Badminton News and Events 2010 - Glasgow School of Sport at Bellahouston Academy

Badminton News

2010

December 2010

13-17 December 2010

Renowned Coach Steve Butler Visits Glasgow

Glasgow Life and Glasgow 2014 grants provided an opportunity for Glasgow based players to work with Steve Butler from Monday 13 to Friday 17 December 2010. Jill O’Neill, Glasgow Life Badminton Development Officer worked with Glasgow City Satellite Squad and Glasgow School of Sport to provide an excellent programme and an opportunity for both players and coaches to learn from Steve as he delivered on-court sessions throughout the week.


Steve Butler with Angela Porter (Director), Ian Anderson (Head Teacher) and pupils Rebekka Findlay and Gregor McVean		Steve Butler with pupils

Steve arrived on the Sunday evening 12/12/2010 prior to his first session on the Monday morning 13/12/2010. Steve was based at Glasgow School of Sport and worked with players from Glasgow School of Sport team during school hours, Glasgow Satellite Squads and Glasgow Talent Squads after school and also delivered a coach education session on the Wednesday night 15/12/2010. The coach education session looked at mixed doubles play at European Junior level. The feedback from the nine Glasgow based coaches was excellent.

Overall Steve had a great manner with players and coaches and managed to inspire all as he delivered various sessions throughout the week. Thanks again to Glasgow Life for supporting this initiative and to Steve for his enthusiasm and desire to impart his wealth of knowledge.

Image of Anne Robertson - Former Scottish Internationalist and Olympian

Anne Robertson (Former Scottish Internationalist and Olympian) who worked with Steve Butler during his visit

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6 December 2010

Welsh International Championships

S6 pupil Kirsty Gilmour moved from the Scottish International to the Welsh International in Cardiff. Kirsty won through against England’s number 7 seed, Fontaine Chapman, 21/19, 16/21, 21/13 to move into the quarter-finals. There, Kirsty met Malaysian Arita Raj Kaur who is currently ranked in number 114 in the world and lost out 21/13, 21/16. Arita went on to reach the final and won the title for the first time.

This is the final competition for Kirsty of 2010. Overall, it has been a very successful year with many positives to look forward to in 2011. On the senior stage Kirsty is currently ranked 183 and no doubt will improve on this in 2011.

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November 2010

25 November 2010

Rebekka and Kirsty make it through

Rebekka Findlay performed well in her first Senior International event with a two set win over Nigerian Internationalist Maria Bramiah and now faces Welsh player Beth Higginson. Kirsty Gilmour also won in two sets over English opponent Alex Langley. Kirsty will play England’s Mun Tzin Bong. In the Men’s Singles Lewis Gallacher was up against Englands Nathan D'Cruz. After some inspired play Lewis was unable to repeat his success from the previous day and lost out 9/21, 14/21.

The report and results can be found on Badminton Scotland's website.

Rebekka Findlay

You can watch matches from the Scottish International including current and ex GSoS players on Badminton Europe's website.

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24 November 2010

Gallacher Puts Cold To One Side To Blast His Way Into Main Draw

Teenager Lewis Gallacher sprang a surprise on three older players yesterday to reach the Men’s Singles main draw at the Bank of Scotland Badminton International Championships at his first attempt.

The 17 year old from Kilmarnock sent England’s Alex Fowler and Scottish compatriots Danny Leinster and Kyle Longmuir packing in the qualifying event at Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall and now faces another Englishman, Nathan D’Cruz, in the first round proper.

Gallacher was selected this year for a place at the Glasgow School of Sport at Bellahouston Academy. He refers to this as his seventh year and he reckons the work he has been doing there, helped by the coach Stephen McPhail, who is only three years older, has given him an edge.

“The three players I met today have all beaten me in the past and I put today’s results down to being a lot quicker around the court. I think they would all have expected to win,” he said. “I’m feeling pretty tired. I have a cold and I have a cyst under my right eye which is a bit sensitive when I start sweating, but if I can get a good rest tonight and get going tomorrow without any nerves then I hopefully I can come out with a bit of confidence. Over the last few years I’ve played better in doubles and mixed doubles, but this year with all the work I’ve been doing at the School of Sport I’ve felt fitter than my peers, so I’m trying singles."

Nerves affected Lewis in his first game yesterday. He was 16-5 down before rallying to win the set 22-20 and the next one 21-14 before going on to win his next two matches in straight sets as well.

Gallacher, a finalist in this year’s National Under 19 Singles, is studying advanced mathematics and art and has an unconditional place at Strathclyde University next year to take a degree in architecture. He also has designs on the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.

“That’s definitely a target. The Olympics in London 2012 is just a bit too soon for me,” said Lewis.

He joins six other Scots in the 64 player first round – No.10 seed and top home hope Kieran Merrilees, Kenny Young, Jamie Neill, Gordon Hoggan, Andrew Gilliland and Matthew Carder.

There was no Women’s Singles Qualifying and No.2 seed Susan Egelstaff begins her defence tomorrow while Linda Sloan, Kirsty Gilmour and Rebekka Findlay are all in action on 25/11/2010.

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24 November 2010

Bank of Scotland Scottish International

The annual Scottish International got under way today with some of the Glasgow School of Sport players opting to compete. The Men’s Singles Qualifying saw Lewis Gallacher reach the main draw with three wins throughout the day. Gregor McVean lost out to former pupil Steven Stewart while Josh Neil lost out to an English opponent and Ben Torrance lost to Victor Makanju from Nigeria 21/17, 21/15. Follow the event on Badminton Scotland's website.

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21 November 2010

Caitlin Wins Under 19 Mixed at Northumberland and Scotland Win the Team Event

Scotland's Under 19 team was successful in their trip south to compete in the International Competition at Northumberland. Scotland beat England to win the Team title. A development team of under 17 players also competed and gave some good performances.

In the individual event S6 Pupil Caitlin Pringle won the Mixed title with Edinburgh’s Michael Campbell. They were unseeded and beat top seeds Jessica Fletcher and Harley Towler in two sets to win the title.

Glasgow School of Sport had the following representation in the Scottish teams:

Under 19 - Caitlin Pringle, Rebekka Findlay
Under 17 - Josh Neil, Ben Torrance, Jordan Gilvear and Adam Hall

A full report is now available on Badminton Scotland's website.

Holly Makes It Three In A Row

S1 pupil Holly Newall won the Under 13 Ulster Gold to make it three Gold event wins in a row for Girls' Singles. Holly had already won the Bath and Leigh events. In Ulster Holly reached the final and faced number two seed Holly Garret and won the match 21/17, 21/15. Eleanor O’Donnell reached the quarter-finals and lost out in a narrow 21/18, 17/21, 19/21 to Ireland's Moya Ryan. Leon Masia was runner-up in his group and only lost out to England’s Amit Chaudari 21/15, 21/18.

Holly paired up with Eleanor O'Donnell to gain a silver medal spot against Holly Garret and Kelly Ann Leaney with a very close third set in which the girls lost 26/24. Also in the Girls' Doubles Biatrice Gabell and Toni Woods reached the semi-finals before losing out to team mates Holly and Eleanor. Holly also gained a semi-final place in the Mixed with Irish partner Calum Hemming.

In the Under 17 Singles competition Calum Stevenson was the only successful player to gain a place out of the group stages. Calum lost out in the quarter-finals to England’s Ben Garnham 21/15, 21/9. Callum Riddell and Calum Stevenson lost out to tough Irish opponents Matthew Gatty and Martin Lau in two sets after winning through the group stage of the Boys' Doubles.

Full results can be found on the Badminton England website.

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19 November 2010

Eight Titles at East of Scotland Junior

Glasgow School of Sport players won eight titles at the prestigious East of Scotland Junior tournament held in Edinburgh on 13/14 November 2010. In addition to the events won, players managed to gain eight runners-up places throughout the age groups. Congratulations to all players from the Badminton Programme who competed in this event.

Full results can be found on the Tournament Software website with a full report on the Badminton Scotland website.

Holly Takes Another Gold in England

S1 pupil Holly Newall continued her fine run with a win at the Gold event held in Lancashire. Holly beat Amber Ngo in three sets to win her second Badminton England Singles title this season.

Eleanor O'Donnell also of S1 reached the quarter-finals of the singles losing out to Amber. In the mixed doubles Holly and partner Alex Dunn lost out in the final to top seeds Adam Lam and Kirby Ngan 9/21, 20/22. Holly then partnered Cara McCulloch in the Girls’ Doubles before losing a very close match 21/17, 20/22, 19/21 to Emma Chan and Amber Ngo. Overall, there were some great results and progress made by Holly and Eleanor. Results for this event can be viewed on the Badminton England website.

Josh Reaches Final of Gold Star

Josh Neil reached the final of the York Under 17 Gold Star event held on 6/7 November 2010 at York Railway Institute. Josh met old rival Alex Lane and lost out 17/21, 17/21 in a well contested final. In the Gold event Adam Hall reached the semi-final and Jordan Gilvear the final stages, both losing out to Fahrid Akrum of England. The new format is certainly challenging and ensures levels of play are at their highest.

In total ten Scottish players attended the event and competed well against their mainly English counterparts. A full list of results can be found on the Tournament Software website.

Cardonald College Line Judging Course at Glasgow School of Sport

Sport students from Cardonald College attended the annual Line Judge Course run by Badminton Scotland. It was held on Wednesday in conjunction with S5/S6 pupils training and allowed the students to see School players in action. An unusual opportunity for players to practice with line judges on hand and a great opportunity too for new line judges to gain valuable experience leading up to the Scottish International Championships from 24 to 28 November 2010. Thanks to Alex and John from Badminton Scotland for their organisation of the course.

Participants at the Line Judging Course

Badminton Europe TV!

Badminton Europe have recently started to show live streaming from their competitions. They will stream from the Scottish International Championships on 24 - 28 November 2010. More information can be found on the Badminton Europe website.

Badminton Scotland Ranking List Updated

Glasgow School of Sport players are listed in the newly updated ranking list available from Badminton Scotland.

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October 2010

Ten Quick Questions On Delhi by Kirsty Gilmour


Kirsty is pictured arriving for her match and on court with doubles partner Jillie Cooper		Kirsty in flight!

What was your most exciting experience performing?

Playing against the Indian team as the whole crowd was cheering for them and not me. Everyone was watching that game and it was packed.

What was your scariest moment?

My first match! I don’t usually get nervous but I was for this one and it was doubles as well! It wasn’t even a packed hall.

Most frustrating?

I had a really tough draw and came up against the Malaysians and the Australians who eventually got a bronze in the doubles and gold in the mixed. Arghh!

W hat did you learn about yourself?

I just need to get more experienced and think about the game more. I also want to improve my fitness. I don’t play like other girls as I jump about a lot which makes me tire quicker.

What performance of the games impressed you the most?

Watching Lee Chong Wei play as he is number one in the world. He is so relaxed but also really fast. He won gold.

In what way has the Glasgow School of Sport helped you get to the games?

It has brought my game up from a basic level in first year through on court work, fitness and weights. Being a pupil at the School of Sport helps as the coaches and teachers are supportive. They also have high expectations of me and that’s good. There’s no slacking just because I was at the Commonwealth Games!

What message would you give to other aspiring Glasgow School of Sport pupils?

All the resources you need are here. It’s up to you to use them.

What's the focus for you now in your sport?

I want to become a proper senior player and play a more grown up game. I also want to improve my fitness. I’m off to the Hungarian Open in a couple of weeks and I hope to perform well and build on the experience of the games.

Lasting memory?

There are so many but that one that sticks out is walking in to the packed stadium at the closing ceremony. Knowing that everything was done in Delhi and that Glasgow was hosting the next games made it even more special.

Finally, what 5 words would you use to describe Delhi?

Awesome, exciting, hot, crowded and colourful.


Kirsty in action with doubles partner Jillie Cooper		Kirsty lifts another trophy!

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19 October 2010

Scotland Return from Commonwealth Games

S6 Pupil Kirsty Gilmour returned from the Commonwealth Games having had the experience of a lifetime. Kirsty and her team mates competed in the team and individual events. In the team events Scotland faced Barbados, Kenya, Wales and India during the initial group stage. Kirsty partnered Jillie Cooper against Barbados and won their ladies' doubles tie as Scotland swept to a 5 – 0 victory. Kirsty then went on to play singles against Kenya and again won her match in two sets. Scotland completed the match again with a 5 – 0 win.

When Scotland faced Wales, the team won 5 – 0. This left formidable India to meet for a place in the quarter-finals. Scotland struggled to win matches against the host nation and therefore went through to the quarter-finals to face England. In a very close match England edged out the Scots 3 – 1 as they moved into the medal play off.

Kirsty was lined up for three individual events:, singles, doubles with Jillie Cooper and mixed with Kieran Merrilees. In the singles event Kirsty face a tough Australian opponent but went on to win in two sets. After another match Kirsty was up against a strong opponent and lost out in the round of 16.

Overall a great experience for Kirsty and hopefully the motivational tool required to go and compete at Glasgow 2014.

Commonwealth Games: BADMINTONscotland reports during the Delhi Games

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18 October 2010

Robert Wins First Singles Title

Under 15: Robert Clark S3 won his first singles competition as he took the SSBU Age Group Singles title. Robert played some great rallies to gain wins over Jacob Reynolds, Jake Thomas and Thomas Darling. Robert has come close in recent weeks with a semi-final place in the National Championships Boys' Doubles however a good performance at the new Ravenscraig facility ensured Robert came out on top. Robert won his match against runner up Jacob Reynolds 23/21 21/15.

Biatrice and Toni shine at Silver Event

S1 pupils Biatrice Gabell and Toni Woods travelled with many other Scottish players to compete in the Badminton England Silver 'Less than 13' competition. Both Toni ands Biatrice performed well to reach the final in which Biatrice won. The girls went on to reach the doubles final where they lost narrowly by one point to an English couple.

Toni and Biatrice at the BE Silver Event

Leon Masia also travelled to the event along with Toni and Biatrice. The Badminton England Silver events are a stepping stone to reach Gold level within the English structure. All players will now have the opportunity to compete in the Ulster Gold Under 13 in November 2010.

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11 October 2010

Adam Shuttles to Three Titles at National Junior

Under 15

S3 pupil Adam Hall played his way to a deserved three titles at the recent Bank of Scotland Junior Championships held at Meadowbank Sports Centre. Adam was top seed in all three disciplines and went on to secure a memorable hat-trick. In singles, Adam reached the final and faced up and coming Lanark boy Euan Watson. Euan played some great rallies and did himself justice as he is relatively new to this level of competition. Adam went on to win the contest in two sets. Euan Watson had earlier disposed of another S3 pupil, Robert Clark, in a tough third round clash.


Adam Hall at the Nationals	GSoS Group at the Nationals	GSoS Group at the Nationals

In the Boys' Doubles, Robert Clark and partner Jacob Reynolds lost out in their semi-final to Alex Dunn and Mark Leith. This left a final between Adam Hall and Sean Leith against Mark and Alex. After some great rallies Adam and Sean went on to take the title making in two for Adam. This left the mixed doubles with Adam and partner Sophie Morrison looking to win the title they had won twelve months earlier. Their final opponents were Hannah Morrison and Sean Leith. Adam's experience shone through as they went on to win the match. This provided both Adam and Sophie with three titles each and a fitting end to some great performances.

On the girls' side Kirstie Baird pushed Hannah Morrison to 17/17 in the first set before losing out 21/17 21/8 and showed that her hard work is starting to pay off. Holly Newall also had a close three set match with Hannah in the quarter-finals as she lost out 21/19 in the third set. An outstanding start for S1 pupil Holly as she is still an under 13 player. Holly partnered Tammi Gibson to reach the semi-finals of the Girls' Doubles.

During the prize ceremony Adam and Sophie were awarded the Moira Skene Trophy for the most meritorious performance throughout the weekend. A full report can be found on BADMINTONscotland website.

Mixed Fortunes for Rebekka at Under 19

S6 pupil Rebekka Findlay had mixed fortunes in a quest for titles at the under 19 age group. Still an under 17 player, Rebekka was top seed in singles losing narrowly to eventual winner Emma Cook from Ayrshire. This was a tough semi-final match and Emma went on to take the title over former GSoS pupil Fiona Archibald.

Rebekka bounced back with Fiona to reach the doubles final. Again after a tough three set match they lost out to Megan Richardson and Hannah Laing. A truly entertaining match with some long rallies and exciting opportunities led to Megan and Hannah winning the title.

Rebekka picked herself up and with partner Matthew Carder went on to record an unexpected win in the mixed final. Rebekka and Matthew faced top seeds Patrick MacHugh and Emma Cook. Although favourites, Patrick and Emma were unable to stay with the younger pair as Rebekka and Matthew eventually ran out winners in three sets. This was a great result for them as they are also current Under 17 National Champions.

Finals spot for Lewis

S6 Pupil Lewis Gallacher reached the Under 19 Boys' Singles Final with the prospect of playing top seed Matthew Carder. Lewis played an excellent first set as he controlled the net game and built on his attack. Matthew continued to rally and eventually won the title in three sets. Lewis was seeded to reach the semi-finals and went one better.

Matthew and S6 pupil Gregor McVean had opportunities to progress past the semi-finals of the Doubles but lost out to Michael Campbell and Craig Pollock.

Ben Torrance played Lewis in the semi-finals as he had already disposed of the second seed Michael Campbell with a great and inspired performance on the Saturday afternoon. Some other players within the programme showed great promise although they were competing to gain experience at a higher age level.

Full results can be found on the Tournament Software website.

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5 October 2010

Kirsty Wins As Scotland Beat Barbados 5-0

Kirsty Gilmour partnered Imogen Bankier in the Ladies' Doubles as Scotland defeated Barbados 5 – 0 in Delhi. Scotland will now play Wales on Tuesday, 12/10/2010 followed by Kenya on Wednesday morning (13/10/2010) before facing hosts India on Wednesday evening. Read more on the BADMINTONscotland site.

1 October 2010

Adam Seeded Top in National Junior

S3 pupil Adam Hall has been seeded top in three disciplines for this weekend's National Junior Championships to be held at Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh. Adam is one of many GSoS pupils to be seeded in this event which is aimed at the under 15 and under 19 age groups. A full report on this can be found on the BADMINTONscotland website.

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September 2010

30 September 2010

Kirsty Gilmour Heads to Delhi for the 2010 Commonwealth Games

On behalf of all staff and pupils at Bellahouston Academy and Glasgow School of Sport we would like to wish Kirsty Gilmour the best of luck as she aims to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. We will report more on the Scottish team and Kirsty’s experience in the coming weeks.

Commonwealth Games Scotland information.

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28 September 2010

Quality Players On Show at GSOS Competitions

Over 100 players attended the Glasgow School of Sport Under 12 and Under 15 Competitions held on 25/26 September 2010. The under 15 event attracted most of Scotland’s top players in the lead up to the National Junior events to be held in early October 2010. Kirstie Baird showed great determination to overcome the talented Julie Macpherson in three sets to win the Girls' Singles Title. Kirstie and Julie had played a tough three set match in the Gold event in Bath earlier in the season where Julie won the title. Julie and partner Sarah Findlay took the Doubles title with a win over S1 pupil Holly Newall and Sofia Cogliano. Julie continued her winning streak in the Mixed Doubles with Alistair Gordon as they defeated Kirstie Baird and Lanark’s Euan Watson.


Under 12 Girls' Doubles Finalists with Jill O'Neill - Glasgow Life's Badminton Development Officer	Under 12 Boys' Doubles Finalists with Jill O'Neill - Glasgow Life's Badminton Development Officer

Under 12 Girls' Singles Finalists with Jill O'Neill - Glasgow Life's Badminton Development Officer	Under 12 Boys' Singles Finalists with Jill O'Neill - Glasgow Life's Badminton Development Officer

In the Boys' Singles, Euan Watson had a very tough three set match with Ireland's Ryan Getty in the quarter-finals. Euan came through this and then went on to win the title with another three set win over doubles partner Jack Stevenson. Robert Clark, a third year player from Glasgow School of Sport, partnered North East player Mark Leith to win the Boys' Doubles over Alistair Gordon and Struan Ross.

In the under 12 event there were players from Ireland, England and Scotland competing for honours. After some great group matches the players were sent into the main section and all runners-up went into a B section only for singles events. Stewart Dyce from Ayrshire reached the final where he faced Matthew Grimley with Stewart winning the match in a great contest. Matthew then paired with twin brother Christopher to compete against Stewart and partner Ciar Pringle. The twins, Matthew and Christopher won a fast and exciting match to take the title.

Shona Whillans secured another two titles from GSoS Competitions as she won both Girls' Singles and Girls' Doubles. Her opponent in the singles was Sarah Sidebottom before she paired up with Basia Grydynska to win a second title in the girls' group.


Under 15 Girls' Doubles Finalists	Under 15 Girls' Singles Finalists

Overall this was a very successful competition with many great matches throughout the weekend. There is no doubt the event could not run without the support of the many parents and volunteers of existing pupils connected to the School. The next event on the calendar is the Under 11 Championship which will take place on Saturday, 11 December. This tournament has a closing date of 19 November 2010.


Under 15 Boys' Singles Finalists	Under 15 Boys' Doubles Finalists	Under 15 Mixed Doubles Finalists

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19 September 2010

Four Titles at Glasgow Junior

Jordan Gilvear won the under 17 singles beating partner Ben Torrance in the final. The boys then paired up to take the Doubles title from fellow School of Sport team mates Steven Mann and Adam Hall. Other notable performances came from Adam in the singles, Callum Riddell and Calum Stevenson in the doubles as they played well and reached the semi-final stage.

In the under 13 event, S1 pupil Holly Newall continued her good run of form to take the title over classmate Eleanor O’Donnell. Holly partnered Cara McCulloch of Ayrshire to the doubles title. Again, some notable performance from Toni Woods and Biatrice Gabell.

Full results can be found on the Tournament Software website.

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14 September 2010

Midland Junior Round Up - Young Guns Perform at Midland Junior

Glasgow School of Sport players had some great results at this years Midland Junior. Rebekka Findlay and Josh Neil took under 19 singles' titles. Jordan Gilvear and Ben Torrance had outstanding performances in singles. Lewis Gallacher won the Boys' Doubles and Gregor McVean had an outing in the Mixed Doubles and won the title. On the side, Caitlin Pringle won Girls' Doubles and was runner up in singles while Natalie Mathers reached the Girls' Doubles final.

Full results can be found o0n the Tournament Software website.

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9 September 2010

Josh Wins Gold at UK School Games

S4 Pupil Josh Neil continued to perform at the top of British badminton in the UK School Games held in Gateshead last weekend (4-5 September 2010). Josh reversed a win from the earlier team event where he lost to Alex Lane of England. As the individual final was the last match for Josh after 3 days play he was able to come from 11/10 down in the third set to take the title 21/11.

Josh and Rebekka Findlay (S6) reached the final of the Mixed Doubles and took silver medal behind England’s Alex Lane and Chloe Birch. Josh and Rebekka also managed to reverse a defeat to England pair Sam Parsons and Eve O’Sullivan from the team event as they made their way to the final. In the final Josh and Rebekka lost out 13/21, 16/21.

Rebekka and Jordan Share Three Bronze Medals

Rebekka Findlay reached the semi-finals before losing out 10/21, 15/21 to Chloe Birch to take a bronze medal in the girls' singles event. Jordan had a fantastic win over Ireland's Martin Lau 22/20 in the third set as he made his way to the semi-finals. Jordan came up against the consistent play of Alex Lane and lost out 12/21, 10/21, gaining a bronze medal on the way. Jordan and partner Megan Richardson won through to the mixed doubles semi-finals to take a bronze medal to add to Jordan’s singles medal.

Team Event

As the team consisted of twelve players, the five from Glasgow School of Sport all played a part in the team event and all gained a silver medal behind England. After wins over Ireland and Wales, a 5 – 0 defeat to England left the Scottish team in second place. Congratulations to Adam Hall, Josh Neil, Ben Torrance, Jordan Gilvear and Rebekka Findlay on their medal wins and gaining selection to the team.

Individual Event round-up

Team Event round-up

Team Match results were:

Date and Time	Match			Score
Fri 9/3/2010 10:00 AM	England	v	Northern Ireland	5-0
Fri 9/3/2010 10:00 AM	Scotland	v	Wales	5-0
Fri 9/3/2010 11:30 AM	England	v	Scotland	5-0
Fri 9/3/2010 11:30 AM	Wales	v	Northern Ireland	1-4
Fri 9/3/2010 2:00 PM	England	v	Wales	4-1
Fri 9/3/2010 2:00 PM	Scotland	v	Northern Ireland	3-2

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August 2010

2 - 5 September 2010

UK School Games

The event will take place from 2 – 5 September 2010 in the North East of England. Players selected are Rebekka Findlay (S6), Ben Torrance, Jordan Gilvear (S5), Josh Neil and Adam Hall (S4). The team will depart on Thursday, 2 September 2010 and compete on the Friday through to Sunday, 5 September 2010. Full draws can be found on the following links on the Tournament Software website:

10 August 2010

Langenfeld Cup, Germany

Good luck to the National ‘A’ squad that will fly to Germany to compete in the prestigious Langenfeld Cup. The event will take place on 20 – 22 August 2010 and will include Adam Hall at Under 15, Josh Neil, Ben Torrance, Jordan Gilvear and Rebecca Findlay at Under 17 and Under 19 players Lewis Gallacher and Caitlin Pringle.


New recruit Biatrice Gabell		New recruit Caitlin Pringle

New Recruits

Five new recruits will join the first year group at Glasgow School of Sport in August 2010 for the new term. Leon Masia (Glasgow), Holly Newall and Eleanor O’Donnell (Ayrshire), Toni Woods (Falkirk) and Biatrice Gabell (Rothesay) have all been taking part in summer training at the School prior to their arrival. They come with a wide range of experience and have enjoyed the training and the environment so far.

Caitlin Pringle formerly of Williamwood High School has joined the programme as a S6 pupil. Caitlin has settled in well and participated in the training camp in France. Caitlin is currently National Under 17 and Under 19 Girls’ Doubles Champion.

6 August 2010

UK School Games

Congratulations to the Glasgow School of Sport players selected to represent Scotland at this year’s UK School Games. The event will take place from 2 – 5 September 2010 in the North East of England. The players selected are Rebekka Findlay, Ben Torrance, Jordan Gilvear, Josh Neil and Adam Hall. We wish them every success and will report back on their performances.


New recruit Eleanor O'Donnell		New recruit Holly Newall

5 August 2010

Five Tournaments in Store for New Season

With the success of our tournaments last season, Glasgow School of Sport has applied to BADMINTONscotland to gain sanction for one new tournament. This year will see tournaments at under 10, under 11, under 12, under 13 and now under 15 at the purpose built facility at Bellahouston Academy. The dates have been confirmed and all entry forms will be available on both Glasgow School of Sport and BADMINTONscotland websites.

Under 12 (Born 1999 or later) – Sunday, 26 September 2010
Under 15 (Born 1996 or later) – Saturday, 25 and Sunday, 26 September 2010
Under 11 (Born 2000 or later) – Saturday, 11 December 2010
Under 13 (Born 1998 or later) – Saturday, 8 January 2011
Under 10 (Born 2001 or later) – Sunday, 9 January 2011

Entry Form Under 13 and Under 15 (PDF 300k)

Entry Form Under 10, Under 11 and Under 12 (PDF 316k)


New recruit Leon Masia		New recruit Toni Woods

1 August 2010

GSoS Training Camp, France

In March 2010, Glasgow Thistles organiser, Colin Ireland, contacted the school to offer the unique opportunity for players and coaches to get involved with Cumbernauld College and ‘The Leonardo da Vinci’ programme for Education and Learning. This partnership was created and led to Colin working closely through Glasgow Thistles to guide the School’s badminton team through the process necessary to enable them to participate in the programme. It led to a team of fourteen players, five coaches (including Strength and Conditioning) and one physiotherapist making the trip to Canet in Perpignan, France, for fourteen days.

The Glasgow School of Sport coaches identified the players who would be invited to take up the valuable places. Without the funding provided by Leonardo da Vinci programme, the educational and physical training opportunities, along with the trip to Canet, would not have been possible. The previous experience of Glasgow Thistles in Canet ensured that the venues, accommodation, facilities and culture were suitable to ensure an excellent learning experience for all involved.


Training Camp at Canet

The link with Cumbernauld College meant that players would enrol to study SQA Intermediate 1 in Sport and Recreation. All players involved had already undergone training in a combination of First Aid, Badminton Coaching and Sports Leaders Courses in the previous three years. This experience alongside the SQA Intermediate 1 in Sport and Leisure provided an excellent background prior to departure.

All players were issued with a log book which was integrated with Glasgow School of Sport daily log books to ensure the monitoring of daily training and cultural experiences was recorded.

It was paramount that all players understood the lifestyle required to train at a camp lasting fourteen days. Mentally, as well as physically, they had to understand the concepts surrounding “eating to compete” and aim to prepare for session after session over the whole duration. The programme often included three or four sessions per day.

On court sessions were held in the Eric Tabarly Gymnasium which had seven courts and was of an international height for badminton. On court training was designed to ensure skill development, physical and tactical development, as well as team work in doubles and mixed events, were practiced. Off court players used the gymnasium at Malibu Village (Glasgow Thistles Rugby Team also used the gym) and at Europa Swimming Centre where they had an eight lane Olympic pool as well as a twenty-five metre training pool. Finally, our proximity to the beach allowed us to use the promenade for early morning runs and the sea to perform water based recovery after sessions. This programme, integrated with quality food at the hotel, fluid intake and early curfew ensured quality throughout the duration of the camp.

Team building exercises including a quiz, pool recovery, beach volleyball and football, mini golf and match play in the gym ensured that players were working as a team.


Training Camp at Canet

The players and coaches mixed with the local French people everyday while in shops, supermarkets, cafes, in the complex, at training and in restaurants. As the trip went on they became far more confident when communicating. Some of the players are currently or have studied French to Higher and Advanced Higher levels and provided an excellent opportunity to speak to French people and develop skills.

Due to the physical demands of a camp of this magnitude, it was important to offer support from a physiotherapist to ensure injuries were dealt with in the correct manner. The physiotherapist was Karenna Marshall, a former pupil of Glasgow School of Sport with an International Junior Badminton Career and now a full International hockey player for Scotland. Karenna has exposure not only as a former pupil and player but as a player who spent three camps similar to this one at Club La Santa. Karenna provided regular feedback to each player and supported them with stretching exercises to prevent injury, treating any injures as required.


Training Camp at Canet

Former pupil Kenny Young was invited to support the group in a combined player and apprentice coach role and worked with the group as a player where he was able to raise the standards and also help increase motivation levels. Kenny also played a key role as an apprentice coach as he led sessions and small groups while providing advice and feedback to players.

Report by Craig Robertson and pictures by Raymond Cavanagh

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April 2010

26 April 2010

Five National Titles at Meadowbank

In the Scottish National Junior Championships on 24 and 25 April 2010 at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh, Glasgow School of Sport pupils picked up five titles.

In the Under 23 event Kirsty Gilmour won three titles. Kirsty beat fellow Glasgow School of Sport pupil Fiona Archibald in the final of the Women’s Singles 21-11, 21-10. Playing with Kirsten Geals she beat former pupil Lisa McMullen and Gillian Sloan 21-6, 21-6 in the Women’s Doubles Final and alongside former School of Sport pupil Kenny Young won the Mixed Doubles 21-16, 21-13 against Gordon Hoggan and Kirsten Geals.


Kirsty Gilmour		Kirsty Glimour and Kenny Young - Mixed Doubles Winners

In the Under 17 event Gregor McVean won the Boys’ Doubles alongside partner Matthew Carder beating Neil Atterbury and Rajan Bhopal 21-14, 21-17 in the final. Lewis Gallacher and Ben Torrance performed well losing a close three-setter 17-21, 21-15, 18-21 to Gregor and Matthew in the semi-final. Usman Asif and his partner Peter Walker also lost at the semi-final stage to Neil and Rajan 14-21, 21-13, 14-21. Callum Riddell and Calum Stevenson made their mark too reaching the quarter-final stage winning two games against older opposition.

In the Under 17 Mixed Doubles, Rebekka Findlay and Matthew Carder won a close final against Lewis Gallacher and Caitlin Pringle 20-22, 22-20, 21-17. Rebekka also reached the final of the Girls’ Singles to play Emma Cook but unfortunately had to withdraw with breathing difficulties towards the end of the first set. Natalie Mathers reached the quarter-final stage of the Girls’ Singles also losing to Emma Cook 10-21, 15-21. Natalie also reached her first National Semi-Final losing with partner Heather Campbell to eventual winners Caitlin Pringle and Emma Cook 10-21, 9-21.

In the Under 17 Boys’ Singles, Lewis Gallacher was unlucky not to take the second set against eventual winner Matthew Carder in the semi-final losing 16-21, 22-24. Ben Torrance and Usman Asif both reached quarter-final spots before losing to Stewart Ferns 15-21, 18-21 and Matthew Carder 7-21, 11-21 respectively.

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26 April 2010

Gold Success for Under 15 Players at Quadrangular

The annual under 15 Quadrangular was scheduled to take place in Wales and was under some threat due to recent airline issues. On the day of travel the players travelling from Glasgow were fortunate to get their flight south however the Edinburgh flight was cancelled. After a marathon seven hour train journey the team eventually descended on Wales for the event.

Glasgow School of Sport players Josh Neil, Adam Hall and Jordan Gilvear all played some great badminton during the event and led to the boys winning team silver, 2 golds and 2 silver medals at this prestigious junior event. Josh Neil won the singles and doubles event with Adam Hall as Jordan Gilvear and partner Fraser Whillans were runners-up. Adam Hall also reached the semi-finals of the singles event and showed that he will be a major force for the event next season as he has another year at this age group. Congratulations to all three boys from Glasgow School of Sport and to the whole team who gave a huge effort during the event.


School of Sport shuttlers at the 2010 Quadrangular event in Wales		School of Sport shuttlers at the 2010 Quadrangular event in Wales

Team Event: Scotland takes Silver behind England

Scotland made a great start against Ireland on Friday morning with an 8-1 win. The Irish team did show promise and this proved the case as they went on to have a tough match against England. Scotland then played England in the afternoon after England’s win over Wales. Going into the match both teams knew this could be close and expected some tough matches.

The match was level at 1-1 after the Boys’ Doubles. Jordan Gilvear and Fraser Whillans winning in two sets while Adam Hall and James Milton lost in a close three set battle. The English girls took both doubles although the matches were both close set encounters. Hannah and Sophie Morrison lost 21-14, 21-16 to Natalie Chan Lam and Brodie Miller while Lucy Nevin and Heather Macpherson lost out to Jess Hopton and Lynlette Aung. Down 3-1, Josh Neil and Jordan Gilvear gave Scotland two comfortable victories to square at 3-3. With two Girls’ Singles players Lucy Nevin and Hannah Wade losing to England this left only the mixed doubles with Josh Neil and Hannah Morrison gaining the win.

The 5-4 defeat left the team with the task of beating Wales the next morning. Building on their experience, the team performed against a tough Welsh team and secured victory at 6-3. Both Wales and Ireland would prove their abilities with individual medals the following day.

Overall the team showed great determination and fight during the event and players grew in presence within this arena. For many it was the first time on international duty and they all performed very well throughout the event.

Individual Event : Two Golds and Two Silvers for the Scots

In the Boys’ Singles Josh Neil was defending champion and had the task of retaining the title against the talents of the other nations. Josh started with a first round win over England’s Ben Lane and then progressed with wins over Ryan Stewart and Daniel Chow to reach the final. Adam Hall had two good wins, firstly over Welsh number one Michael Kinnear and then England’s Marcus Smith to reach the semi-finals. James Milton lost out in two sets to Craig Smith 21-16, 21-10. Fraser Whillans lost out 21-18, 21-18 to Daniel Chow in the quarter-finals.

Jordan Gilvear won an excellent match against Sean Vendy of England 21-19 in the third to set up a semi-final clash with Adam. After some great play Jordan progressed to meet Josh in the final securing gold and silver for Scotland. In the final both players played some great shots at a very fast pace. Josh ran out winner with a 21-16, 16-21, 21-10 result to retain the title he had won in Ireland last year (2009).

The Girls’ Singles saw Hannah Wade win her first match and then face Sophie Morrison. Sophie came through the match 21-14, 21-9 to reach the quarter-finals before losing to Lynlette Aung of England. Hannah Morrison played Jessica Pugh of England and started with a first set victory of 21-16. Jessica changed tactics and pushed Hannah to all areas of the court to win the next two sets 21-12, 21-10. Heather MacPherson gained a first round bye before losing in three sets to Welsh player Ellen Mahenthiralingam.

Lucy Nevin grew in confidence during the team event and carried this on to the individual. Lucy won her first match and then played a tough match against England’s Brodie Miller. After some great rallies Lucy won 21-15, 21-12 with her best singles performance of the event. In the semi-finals Lucy was unable to maintain this level and lost out to eventual winner Natalie Chan Lam of England.

In the mixed doubles Scotland were unable to reach the heights of results in other areas as all pairs lost in first two rounds. Josh Neil and Heather MacPherson lost to eventual winners Stewart and Stevenson from Ireland. Jordan Gilvear and Lucy Nevin lost to England’s Ben Lane and Jessica Pugh with Adam Hall and Sophie Macpherson losing out to Jessica Hopton and Marcus Smith while James Milton and Hannah Morrison had two close sets with Sean Vendy and Brodie Miller of England. In similar fashion Fraser Whillans and Hannah Wade lost 21-18, 25-23 to Daniel Chow and Natalie Chan Lam.

After the mixed events the Scottish players pulled back to the levels of the team event and showed some great performances. James Milton partnered young Welsh player Mo Fong and lost out in a tough match with strong Irish pair Harron and Stewart 11-21, 21-23. The other pairings of Josh Neil and Adam Hall and Fraser Whillans and Jordan Gilvear proved too strong for all opposition as they met in the finals. Again a great result securing two medals for Team Scotland. Josh and Adam won the title with a 21-12, 21-11 result to secure Scotland their second gold of the event.

In the Girls’ Doubles, Hannah and Sophie Morrison reached the semi-finals and played really well against Natalie Chan Lam and Brodie Miller. The girls were close in both sets and showed how much they had learned from previous matches at this level. Lucy Nevin and Heather MacPherson played brilliantly in the first round narrowly losing to Welsh pair Jordan Hart and Ellen Mahenthiralingam 14-21, 21-18, 7-21 who would eventually reach the final. Hannah Wade partnered Welsh player Hannah Freeman and gave a good account of themselves against Jessica Hopton and Lynlette Aung from England.


School of Sport shuttlers at the 2010 Quadrangular event in Wales		School of Sport shuttlers at the 2010 Quadrangular event in Wales

The last match played was the Girls’ Doubles Final. It was a fitting match to end a great event with England and Wales competing. After great excitement and some excellent rallies the home girls won 25-23 in the third set.

Everyone really grew in confidence as they played more matches at this level. The exposure at this level will play a vital role for these players as they build to representing Scotland at the European Championships at Under 17 level in two years time. Finally, special thanks must go to all the parents who travelled and supported the team in Cardiff and to James Phillips and the Welsh Badminton Association for hosting an excellent and well run event.

Team:

Josh Neil, Adam Hall and Jordan Gilvear (Glasgow School of Sport)
James Milton (Ayrshire)
Fraser Whillans (East Lothian)
Heather Macpherson (Edinburgh)
Hannah and Sophie Morrison (Motherwell)
Lucy Nevin (Borders)
Hannah Wade (West Lothian)

Coaches:

Craig Robertson
Karen Stalker

Team Competition :

Silver Medal

Individual :

Boys Singles Winner – Josh Neil
Runner up – Jordan Gilvear
Semi Finalist – Adam Hall
Girls Singles Semi Finalist - Lucy Nevin
Girls Doubles Semi Finalists – Hannah Morrison/Sophie Morrison
Boys Doubles Winners – Josh Neil/Adam Hall
Runners up – Jordan Gilvear and Fraser Whillans

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March 2010

30 March 2010

Scottish Variety Award for Kirsty Gilmour

Kirsty Gilmour a fifth year badminton pupil at Glasgow School of Sport, based at Bellahouston Academy won the Best Up and Coming Scottish Sportsperson at the Scottish Variety Awards 2010. The Scottish Variety Awards recognises the outstanding young talent Scotland has to offer together with the public vote via the Scottish Sun and Radio Clyde websites.

Kirsty beat off competition from Ben Addison (rugby), John Paul (cycling) and footballers Rory Loy (Rangers) and Paul Caddis (Celtic) to receive this prestigious award.

Kirsty is pictured with her award and with the Glasgow School of Sport High Performance Badminton Coach Craig Robertson.


Kirsty Gilmour and Craig Robertson at the Scottish Variety Awards 2010		Kirsty Gilmour at the Scottish Variety Awards 2010

Kirsty Gilmour at the Scottish Variety Awards 2010		Kirsty Gilmour at the Scottish Variety Awards 2010

First Singles win for Natalie Mathers

Fifth year pupil Natalie Mathers won her first singles competition in open events when she beat Hannah Laing in the North of Scotland Junior held at Aberdeen’s Beach Leisure Centre. Natalie reached the final with a three set win over Kirsten Brierley and then beat Hannah 21-18, 21-15 to take the title. Fourth year pupil Ben Torrance won the doubles event with partner Calvin Percival as they beat another School of Sport player Usman Asif and Peter Walker of Dundee

A full set of results can be found on the Tournament Software Website

Great Talent on Show at the Glasgow School of Sport Under 11 Event

Stuart Dyce confirmed his seeding as he won the recent Under 11 competition held at Glasgow School of Sport. Stuart beat Christopher Grimley in a well contested match 21-11. Christopher had beaten twin Matthew in the semi-finals while Glen Lewington was the other semi-finalist. Matthew and Christopher then joined forces to win the doubles with a 21-11 win over Stuart and partner Jack Riddell.

In the girls’ event, Shona Whillans took the title with a 21-7 win over Eloise Morris. Shona and Basia Gradynsa went on to win the doubles competition as Eloise and Laura Moos took second place.

Overall, some great talent was on show and it was nice to see so many players competing from around Scotland. Congratulations to all the players who reached the podium in the A and B events.

Season	Name	Event	County/Country
2009-10	Stuart Dyce	Boys' Singles	Ayrshire
2009-10	Shona Whillans	Girls' Singles	Lothian
2009-10	Matthew Grimley & Christopher Grimley	Boys' Doubles	Glasgow
2009-10	Shona Whillans & Basia Grodynsa	Girls' Doubles	Ayrshire

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17 March 2010

Eight Titles at Scottish Schools Secondary Championships for Bellahouston Academy

Bellahouston Academy pupils competed in the recent Scottish Schools Secondary Championships held in Bells Sport Centre, Perth. With recent tradition players from Bellahouston won numerous titles and played major parts in finals and semi-finals as well. This is one of very few occasions when they represent Bellahouston Academy in a Scottish Schools arena. Congratulations to all players for their efforts and results at the event.

Shuttlers at the Scottish Schools Secondary Championships

Players who won titles are listed below.

Name	Event	Age Group
Adam Hall	Boys Singles	Junior
Adam Hall & Kirstie Baird	Mixed Doubles	Junior
Rebekka Findlay	Girls Singles	Intermediate
Jordan Gilvear	Boys Singles	Intermediate
Adam Hall & Jordan Gilvear	Boys Doubles	Intermediate
Rebekka Findlay & Calvin Percival	Mixed Doubles	Intermediate
Fiona Archibald	Girls Singles	Senior
Lewis Gallacher & Fiona Archibald	Mixed Doubles	Senior

Results for the SSBU Championships can be found on the Tournament Software website.

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15 March 2010

Quadrangular Selection for Under 15 Players

Congratulations to Josh Neil and Adam Hall of S3 and Jordan Gilvear of S4 on their selection to the National Team to compete in the Annual British Championships at Under 15 level. Josh and Jordan competed last year as Josh won the Singles event at this prestigious event. This year Josh, Jordan and Adam will play key roles as the most experience players in the team.

The team will leave on Thursday, 22 April 2010 and return on Sunday, 25 April 2010 from the event which will be held in Wales. Once again congratulations to the boys and we look forward to seeing how they do in the individuals and also as part of the team.

Boys: Josh Neil, Adam Hall, Jordan Gilvear, Fraser Whillans and James Milton
Girls: Lucy Nevin, Sophie Morrison, Hannah Morrison, Heather McPherson and Hannah Wade

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8 March 2010

West of Scotland Junior Under 15/19

Results and competition led to current and former pupils of Glasgow School of Sport sharing titles at the West Junior. In the under 19 event, 16 year old Rebekka Findlay won the Girls’ Singles over team mate Fiona Archibald in a well contested final. Fiona and partner Emma Gallacher won the Doubles while former shuttlers from the School of Sport shared other under 19 titles.

Kaity Hall and Steven Stewart won the Mixed Final against an inspired young pair of Josh Neil and Rebekka Findlay. Danny Leinster and Steven Stewart won the Doubles over Steven Byers and Lewis Gallacher and finally Steven Byers took his first title in Singles at this level. It is great to see former pupils still competing at this level and being challenged by the current crop of young players from the School of Sport.

The usual suspects were in finals at Under 15. Jordan Gilvear and Adam Hall played a great match in the Singles with Jordan winning in two sets. They faced each other in the Doubles as Jordan and partner Fraser Whillans won in three sets. Adam confirmed his number one ranking in Mixed at this age group along with partner Hannah Morrison.

Full results can be found on the Tournament Software website.

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Gilvear wins Glasgow Junior under 15

Jordan Gilvear played some great badminton to record a win in the Singles at the recent Glasgow Junior. Jordan won a three set match with training partner Adam Hall. The boys faced each other in the Doubles event in a repeat of the East of Scotland Junior Championship earlier in the season. Full results can be found on the Tournament Software website for Under 15 and Under 19 events.

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February 2010

12 February 2010

Senior International Call up for Kirsty

Congratulations to S5 pupil Kirsty Gilmour who will gain her first senior international cap at next week’s Thomas and Uber Cup Competitions to be held in Poland. Kirsty is joined by Glasgow’s Susan Hughes, Linda Sloan and Imogen Bankier and will line up along side Jillie Cooper and Emma Mason from Edinburgh.

The team will compete on Tuesday, 16/02/2010 against Ukraine, France on Wednesday, 17/02/2010 and finally Poland on Thursday, 18/02/2010. If the team is successful they will then go on to play knockout stages on Friday, 19/02/2010.

All coaches, staff and pupils at Glasgow School of Sport/Bellahouston Academy wish Kirsty and the team the very best of luck for the European Zone of the Uber Cup. A full report on the Thomas and Uber Cup can be found on the Badminton Scotland website.

Badminton Europe also announced televised coverage of the championships on Satellite Channel Eurosport 2.

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11 February 2010

Vote for Kirsty in Scottish Variety Awards

Scottish badminton prospect Kirsty Gilmour has been nominated for the Best Up and Coming Scottish Sportsperson at this year’s Scottish Variety Awards.

The 16 year old from Bothwell is the only girl among the nominees in this category and she is up against rugby’s Ben Addison, cycling’s John Paul and footballers Rory Loy (Rangers) and Paul Caddis (Celtic).

The Awards Ceremony will take place on 26 March 2010 at Glasgow’s Crowne Plaza Hotel and the deadline for voting is one week before the event.

The Scottish Variety Awards are in association with Radio Clyde and The Scottish Sun and voting is now under way via their websites.

Badminton fans will need no reminding that Kirsty has made a glittering start to the 2009-2010 season, winning the prestigious Langenfeld Trophy and the UK Youth Games singles titles as well as retaining her Bank of Scotland Under 19 title.

In two weeks she will tackle the Yonex Scottish National Championships at Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth.

To vote for Kirsty go to the Radio Clyde website or The Scottish Sun website.

All proceeds from the evening will go to the Cash for Kids project.

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Images of Rebekka Findlay (left) and Kirsty Gilmour (right)

Rebekka Findlay (left) and Kirsty Gilmour (right) lunging

11 February 2010

Kirsty Gilmour Wins Glasgow’s Young Sports Person of the Year Award

S5 Pupil Kirsty Gilmour scooped Glasgow’s Young Sportsperson of the Year Award at a ceremony held in the Tramway Theatre on 11 February 2010. The award was in recognition of Kirsty’s progress and current position within the sport. Kirsty has been a member of Badminton Scotland’s Junior High Performance Programme for several years and is the current National Champion, UK Schools Games Champion and Langenfeld Junior Champion.

Kirsty will fly out on Monday 15/02/2010 to Warsaw with the Scotland squad for the Thomas and Uber Cup European qualifying round and will gain her first full international cap. A step up from junior events, Kirsty already has experience playing at this level with matches against Susan Hughes and Anu Niemenin (Finland) who are both well inside the World’s top fifty players.

The awards ceremony celebrated and rewarded local talent, community coaching, team achievements, up and coming athletes, and examples of outstanding dedication to sport. The main award has been won by some of Scotland’s biggest sporting stars over the years including Stephen Hendry, Liz McColgan, Sir Chris Hoy, Shirley Robertson and Andy Murray.

The 2009 award went to golfer Catriona Matthew, who clinched the Women's British Open title to become the first Scot to win a major women's golf championship.

The following is a list of the Award winners:

Glasgow Disabled Athlete of the Year – Allan Stuart (Athletics)
Service to Sport – Lifetime Achievement Award - Duncan Paterson Glasgow
Team of the Year – Drumchapel Table Tennis Club Glasgow
Young Sports Person of the Year – Kirsty Gilmour (Badminton)
Glasgow Club of the Year – Special Olympics Scotland West Evening Times
Glasgow Sports School of the Year (Primary) – Garscadden Primary
Evening Times Glasgow Sports School of the Year (Secondary) – Hillhead Secondary School
Glasgow Student Athlete of the Year – Laura Bartlett (Hockey)
Glasgow Coach of the Year – Kenny Murray (Rugby)
Glasgow Volunteer of the Year – Maureen McNeill (Basketball)
Leader’s Special Award – Shettleston Harriers (Athletics)
Lord Provost’s Award – Abercorn Secondary School
Sports Person of the Year – Catriona Matthews (Golf)

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Scotland Select Win for Former Pupils

Former pupils Kaity Hall, Andrew Gilliland, Danny Leinster and Steven Stewart all played key roles in the Scotland Select match against the British Police Team. The team, led by Manager Lena Robertson and Coach Craig Robertson, won the match with a scoreline of 8-3. All results are below.

Results (Scottish players named first)

Andrew Gilliland (Bearsden) lost to Tim Cope 21-13 14-21 15-21
Danny Leinster (Glasgow) beat Justin Andrews 21-9 21-16
Kaity Hall (Mauchline) beat Una Hunter 22-20 11-21 21-15
Kirsten Geals (Mauchline) beat Anna Wilson 18-21 21-12 21-19
Patrick MacHugh (Kinross) and Craig Morrison (Motherwell) beat Paul Hume and Brian Lockie 21-19 21-10
Steven Stewart (Bonhill) and Danny Leinster (Glasgow) beat Ashley Gibson and Paul Hope 21-14 21-14
Caitlin Pringle (Clarkston) and Emma Cook (Mauchline) lost to Beki Hutt and Anna Wilson 21-14 9-21 17-21
Kirsten Geals (Mauchline) and Victoria Wan (Renfrew) beat Katy Howell and Katy Andrews 21-12 17-21 21-12
Steven Stewart (Bonhill) and Kaity Hall (Mauchline) beat Ashley Gibson and Beki Hutt 17-21 24-22 24-22
Patrick MacHugh (Kinross) and Emma Cook (Mauchline) beat James Teale and Katy Andrews 21-18 21-12
Andrew Gilliland (Bearsden) and Kirsten Geals (Mauchline) lost to Paul Hume and Katy Howell 21-16 17-21 18-21

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7 February 2010

National Senior Championships

Glasgow School of Sport pupils gained some valuable experience at the National Senior Championships held in Perth. Rebekka Findlay took on top seed and eventual winner Susan Hughes who won the title for the fifth time. Susan also beat Kirsty Gilmour in the semi-finals before going on to win in two straight sets against Linda Sloan.

Josh Neil played top seed and eventual runner-up Kieran Merrilees and managed a scoreline of 21/6 21/11. Lewis Gallacher also made the main draw and lost out to seeded player Martin Campbell in two sets.

Kirsty Gilmour and partner Kirsten Geals reached the semi-finals of the ladies’ doubles. Rebekka Findlay and Josh Neil lost out to Caitlin Pringle and Lewis Gallacher in Round 1. Lewis and Caitlin then lost in a close match to Kirsty Gilmour and former pupil Kenny Young.

Overall the experience of playing in this environment for all young players is very valuable. Some of Britain’s top players were in attendance and should give inspiration to the younger generation. Full results can be found on the Tournament Software website.

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1 February 2010

Two Semi-final Spots at the Milton Keynes Gold

At the recent Gold Under 15 event held in Milton Keynes, Josh Neil and Adam Hall competed to the semi-final stage. Denmark had sent a group of players to add to the top British players and provided a very competitive event.

Josh lost out to England Number One Alex Lane in the semi-finals 23/21 21/19. Alex eventually lost the final to Denmark’s Peter Correll in a three set match. Josh and Adam Hall also lost out to Danish opposition in the doubles semi-finals.

Adam, Jordan Gilvear, Callum Riddell, Calum Stevenson and Kirstie Baird all competed in the event and showed improvement in their play. Full results can be found on Badminton England website.

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Usman Runner up at BE Silver Under 17

S5 Pupil Usman Asif was runner up in the boys’ doubles at the recent BE Silver Event in Northumberland. Usman and partner Peter Walker lost out to Mairs and Walker from Cheshire. Usman also contested the semi-final of the singles before losing to partner and eventual winner Peter Walker.

Natalie Mathers reached the semi-finals of the girls’ singles before losing to Ira Banarjee from Northumberland. Full results can be found on the Badminton England website.

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January 2010

24 January 2010

Kirsty Gilmour Misses Out on Youth Olympics

Kirsty Gilmour lost out in a very close contest with English Number One, Sarah Milne, at the Youth Olympic Trials in Milton Keynes. A full report can be found on Badminton Scotland website.

Kirsty’s Results

Beat Sarah Thomas (Wales) 21/13 22/20
Beat Helena Lewczynsk (Eng) 21/9 21/17
Lost to Sarah Milne (Eng) 17/21 22/20 20/22
Beat Georgina Bland (Eng) 21/9 21/11

10 January 2010

Double for Holly Newall at Glasgow School of Sport Under 13

Congratulations to Ayrshire’s Holly Newall who won Singles and Doubles at the first Under 13 events held at Glasgow School of Sport. Holly won her singles final against West Lothian player Abbie Moran before teaming up with Abbie to take the girls’ doubles title. In the final Holly and Abbie overcame a strong challenge from Shona Whillans and Gemma Wright.

In the boys’ event, Alex Dunn continued his winning streak at Glasgow School of Sport competitions to take the boys’ singles in a two set win over Campbeltown’s Callum Hooper. Alex paired up with Highland’s Mark Leith before losing out to Struan Ross and Andrew Thompson.

Huge thanks must go to the volunteers who helped out on the day both in the hall and providing a café service to all players and parents. The level of play was encouraging with a variety of talent on show.

Thanks also to Yonex UK Ltd for their continued sponsorship, Culture and Sport Glasgow Badminton Development and EG Sports for the provision of a sports shop at the event. Full results can be found on the Tournament Software website.

Double for Josh at Midland Under 17

Josh Neil led the charge from Glasgow School of Sport at the recent Midland Junior Under 17 Championships which were held in Dundee. Josh, Ben Torrance and Jordan Gilvear all competed in the semi-finals alongside Stewart Ferns from Highland. Jordan achieved a great win over Stewart to reach the final against Josh. Josh then won the event with a 21/17 23/21 scoreline.

Josh partnered Ben to take the doubles title with a semi-final win over top seeds Usman Asif and Peter Walker before beating Rajan Bhopal and Neil Atterbury in the final.

In the Girls’ Singles Rebekka Findlay reached her seeded position and went on to win the event with a two sets win over Shereen Spittal 21/11 22/20. Rebekka partnered Josh Neil and lost out in the mixed final in three sets as Megan Richardson and Edward Cogliano took the title.

Other notable performances saw Jordan Gilvear and Natalie Mathers in the Mixed semi-final while Natalie partnered Heather Campbell in the Girls’ Doubles semi-final.

Full results can be found on the Tournament Software website.

05 January 2010

Gilmour on Trial for GB Youth Olympic Team

Kirsty Gilmour will head south to compete in an organised play off to gain selection to Youth Olympic Games 2010 as part of Team GB. The trial will be held at Milton Keynes on 23 and 24 January 2010 and include a group play off between Kirsty and four other top players from United Kingdom. We wish Kirsty the best of luck in this event.

Kirsty Gilmour

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