BADMINTON Fiji has launched an inspiring month-long competition designed to encourage young girls to engage with the sport and enhance their skills in a nurturing and supportive environment. The initiative, spearheaded by Jocelyn Caine, the vice president of development and para, aims to create a space for girls to enjoy badminton, forge friendships, and cultivate a passion for the sport beyond their existing circles.
“This initiative has been organized specifically for February, the month of love,” Caine stated. “For these girls to truly embrace the game, they must first love themselves and love the sport. This program focuses exclusively on girls, as there are limited sports opportunities available to them. It creates a safe environment with female coaches, allowing them to connect and grow.”
The competition accepts participants from various age groups, including under-13, under-15, under-17, and under-19 divisions. From the event, talented players will be chosen to form development squads for the national badminton teams. Almost 40 young athletes have already registered, with sessions scheduled every Saturday throughout February from 10 am to 12 noon.
Participants have come from diverse schools along the Suva Nausori corridor, including Dilkusha School and Nakasi High School. “To ensure each child has ample court time, we’ve had to limit attendance to around 30 at each session,” Caine explained. “It’s been wonderful to witness such enthusiasm and dedication from the girls so far.”
In conjunction with selecting candidates for the development team, Caine is using this event to prepare the young athletes for upcoming school competitions. Notably, this will be the first-ever secondary school badminton competition, taking place during the long weekend of Ratu Sukuna Day.
Through initiatives like this, Badminton Fiji strives to bolster grassroots participation and lay a solid foundation for women’s badminton in the country, fostering an inclusive and supportive sporting community for young girls. This initiative not only highlights the importance of sports in building confidence and skills among young women but also paves the way for future opportunities and success in badminton.
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