'This will be our strongest team'

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 21: Bermuda’s badminton players rarely get to share the centre stage with the island’s biggest sports, but when the Natwest Island Games are held here in July 2013, they will get to do just that.

They are hoping to turn playing at home into improved medal chances in both the team and individual events.

Don Burgess spoke with Harold Minors about the sport.

How will having the Island Games here, help give your sport a higher profile?

Badminton isn’t a high profile sport in Bermuda but it is in many of the competing islands. It will be great for our students to be able to watch badminton being played at such a high level.

What sort of skill set makes a good badminton player?

Badminton requires a good mix of quickness, endurance and athleticism. At the higher levels it is a game of tactics where players are thinking two to three shots ahead, much like in chess.

When and where is the sport played in Bermuda?

Badminton is played primarily at the Bermuda Athletic Association (BAA) gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7pm and 10pm, St Paul’s Church Paget on Mondays 7pm – 10, Bermuda College on Tuesdays 1pm – 2pm.

It has also been played with sponsorship from the Department of Youth & Sport along with the Bermuda Badminton Association and the Afterschool programmes throughout the island for over 12 years at The Centre on Angle St. Thursdays and Fridays to Home Schools from noon to 2pm

What will the selection process be for picking a team?

The Bermuda Badminton Association has put together a three person selection committee that will select the team to represent Bermuda.

The selection committee hopes to have the final list, along with alternates by early December.

Where will the venue be for the games?

The games will be played at the Jesse Vesey Sports Centre at the Bermuda High School for Girls. We are shipping in courts and will temporarily install curtains to transform the gym into a proper badminton hall.

How will playing at home be an advantage?

Playing at home will be a huge advantage for us. We will be playing at BHS where it is not air conditioned so the players coming from the UK will not be used to playing in such heat and humidity. We play and train here all year so we will be used to the conditions.

What are Bermuda’s medal chances?

This will be the strongest team Bermuda has ever sent to a games. With the additions of Danial Hughes and Michael Palmer on the men’s side and Emma Calow on the ladies side we think we have an outside shot at a medal in the team event. There is also a chance for a few medals in the individual events.

What other islands are the powerhouses in this sport?

Guernsey is the defending champions and we are told that they are sending their top players once again. The Faroe Islands, Greenland and Jersey also have very strong squads. As I said before, this is the first time that Bermuda has a legitimate shot to challenge these teams.

Who are the coaching staff for the team?

Rick Dorush will be the coach for the team.

How many Games has Bermuda played Badminton in and what’s the best it’s done in each year?

Bermuda has competed in badminton in three games. First in Guernsey in 2003, in Shetland in 2005 and in the Isle of Wight in 2011.

The best we finished as a team was in the Isle of Wight where we finished eighth of 12 teams.