U15

Team Managers

Shires TM - Fiona Roberts and Steve Cackett

Inter Country TM - Andrew Broadhurst

U15 Shires Team

Under 15s – Shires Matches

The under 15s have played 4 of their 6 Shires matches already and had mixed fortunes.  A 19-1 win against Worcestershire kicked off the season.  A great start by Alex Cook, Ben Roberts, Charlie Shan, Sijan Rai, Louise Atkins, Jessica Barnes, Rubie Gray and Natalia Mitchell.  The following week in October was altogether tougher against a top team, Sussex, and we lost 12-8.  Sam Heath joined the team and won his singles, mixed and one doubles – a great achievement as a new-comer to the Shires. A long journey to Devon at the beginning of November was made worse by another close loss – 12-9.  At least we all got to eat lots as Alex and Ben had started a competitive badminton bake-off – shortbread on this occasion.  We then met Berkshire at home on 17th November and had a nail-biting win 11-9.  The nature of the match was obvious from the start when we split the mixed and the match was finely balanced until the very last when Louise and Natalia took us over the line.  On this occasion the team was Alex, Ben, Sijan, Sam, Louise, Natalia, Jessica and Rubie. 

Tournament Success

The under 15s have been in fine form this season not least at the recent Oxfordshire Under 15 Bronze Tournament hosted in fine style as usual by John Boyd at White Horse.  The day started with the mixed as in all the best Gold tournaments and Louise Atkins and Sam Heath got all the way to the final and won against a very strong pairing of Vicky Roberts and Jude Blackman of Sussex.  Charlie Shan won the boys doubles at the other end of the day with his partner, Mathew Hughes of Warwickshire. 

Alex Cook has had a magical start to the season at Gold Star events winning gold, silver and bronze medals at the recent Cheltenham Gold Star tournament  - gold in mixed, silver in singles and bronze in doubles.  (On top of the gold and silver medals won at the Leigh Gold Star tournament held earlier in the season – gold for mixed and silver for singles.) Ben Roberts got to the second day at the Cheltenham Gold and managed to keep Alex company for the morning winning a bronze medal for singles in the gold event.  (A week after 2 bronzes won at the Berkshire Silver event – singles and doubles). Later in the day, Jamie Cackett, making a long journey back from injury, won a much-deserved bronze medal in doubles at the Bronze event also in Cheltenham on the same day (Be warned Cheltenham is a very nice venue but nothing moves fast when you are hosting Gold Star, Gold and Bronze events in the same hall!). 

Alex Cook with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals from Under 15 Gold Star at Cheltenham 1/11/13