The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
McIsaac School Ecole McIsaac played host to a national level badminton camp last week for local players. Two instructors, brought up through the Manitoba Badminton Association, helped local athletes hone their skills when it came to the growing sport. Justin Friesen and Jordan Beettam, who have both recently made their way to competition on the national scale, not only instructed the Flin Flon players, but they also played a few games between themselves. Dean Grove, a coach with the Hapnot Badminton Club, said it was "awesome" having the two athletes come to Flin Flon. Including himself, Grove says "the people that were in the camp seemed to enjoy it. All in all, it was a success." Through the Flin Flon Parks and Recreation department, the group was able to get the Manitoba Games Legacy grant to bring Beettam and Friesen to the area. The camp, which brought interest to 25 players, ranged in age from 12 to 20. Grove, who could also be found on the court, said this was the first year for the Live on the Rocks Flin Flon Badminton Camp. "We ran a day camp for beginner players and then had (an) evening camp for advanced players and adults," said Grove. Getting high level badminton instructors to rural areas is an increasingly difficult task. Flin Flon and Tulon were the only areas in Manitoba, outside of Winnipeg, that featured the camps this year. Grove says he hopes to be able to bring the camp back next year. "We're lucky that everything fell into place," he said, as he explained it's "tough to cover rural areas." Grove says it's important for the players to be able to feature something like this every year. "It's very important to promote the game and that the rural areas get the instruction as well," he said. Having Beettam and Friesen in McIsaac's gymnasium was big for the Hapnot Badminton Club. "We don't see that level of badminton in Flin Flon," said Grove. Comparing the national level of skill to the skill in Flin Flon, Grove said it was "amazing." "The big thing...for our kids...is to see the higher level," he said. "It gives them motivation to take their game to the next level."
