WBA Affiliated Junior Clubs
WBA Affiliated Junior Clubs at: Cambridge, Hamilton, Horsham Downs, Putaruru, Te Awamutu and Te Rapa. Junior sessions are also available at the Hamilton Chinese Learning School Club and the Saturday Badminton Club. Please see the ‘Clubs’ section on home page horizontal menu for more information.
Other junior badminton opportunities: Casual attendance is welcome at the Shuttle Time Junior Club. Fun play, skill development and games under the supervision of qualified coaches after school on Fridays during school terms at Eastlink Badminton Stadium.
Squads & Representative Teams
The Junior Squads & Teams are selected upon conclusion of the 2021 Talent ID Day which will be held on Monday 1 February & Thursday 4 February 2021 from 4.00pm-5.30pm at Eastlink Badminton Stadium. The following squads will be selected:
- WBA Development Squad
- WBA Junior Rep Squad
- WBA Elite Squad
- WBA Performance Squad
From the above squads the following teams are selected to represent Waikato at key regional & national events during the season (subject to availability of players for each age group)
- WBA U13 Team
- WBA U15 Team
- WBA U17 Team
- WBA U19 Team
View: 2021 Squads
Development Squad Program
The Development Squad coaching program is aimed at players wishing to progress their game to be able to represent Waikato’s junior teams in regional and national tournaments. It places an emphasis on developing a strong foundation across physical, technical, and tactical skills. Players are coached by professional coaches, experienced volunteers and Waikato High Performance players.
Players for the Junior Development Squad program are selected from the clubs in the Waikato region and from the annual 2021 Talent ID Day held on Monday 1 February & Thursday 4 February 2021 from 4.00pm-5.30pm. Players / parents may also request a trial session by contacting the Coaching & Development Manager email coaching@waikatobadminton.co.nz or by phone on 027 856 3049.
The Junior Development Squad trains twice per week (Mondays and Thursdays 4.00pm-5.30pm during school term) and players are required to participate in 4-5 competitions per year which are held on weekends.
Junior Rep Squad Program
The Junior Rep Squad program is aimed at players wishing to challenge themselves, represent and compete for Waikato in regional and national tournaments, whilst constantly striving to be the best within their age groups. This coaching program facilitates the continued growth of physical, technical, and tactical skills whilst psychological and lifestyle skills are also introduced to help develop players’ confidence and self-belief. The coaching team supports positive attitude, commitment and an atmosphere where players get every opportunity to excel. Players are coached by professional coaches, experienced volunteers and Waikato High Performance players.
Players for the Junior Rep Squad program are selected from the clubs in the Waikato region and from the annual 2021 Talent ID Day held on Monday 1 February & Thursday 4 February 2021 from 4.00pm-5.30pm. Players / parents may also request a trial session by contacting the Coaching & Development Manager email coaching@waikatobadminton.co.nz or by phone on 027 856 3049.
The Junior Rep Squad trains three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4.00pm-5.30pm at the Eastlink Badminton Stadium.
Elite Squad Program
Players for this program are selected from the Junior Rep program and receive additional coaching sessions and mentoring. Elite Squad players have a greater commitment to training and competing. The Elite Squad program aims to prepare players for performance at national and international level. Players in the Elite Squad also have the opportunity to apply for a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship at the University of Waikato when they finish high school.
The Elite Squad trains a minimum of four times per week, usually on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons but the days / time may vary depending on the time of year. Training and tournament attendance during weekends is also common depending on the time of year.
For more information with regards to the above program, please contact the Coaching & Development Manager on 027 856 3049 or email coaching@waikatobadminton.co.nz
