow on 852389, Wendy van Neste on 866585 or collect an application form from Wheways Sports.
