New concept of systemic training of talented youth came to the Czech badminton. The basis of the new system are the sports centers, where talented players will be prepared for the subsequent transition to sports centers and national teams.

“We appreciate the current work of coaches, players, clubs, as well as parental support. We want to further develop this energy and effort. We want to compete with players from Denmark, France and Germany, we want badminton to be a strong partner for the media, sponsors and organizations such as the National Sports Agency, the Czech Sports Union, the Czech Olympic Committee and departmental centers,” comments Josef Rubáš,  Chairman of the Coaching and Methodological Commission of of Czech Badminton Association.

“A sports career has one major milestone. At the latest with an end in the U15 category, but usually even earlier, athletes decide what their next career will be. Whether they will continue at the regional or national level, or will follow the path of top training with international goals. From this age, the role of sports associations is to support representatives on their way to medal success, especially at the European or World Championships and the Olympic Games. This is done through youth sports centers, where athletes with habits and basic technical, tactical and fitness skills acquired in sports centers come. In the highest level of training, athletes then move to the top youth center, from where it is just a step towards professional sports,” explains Josef Rubáš.

“We are pleased with the interest and willingness to cooperate with which the applicants approached the whole process. We really appreciate this, especially in today’s difficult times, ” comments Josef Rubáš.

The basic criteria to participate are the evaluation of the components of organizational and sports training, the activities of the club and the relevant sports results. Based on the sum of points of individual criteria, the applicants were divided into four final groups of four. Each group was informed of the amount of support, which consists of a financial and material component. 

“After concluding the contracts, we can officially announce that 16 sports centers have been established in the Czech badminton, which will run their sports activities in the trial period October – December,”  describes Markéta Osičková, a member of the Coaching and Methodological Commissionand and one of the coordinators of the center preparation. 

“At the same time, we are already trying to collect feedback, which will serve to better set up a new round of applications for 2021. It will be launched during December and we will inform about it in time,” adds Markéta Osičková.

Given the current difficult situation, which is limited by pandemic measures, we need to be more sober in our plans. However, the centers are already being intensively prepared, and we are counting on their trial operation in the first half of 2021. 

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