The Richard Vaughan Badminton Academy (RVBA) and Mid Glamorgan County Badminton Association have announced a partnership which will see the RVBA sessions become the High Performance centre for Mid Glamorgan Junior Badminton Association.

The current RVBA coaches will stay involved with the HP centre with the exception of Richard Vaughan who will move to his new position as CEO of Badminton Ireland with immediate effect. The high performance centre will benefit from a tie up with the Mid Glam senior team whom will supply any additional coaching services if required.
The Mid Glamorgan County team has won five consecutive division in the English County Badminton Championships and is looking to win this year’s division one and push in to the Premier division for the first time.

This weekend Mid Glam badminton team travelled to both Guernsey and Jersey to play their division 2 matches in as many days, knowing that if they could secure a win against Guernsey on the Saturday, they would clinch the title. They did just that with a very entertaining 11-4 victory, securing a bonus point and thus securing the championship. RVBA players have formed the core of the team this season and this weekend was no different...

Mid Glamorgan Badminton Association stormed ahead to a convincing 14 : 1 win over their closest rivals, Somerset Badminton Association this weekend.

With Somerset on top spot after beating Mid Glam away 9 – 6 (Mid Glam having fielded a part Junior team due to players unable to attend) – it was essential that on the return match the game went Mid Glamorgan’s way.

With a full team including former Olympian Richard Vaughan and Welsh  badminton Internationals Martyn Lewis, Liam Ingram, Vikki Jones, Rachel Thomas and former Estonian International Piret Vaughan the team were very confident in their chances against at the time, tope of the table Somerset. The Mid Glamorgan team set off to great start, winning all the singles matches in straight sets which provided the foundations for a comprehensive victory.

Andy Wood has resigned as GB badminton head coach with the Olympic Games in London only 19 months away.

Wood led the GB badminton team at the last three Olympics, overseeing an era of unprecedented success, but will not guide them on home soil in 2012.

His decision comes 11 days after GB badminton's budget for the run-up to 2012 was cut by £540,000 by UK Sport and the reinstallment of Robert Blair on the GB Badminton programme.

"Andy's extensive experience will be sadly missed," said Badminton England chief executive Adrian Christy.

"We now need to look to the future and secure the right candidate to drive the sport forward through to 2016."

Christy added: "We will commence the recruitment process with immediate effect.

"A strategic review of the 2012 and 2016 programmes is already under way, and the successful appointee will be key to driving the success of this programme."

Wood's departure follows that of performance director Ian Moss, who left his post in July by mutual consent after just 18 months in the role.

His exit led to an overhaul which saw Wood, previously national coach, appointed to the top job with the GB team and Vikki McPherson named as head of performance.

Wood coached Simon Archer and Joanne Goode to Britain's first Olympic badminton medal, a bronze in Sydney 2000, and Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms to their silver in Athens in 2004.

h a strong coaching and support staff in place there is a real opportunity for the successful candidate to build on this momentum, lead the team into 2012 and lay the foundations to take us through until 2016."

Mid Glamorgan Badminton ended the season close on a high today after a clash with visiting team Jersey Badminton.

Mid Glam wanted to keep their ranking at the top of division 2 were keen to gain the extra bonus point ensuring pole position going into xmas.

The match kicked off with Vikki Jones and Piret Vaughan taking their singles in two straight, Piret making her debut did not dissapoint.

Keen to follow in the footsteps of the ladies Gareth Day and Craig Walkley brought two home for the boys, both again in straight games.

The score going into the doubles, 4-0 to Mid Glam...

The Welsh Badminton Open is next week at the Welsh Institute of Sport in Cardiff and numerous player from the Richard Vaughan Badminton Academy are playing the Badminton Europe circuit event.

In the ladies singles Sarah Thomas is in the main draw while Aimee Moran and Vikki Jones are in qualification. Gareth Day is in the mens singles badminton qualification. The same players contest the doubles and mixed events with 16 year old Aimee Moran teaming up with RVBA badminton coaches Richard Vaughan in mixed doubles, and Piret Vaughan in ladies doubles.

Please all go along to show your support!

The Scottish Badminton Open is this week in Glasgow with Sarah Thomas from the Richard Vaughan Badminton Academy playing the Badminton Europe circuit event.

Sarah will be looking to improve on her second round result from the Iceland Badminton Open where she lost narrowly to top Danish player Jensen in three games.

Mid Glamorgan Badminton rivals Jersey's badminton team are hoping for a winning start to the Inter-county league season when they entertain big rivals Guernsey at the Gilson Hall.

The home side's team includes two debutants, the Danish Ulrik Neilson, who is now living in Jersey, and junior champion Brett Coombs-Goodfellow.
Neilson is Jersey's new doubles and mixed champion, while Coombs-Goodfellow has just won the junior title.

There are 15 matches in all, with play taking place on Sunday 31 October.

Mid Glamorgan got their 2010-2011 season in English Badminton's division 2 off to a great start with a 13-2 win over Devon. One of the strongest county badminton teams in the division.

A great early season win. Simon Rowe made a winning division two debut winning his first mens doubles before losing a close three set second doubles after the last minute withdrawal of a first team player. The team was also without Vikki Jones who is resting a knee injury for a couple of weeks.

The next match is against Somerset away in two weeks time.

The next county training session is at the Nantgarw campus hall of Glamorgan University a week Thursday. Training sessions are every second Thursday 2030 - 2200.

The Don Griffiths Mid Glamorgan Open (Please download the form here) will be held on Saturday October 30th 2010 - at Glamorgan Sports Park, University of Glamorgan, Treforest Industrial Estate, Pontypridd, CF37 5UP, entry will be compulsory for all eligible Mid Glam County players - those that have represented Wales in the last 12 months are not eligible as per WSS rules.

Dont miss Mid Glamorgan Badminton's first match versus Devon tomorrow 24th October at the new university hall in treforrest at 1200.