Pupils get Olympic Badminton Experience at Center Parcs

    NEW OLLERTON, ENGLAND, December 13, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Pupils from Newmarket College were yesterday (10/12/09) treated to an exclusive coaching session with Team England badminton players, Nathan Robertson and Mariana Agathangelou. The session was hosted by Center Parcs Elveden Forest as part of the 2009/10 Center Parcs National Schools Championships.

Olympic silver medallist Nathan Robertson, and Mariana Agathangelou are amongst the country's top players, so it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the girls and boys of Newmarket College to pick up some top tips. The Team England players put the girls and boys through their paces for over an hour going through some of their own training exercises and drills before taking time out to talk the youngsters about their lives as world class athletes.

The Center Parcs National Schools Championships is one of the biggest schools tournaments in the country. Newmarket College's U14 boy's team have progressed through the second stage of the tournament whilst the girls were runners up in their competition.

Last year's tournament, organised by BADMINTON England and sponsored by Center Parcs, saw a record entry of over 1,000 schools and 15,000 children; the 2009/10 tournament has smashed that record with the number of schools entering topping 1,400 and over 19,000 children taking part.

Nathan Robertson, was impressed with the level of play today: "The kids had a great time and there were a couple who I think are going to go on and play some really good badminton. They boy's team has obviously made it through to the second round of the tournament and there's a good chance we might see them at the final weekend at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest."

Mariana added: "Competitions like this are so important for children and it's great to see that the number of schools entering continuing to go up. Badminton's a great sport and it's good to see more and more people getting into it."

The national final of the tournament will be held at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest, Nottingham on the 24 and 25 April; 36 schools will compete for title honours.

Schools wanting to find out more about the tournament should go to www.badmintonengland.co.uk/nationalschoolschampionships.

For more information on the short breaks on offer, visit the Center Parcs website.

For further information, please contact:
Sarah Jackson - e: [email protected]; m: 07788 672282

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