Youngsters proud to represent EGBA
They took part in the Badminton South Africa age-group interprovincial tournament at John Barrable Hall from Jun 29 to July 4.
Nathan Taylor and Andrew Phillips expressed their gratitude after representing the Eastern Gauteng Badminton Association (EGBA) in the Badminton South Africa (BSA) U9, U11 and U13 interprovincial tournament at John Barrable Hall.
Described as rising stars by EGBA chairperson Abhilash Kunjupilla, Taylor (10) and Phillips (10) were among the hundreds of young players who showcased their talent during the week-long competition, which concluded on 4 July.
Though they only started playing badminton four months ago, the Benonians reached their first-ever finals on the last day of the tournament.
Speaking to the Benoni City Times after their matches, the players expressed pride in representing EGBA at the tournament, calling it a stepping stone to a bright future in the sport.
“It was a good tournament with many great players. It felt amazing being in the final. I got to the semi-finals of an U11 tournament and lost, so it felt good to be in the final,” said Taylor.
Phillips added, “I found it very fun. I gained a lot of experience and am a lot better than when I started. I had a great tournament.”
Reflecting on his journey, Rynfield Primary’s Taylor said he started playing socially but has improved a lot thanks to his coaches at Shuttle Stars Badminton Academy.
“The past four months have been nice. I’ve learnt a lot of new things. I enjoy the coaching from my coaches at Shuttle Stars, as well as the fitness,” he said.
Phillips, who played in the U11 mixed doubles final, said his love for racket sports led him to badminton.
“I like racket sports and used to play tennis. Now I find badminton fun.”
The tournament attracted over 100 players from provinces including KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape and Western Cape, as well as Namibia.
It started on June 29 with the team events, which were won by the Johannesburg District Badminton Association (JDBA), with Namibia A in second, Western Province third, and EGBA fourth. The individual events took place from July 2.
Kunjupilla thanked the EGBA management for working tirelessly to ensure the competition was a success.
Also Read: Junior tournaments lifeblood of badminton in SA
Also Read: Badminton league off to a flying start
