Executives of the Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) and coaches visited the Essequibo Coast recently to introduce and demonstrate Badminton to three secondary schools in Region Two.
Stops were made at the Aurora Secondary, Abram Zuil Secondary and Anna Regina Multilateral where donations of equipment through the Shuttle Time Programme was made to help promote and develop Badminton in those schools, and by extension the county.
The Shuttle Time Programme was introduced to some schools in Berbice in 2019 and a follow-up was done in 2023 which produced athletes who competed in the GBA tournaments.
In 2023, during the National Junior Tournament sponsored by the National Sports Commission, Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle challenged the GBA executives to take the sport of Badminton to Region Two.
“The GBA is happy to report that the challenge was accepted and the Shuttle Time Programme was implemented in the ‘Cinderella County’. We will now follow up with the PE Teachers, make visits to the schools and assist with equipment whenever we can,” the GBA said in a press release.
In 2012, BWF, the world’s governing body for the racquet sport, launched Shuttle Time globally.
“A schools’ badminton programme supporting the principle that children should lead a healthy and active life, both in and out of school, was conceived. BWF’s goal is to make badminton one of the world’s most popular and accessible school sports,” the GBA added.
“Shuttle Time offers school teachers access to resources, training and equipment, which support the teaching of enjoyable, safe and inclusive badminton activities to children aged 5-15 years old. Shuttle Time lessons are designed to provide children with a positive image of badminton through many opportunities to have fun, engage with others and experience success.”
Shuttle Time is currently being implemented in more than 140 countries in partnership with BWF’s Continental Confederations and Member Associations.
The GBA highlighted, “Special thanks to Mr. Saeed Zameen, Mr. Nicholas Fraser of the Allied Arts Department of the Ministry of Education, the Principals and PE Teachers of the Schools, for making this activity a success.”
The equipment was handed over to the PE Teachers by the members of the Guyana Badminton Association.
Senior national players Priyanna Ramdhani, Akili Haynes and Nkosi Beaton demonstrated a few drills to the students to improve their technique on court.
