Badminton, Squash, Tennis 11

For the first time a Junior (Under 16) Badminton team was entered in the Middlesex Championships. As the team was composed entirely of fourth year boys, competing against teams a year older, the results were not spectacular and the team did not reach the quarter-final stage of the competition.

However, the fact that there was little pressure on the team for immediate success enabled more time than usual to be spent on the basics of the game - stroke production and positioning - and as a result some very promising players emerged.

The members of the squad practised their shots conscientiously, and were always willing to learn, and it was gratifying, towards the end of the season to witness all three pairs holding their own against stronger and more experienced boys simply because their positional play was so much more knowledgeable.

This team should be very successful next year. What they, and others who aspire to successful Badminton, must always bear in mind is that to spend a Club evening merely playing matches is of very little benefit and can even be harmful - faults becoming ingrained rather than eradicated. The successful player is not one who avoids situations in which his faults can be exposed but one who recognises his deficiencies and practises assiduously to overcome them.

The squad consisted of the following boys :- A. Bath; M. Dane; S. Entwistle; P. Foley; G. Hadwin; P. Morris; R. Penny; S. Taylor; M. Tidy.