News

Badminton new SmashUp! sessions

BADMINTON England’s trusted reputation on the school sport scene has already inspired over 520 secondary and middle schools nationwide to sign up early to host new weekly SmashUp! sessions, aimed at encouraging non-sporty pupils to swing a racket.

With a further 400 schools having declared interest in adding SmashUp! to their existing afterschool club schedule, BADMINTON England are confident they will have 1,000 schools engaged in the new initiative by the end of the current academic year.

Backed by Sport England, SmashUp! offers 16 high energy, interactive court activities which place the emphasis on fun and the social benefits of sport rather than formal skills development traditionally provided by coached clubs or PE lessons.

With in-session music, court branding, no dress code and no formal coaching, SmashUp! sessions are a fully inclusive way for Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils of all physical ability to take a fresh look at badminton and make it a lifestyle choice.

 

To ease time pressures of school staff, BADMINTON England has trained up over 370 SmashUp! activators to work with PE departments in local schools to lead sessions and bring Olympic legacy to life on court in sports halls.

Jenna Smith, Youth Market Project Manager for BADMINTON England, said “SmashUp! provides schools with a “simple to set up” out of school hours activity that supports efforts to increase numbers of young people getting active, in particular an emphasis on more girls participating.

“Sessions provide an effective outlet to work off excess energy in a fun atmosphere where the pupils are empowered to build their own badminton experience. This has shown to improve behaviour and concentration.

“The mixing of year groups in SmashUp! sessions also develops self confidence and sense of achievement in pupils whilst helping to achieve a better Ofsted standard.”

Launched in September 2013, SmashUp! is the latest court time opportunity in BADMINTON England’s well supported schools offer.

The national governing body already boast one of Europe’s largest school badminton initiatives , the Center Parcs National Schools Badminton Championships, in which over 32,000 pupils from more than 6,400 school teams compete for national titles.

For further information on the many benefits BADMINTON England’s new SmashUp! badminton sessions can bring to schools, visit www.badmintonengland.co.uk/smashup