Friday 10th November was a school holiday in Saipan, a day off school was a good opportunity for students to be available to attend a Shuttle Time Youth Leadership Workshop. Northern Marianas Shuttle Time National Coordinator, Christy Villaflor says “students are very busy at this time of year, so having a day away from school was a perfect time for delivering a course that these students are interested in. Many students are new to the sport of badminton, getting involved through Shuttle Time delivery in school through the interscholastic sports program, so they are very keen to learn.”
Shuttle Time is the Badminton World Federation’s schools’ badminton programme, and the youth leadership workshop has been designed to give secondary school students the opportunity to gain experience in sports leadership and badminton through Shuttle Time. It provides students with the knowledge and support required to deliver fun, safe, enjoyable and inclusive badminton lessons to groups of school pupils.
20 students attended the workshop, delivered by Villaflor and Northern Marianas Badminton Association representative player and coach Janelle Pangilnan. Villaflor was impressed with the turnout and is excited to see the expansion of badminton with numerous young people introduced through Shuttle Time and Interscholastic sports, “these participants are the next leaders of their school for future interscholastic competition” she noted.
NMBA promote volunteering in the community, “everyone has a responsibility to the community and this is a good way to give back. These new youth leaders were able to immediately put their skills into action by coaching younger athletes in the NMBA after school program, and officiating” – umpiring and line judging at the interscholastic school sports competition.
Next up is a Shuttle Time Teacher course for school teachers to be delivered in early December. Northern Marians is well on the way to growing a new younger crop of badminton enthusiasts.
