HAVING hosted the event for more than forty years, Ballarat Badminton Association will run their annual Victorian Badminton Veterans Association tournament this weekend.<\/p>\n
Five hundred players over the age of 35, within 62 groups from Victoria and South Australia, will descend on Ken Kay Badminton Stadium tomorrow, Saturday, 22, and Sunday, 23 April to serve their shuttlecocks.<\/p>\n
BBA secretary Sandra David said the tournament has proved popular, fully booked up with teams of eight.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had to knock teams back because we don\u2019t have the room,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have 17 courts here, and we\u2019re also using the basketball stadium next door, with 14 courts in there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms David said the event will be a boon for Ballarat, attracting hundreds of visitors and their spend, but the association\u2019s key goal as the host is much simpler.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur main objective is to involve our members and give them a taste of competition,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s all about the companionship and socialisation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got four teams here in Ballarat, and about 30 players. We\u2019ve got one or two players who are 80-plus super veterans in the Ballarat team, and then very keen 35-year-olds who are in a veterans\u2019 team for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eight Victorian Badminton Veterans Association tournaments are held each year throughout the state, and Ballarat\u2019s is the biggest on the calendar, always staged during the April school holidays.<\/p>\n
Ms David said public spectators are welcome to drop in to check out the action.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe veterans may not necessarily be as powerful as elite players, but they\u2019re very skilful,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cRather than the speed and smashes of the moment, it\u2019s more the skills of placing shots, and the old traditional ways of playing that will be on show.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
HAVING hosted the event for more than forty years, Ballarat Badminton Association will run their annual Victorian Badminton Veterans Association tournament this weekend. Five hundred players over the age of 35, within 62 groups from Victoria and South Australia, will descend on Ken Kay Badminton Stadium tomorrow, Saturday, 22, and Sunday, 23 April to serve […]<\/p>\n