Badminton Victoria's Club Tour

Royal Oak Badminton Club (Tour #1)

Rebecca and I visited Royal Oak Badminton Club on Tuesday, January 29. There were a total of 22 players - including 6 females and 6 new drop-ins to the club. We were able to play on the 5 courts available, with the possibility of expanding to the 6th court if needed.

Everyone playing was extremely friendly and welcomed us out on the court. There was a variety of different skill levels and talents, which made the games fun and enjoyable. There was one gentleman who played an explosive game...sacrificing his body, diving across the court and literally doing flips to keep the bird in play. This made for a very entertaining evening!!!

Badminton Victoria is extremely fortunate in having Karakal sponsor our Club Tour 2002. As a result we were able to hand out some door prizes to players at the Royal Oak Club. We had a variety of products, including t-shirts, wristbands and headbands. Karakal specializes in racquet sport equipment. The company focuses on Badminton, Tennis, Squash, Racquetball and recently just added some golfing equipment to their product line. To date, Karakal has distributors in over 40 different countries. You can visit Karakals website: www.karakal.com to view the badminton products that the company offers.

Royal Oak Badminton Club has a great system in place for setting up games. It allows for everyone to play with different people so that their games are more varied. The cost to play is $4 dop-in, $6 for a couple, or $3 for seniors. This keen group of badminton athletes meet every Tuesday from 8:15 - 10:00pm. A big thank you to Shandra Platts, who kindly allowed us to start the tour at her club.

We asked players 'What can Badminton Victoria do for recreational players?' We had some comments regarding coaching and clinics being offered, so that players can improve upon their skills, which in turn would enhance their badminton games. PacificSport Badminton offers some clinics and camps throughout the year. Please contact us if you are interested in receiving coaching or clinics at: 881-1881 or badminton@pacificsport.com

As an association, Badminton Victoria is continually trying to reach more badminton players in the Lower Vancouver Island area, including the gulf islands. We want to help clubs and would greatly appreciate your feedback. If you are interested in attending our monthly meetings you can join us at the PacificSport Board room at Saanich Commonwealth Place on the first Monday of every month at 6pm.

Cobble Hill Badminton Club (Tour #2)

The second Badminton Victoria Club Tour took me 30 minutes out of Victoria to Cobble Hill. The Cobble Hill Badminton Club (no…they are not referred to as: Mill Bay Badminton Club!!) plays at Frances Kelsey School from 8pm-10pm, on Tuesdays, with feather birds. This club is the only one in the area. They charge $4.50 to drop-in.

I found the school ok, but couldn't find the gym. After 15 minutes of searching I finally found an open door!!! If you ever want to head out there, go to the left side of the school. The modern gym has 6 courts and the lighting is great. There was a large group of 23 players from recreational to intermediate levels. The club has a regular following of about 30 members.

This was the first time the Badminton Victoria display board was up and I brought out 7 racquets from Karakal, our club tour sponsor, for demo.... they were all put to good use.

One of the players played with a classic wooden racquet, it even had the wooden frame protector with screws. Haven’t seen one of those since I was 11 (which was quite a looooong time ago).

I had never played at Cobble Hill Badminton Club and it was a pleasure to play there. The group of players have a lot of enthusiasm and raw talent.

Cedar Hill Badminton Club (Tour #3)

On Sunday, March 10 Rebecca and I visited the Cedar Hill Badminton Club, located at the Cedar Hill Recreation Centre. The group play on Thursdays from 9pm-10:30pm and Sundays from 7:30pm-10pm. The drop-in fee is $5 and if you plan on becoming a ‘regular’, there is a reduced membership price.

There were about 12 people out on Sunday, which was a little low compared to the 20+ that usually go. The intermediate/advanced group play with nylon birds on three courts and generally, Sundays are a little more popular than Thursdays. The players were all very enthusiastic and were having a lot of fun on court.

Demonstration racquets from Karakal were a big hit again. Players wanted a racquet as a door prize however; they were happy to settle with wristbands, headbands, and t-shirts from Karakal.

Most of the players at Cedar Hill also play at Henderson Recreation’s drop-in on Tuesday nights.

If you are looking for stronger competition, give Cedar Hill a try…it’s one of the strongest nylon bird clubs out there. They are always looking for some new competition. Cedar Hill was my first badminton club way back in the 90’s and I still enjoy playing there when I can.

Henderson Recreation Drop-in (Tour #4)

Our fourth Badminton Victoria Tour brought Carol and I to Henderson Recreation Centre. We went to the intermediate drop-in on Tuesday evening. They have intermediate drop-in on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7pm-8:30pm and advanced play afterwards until 10pm. They also run intermediate/advanced drop-in on Sundays from 7pm-9pm. The drop-in rate for adults is $4.50 and for students it's $3.75.

There were about 20 players when we played, they usually take a maximum of 26. It's one of the most popular drop-ins to play at and sometimes you have to show up half an hour early just to get your ticket to play. They play on four courts with nylon birds. Some of the players stay around after and play the advanced…that's a good 3 hour workout!!

The demonstration racquets from our sponsor, Karakal, are getting a good workout again!! Everyone seems to like to try the 'World's Lightest Racquet.'

The group is very friendly and social, you can get in a good mix of games there. We both had fun playing there. This was where I started playing after high school and learned most of my shots. I still play there when I can and still learning new
shots from the players!!

Cordova Bay Badminton Club #1 (Tour #5)

The fifth tour brought Carol, the new president of Badminton Victoria, and I to the club at Cordova Bay Community Hall Sunday afternoon, they play from 11am-1pm and also on Mondays and Wednesdays at the same time. The hall is an actual badminton gym made especially for the sport and it is tucked away behind a side street.

The group level is recreational to intermediate and plays with nylon birds on 3 courts. They charge the lowest rate I've seen at $2.50 a person. There was a big turnout when we played, 24 people with almost half of them being female, a good chance to play mixed and/or ladies doubles. Everyone is very social and friendly, you get a good mix of games so you don't end up playing the same people.

The club tour is going strong and we are getting good feedback from the players. Karakal Racquets has continued to support the tour with promo's and demo racquets to use. In the next few months, the new models will be out for the players to try out. Also see club tour #8.

Oak Bay Badminton Club (Tour #6)

The sixth tour wasn't on my schedule, but one of the players asked me to visit the club at Oak Bay School on the last day. The group plays at the junior high school gym, located beside the tennis bubble at Oak Bay Rec on Monday nights from 8pm-10pm.

The level is recreational to intermediate, they played with nylon birds on 3 courts with the possibility of a 4th court if needed and charge $4.00 for drop-in. There is also a members price of $3.00 for drop-in if you pay a certain amount for the 4 month session (September-December and January-April).

There were 15 players that night so there was lots of playing. The players there are friendly and welcome new players in the upcoming season.

Margaret Jenkins Badminton Club (Tour #7)

My next Badminton Victoria Club Tour brought me to Margaret Jenkins School. They play on Monday and Tuesday nights from 8pm-10pm with nylon birds. There are 3 courts and they charge a drop-in fee of $3.00.

This is the only club I've been to at a school that plays into June, most of the school clubs end in May.

There was a good mix of 17 players. As usual, all the players are very friendly. Recognized a few of the faces from other badminton venues. The level ranges from recreational to high intermediate. The games are usually arranged by the organizer. The Tuesday night is usually busier than the Monday night...come out and give their club a visit!!

Cordova Bay Badminton Club #2 (Tour #8)

This club is run by a different group on Friday nights from 8pm-10pm. They get about 12 people on average and play with the nylon birds. They also charge a low rate of $2.50 to drop-in.

The group is very social and welcoming of new players. The level of play ranges from recreational to intermediate. Also see club tour #5.

Cedar Hill Drop-in (Tour #9)

This was my first visit of 2003.

I went on Sunday to their 2pm-4pm session and stayed for their 4pm-6pm session as well. They also have a drop-in on Tuesdays from 6:30pm-8:30pm and Thursdays from 7-9pm.

On my visit there, I was informed that they were sold out. The drop in for this place is so popular, they sell out within 10 minutes...both sessions on Sunday!!! This is the only place that takes phone reservations. You have to call in at 10am for either session, but if you are a walk in and don't know about the system, they will let you in. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you'll have to start calling in at 5pm to reserve your spot.

They play on 3 courts with the nylon birds and it's run by one of our Regional Badminton coaches. They take a maximun of 18 players for each session and charge $4.50. The early session has a wide variety of skill levels, while the later one is more of a competitive level. The early group is the most aggressive recreational play I've seen.

Commonwealth Place Drop-in (Tour #10)

Olivia Cheung, who recently joined our assosciation, came with me to this Wednesday visit from 7pm-10pm. We also had a little help from the President of our association for an hour. As soon as Olivia arrived, she went on court to play instead of helping me out!!! She's a regular player there and also a keener!!!

They play on four courts with the nylon birds. They color the corks on the bird black so you can see it coming because the lighting and wall colour makes it hard to see. The good thing about this gym is that the ceiling is very high!!! They charge $5.00 and the fee includes the use of the weight room and pool area as well. The players are very social there and the level is from beginner to advanced. They take a maximum of 32 players and they usually sell out.

The Monday session is a little bit different, they run an organized ladder system so you will play with players your own level. The only requirement of Mondays...is that you have to stay from 8pm-10pm so it doesn't wreck the ladder system.

Fuji

Where did the bird go? This seems to be a common question everyone asks when they first start playing at Commonwealth. Mondays have a ladder for more intermediate and advanced players and Wednesdays are recommended for social and beginners, both start at 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Three hours for $5.00, not bad at all, but remember, they also take up to 32 people for four courts. Monday night ladder doesn't start till 8:00pm, so before that, it's the same drop-in format as Wednesdays. People put their racquets up on a wooden racquet holder and as a game comes off one of the four courts, the next group goes up. The social night is far busier than the Monday ladder, usually selling out just after 7:00pm so get there early!

Olivia Cheung

Panorama Recreation Drop-in (Tour #11)

This drop-in is played at the North Saanich School in Sidney and they charge $4.00. You pay at the gym. I went on Wednesday night from 7:30pm-9:30pm, they also have another session on Mondays at the same time. There were 13 players that night playing on four courts with nylon shuttle.

The group is very recreational and the age level varied from 17 to 50 something. Being at a middle school, the ceiling height was pretty low, but didn't affect the game too much.

Duncan Badminton Club (Tour #12)

Badminton Victoria reached its northern boundary at Duncan. The drive out to Duncan only took me 45mins, it didn t seem as far as I thought it would be. I visited the club on Thursday. They play from 8-10pm and also play at the same time on Tuesdays. There are 8 courts at the Cowichan Community Centre, the ceiling is very high and the badminton lines are a very noticeable white so you won't get confused with the other lines.

There are two groups playing there. One group is for recreational players that just mix up their games; the other is an organized competitive ladder. Both groups play with the feather birds. The recreational group charges $5.00 and the competitive group charges $6.00. Both groups are very social and welcome new players. The ladder is mostly male, while the recreational group has a good mix.

I recognized one of the recreational players from a few years back who used to play out at Henderson Recreation. He was surprised I remembered his name. It was good to see him out playing still.

If you are in Duncan, that's the only place to play. Otherwise you'll have to drive to Cobble Hill or Nanaimo to play.

Sooke Badminton Club (Tour #13)

My visit to Sooke took me 40mins to drive out to Edward Milne School. They play on Tuesdays from 7:30-10pm. They play with nylon birds on four courts. There are players from their twenties all the way up to the oldest player which is 80 years old!!! There were 16 players that night. 3 courts were for playing and the last court was used for coaching.

The gym is bright, and the ceiling is very high. The level is beginner to intermediate, with a couple of strong players. They welcome players of all levels and charge $5.00. The court layout is 2 courts, back to back, with enough space to walk in between without being in the way.

Metchosin Badminton Club #1 (Tour #14)

This visit brought 3 people from BadVic. Olivia and Herman came along with me because it was mixed night.

This club plays on Sundays from 7-9pm and charge $4.00. They have 2 courts and play with nylon birds. There were 14 players and the level was from beginner to advanced. The players are very friendly and a few of them like to dive for the bird!!!

The hall is shaped like a barn and has windows. Of all the places I've visited, this is the only place with windows. The good thing about this hall is that there are only badminton lines on the floor and the walls are brown so you can see the birds, the bad things is that the ceiling is low and the back court lines are right against the wall. I didn't notice anyone hitting the walls, even the first time comers like us didn't hit them. With time, you get used to it.

Tillicum Badminton Club (Tour #15)

I went to the Tillicum club on Thursday and was happy to see some familar faces...players from Cedar Hill, Margaret Jenkins and Royal Oak were playing there. It was nice to see players playing different people at different places.

They play from 7-9:30pm on three courts, with nylon shuttles. This is one of the places where you can play for more than 2 hours. The drop-in fee is only $3.50. They take a maximum of 18 players and have had to turn back a few players on occasion. The level is intermediate to strong and all the players are very social...there were just as many females as males. Being in an elementary school, the ceiling is low, but not as low as the others I've been to. Group is very welcoming of new players and they usually have special functions, like a season end get together play day and drill day where they just practice shots.

Some of the players had a lot of questions about technique and I was happy to help them out. One even got a free lesson and improved her technique 200%!!!

This was one of my better visits...had players entering a tournament, wanting to come to the Badminton Dinner Bash, joining Badminton Victoria, buying racquets and clothing!!!

Come on out and visit this club!!!

Metchosin Badminton Club #2 (Tour #16)

This club plays on Thursdays from 7:30-9:30pm and charge only $2.50. They have 2 courts and play with nylon birds. This is ladies night, but I was fortunate to be allowed to play with them!! They get about 8-10 ladies.

The group is generally out for the social aspect and for the exercise. They are talking and laughing while the game is on. It made me feel at home playing there. When they asked me to play a game, that was my first and last game because they all wanted me to teach them how to play. I gave a lot of the players some pointers and their game improved a lot, they learned better techniques and were very happy.

Also see club tour #14

Cordova Bay Badminton Club #3 (Tour #17)

This club is run by the president of Badminton Victoria (see picture) and also has a lot of board members playing there. This is one of the places I frequently play and most of the nylon players move on to there to try the feather shuttle.

They play on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 8-11pm. They have 3 courts and charge $6.00 to drop-in or you can join to become a member and pay $4.00.

The turnout is pretty good, averaging 20 players, of all levels. The hall is very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter.

Want to talk to some board members? Show up and play!!!

Brentwood Bay Badminton Club #2 (Tour #18)

This is also another club I frequent. This is the best place to play badminton!!! This is exactly like Cordova Bay Hall...but new. Being out near Butchart Gardens...you’d think it’s far, (I did, since I live in town), but after a few times, you are there before you know it!!!

They play on Mondays from 8-11pm and will possibly have a ladder on Wednesday nights from 8-11pm. (otherwise it‘ll be competitive doubles). They charge $5.00 and also play with the feather shuttle. Players are social and after play on Wednesdays...usually go to the pub next door for some wings and drinks!!! This is the venue for the upcoming Saanich Open Muriel Knott Classic.

This hall has been around for a long time and was rebuilt after the blizzard of ‘96 destroyed the building.

Cordova Bay Badminton Club #4 (Tour #19)

This is a competitive doubles ladder. Cost is $7.00 to drop-in, with feather shuttles. Play is from 6-8pm and it's usually frequented by tournament players and strong players looking for tough games.

Must show up just before 6pm to make sure you get to play. Can't leave until the rounds are over.

If you still have energy, stay and play the next group at 8pm (see Tour #17)

Fuji