Update from an outsider….
…..is an era in the Danish team tournament coming to an end?
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My own sandbox first – Vordingborg.
In the week leading up to VBK2’s first match on Saturday 24 September in Series 1, the series where the Zealand circuit had forgotten a local team up until the start of the season, the chairman had to withdraw the team.
Why? Lack of women. We had one ready and needed four! And it’s not because of injuries! Thank God. Or unfortunately.
The problem is due to too few young people, too many old people, who gradually do not want to play team matches after 30-40 years in the game and generally changed priorities.
For many years the problem has been predictable, not just in my club, but in the whole area. The player base on the clubs’ teams has become constantly older without the addition of new and younger players to the same extent. An overview further down…
Mette Frederiksen said this in her opening speech on 4 October:
“…great cohorts are retiring….”
In 5-10 years team badminton will die out in its current form with 4 women/6 men on a team in this part of the Queen’s Kingdom.
The lack of female badminton players is a widespread problem down here……and many other places.
Even in the club’s first team in the Danish series, the same problem is felt.
In youth, a decline is also felt. Here, in the first months, we only have about 30-35 youth players in total on all 5 training teams. Hopefully, the new initiatives with the kindergartens and schools can correct the decline. Especially if we can repeat the initiatives over a number of years.
The long haul.
But it requires two things – a trainer who is free to stand in a hall during the day, and volunteers to plan.
Both prerequisites are fragile!
And both the director, the deputy manager and the consultant in DGI Storstrømmen know this, because I have communicated with them about it. After all, it is also their main task to strengthen the breadth of the force. That’s what they get their pay for. After all, I am “just” a volunteer.
My communication with the top two in DGI has mostly been about the fact that I think it is strange that my club has to pay the consultant to make contact and make agreements about school badminton – a task which, in my view, should be a completely normal work task for a badminton consultant whose top priority and main task must be to do everything to promote badminton in this area. But it is a task that my club has to pay for.
In fairness, it must be added that my club can and would like to pay for it – and agreed to that premise in advance (when it cannot be otherwise, because our club coffers have plenty of money that we can’t really use).
But what remains with me is a ……wonder, some ambiguities and questions. Above the square – Badminton Denmark, DGI, the badminton circles and clubs.
Who does what? Who works for the clubs and the width? Do they all work in the same direction? What DGI earns from badminton, is it also spent on badminton or do the funds go into the coffers and possibly channeled into other sports? What do the circles use their abundant funds for – for width, the participation of a few selected (Danish?) players in foreign tournaments, training sessions for all levels or only the top? Are circuits even needed? Couldn’t it all be made more streamlined, efficient and focused?
Back to my club for a final note.
“Adult feather”, the offer for all ages and levels, is flourishing in turn, and has been expanded with twice as many hall hours.
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But what about the rest of the area down here?
Here is a review of the players’ ages in the clubs’ first teams in this area:
Stubbekøbing • Sjællandskredsen Series 1
27. 43. 53. 52. 20. 38. 19. 19. 39. 18
Nykøbing F • Sjællandskredsen Series 1
22. 43. 44. 51. 58. 48. 42. 47. 48. 46
SKB-Nyråd • LF circle Series 1
16. 63. 40. 51. 41. 31. 37. 30
Sakskøbing • LF circuit Series 1
41. 35. 45. 27. 35. 26. 32. 37
Rødby • Sjællandskredsen Sjællandsserien
31. 31. 33. 18. 30. 43. 31. 32. 46. 25
Møn • LF circuit Series 1
48.20. 17. 47. 53. 46. 48. 51.
Kraghave • LF circle Series 1
44.55. 48. 58. 43. 37. 52. 53.
Apart from the bright spot Stubbekøbing, which has quite a few youngsters of its own breeding, there are not many youngsters on the teams.
It looks dark!
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THE ERA
So what is it about the “era” that I claim is coming to an end?
Definition of “era”:
“longer, defined period (in history) with a certain distinctive character or marked by significant events” My contention: The team tournament as we have it now – wide, deep, spread out, nationwide, 4 women / 6 men, does not last very long further.
Why? Because the large mass of players, born in the 60s, in the decade when the most children were born, is reaching an age where wear and tear, satiety, other priorities contribute to many opting out of playing on a senior team, yes opting out badminton and maybe switch to the gentler padel tennis.
At the same time, this is the generation that for many years has quite naturally carried out voluntary work in the associations – sat on the boards, been players, team managers, coaches, cleaners, party organizers….carriers of culture.
What will happen? The large mass of older players will stop playing team badminton. They will stop as volunteers. They are fed up and tired – literally and mentally from volunteering and taking responsibility.
Therefore, I fear, …..
….the number of registered teams will drop, and drop sharply. Because there is not a corresponding number of new and younger players and forces to take over.
….and the number of clubs unable to field teams will increase.
….and the number of clubs that will be emptied of competitive players and “only” exercise players will increase.
…..and not least, many local club offers for young people will disappear and many will have a long way to a training session with many young people of the same age, or just a long way to a training session with a wide selection of players.
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THE MEMBERSHIP IN BADMINTON DENMARK
1988: 172,067 – the peak
1990: 163.706
1995: 138.104
2000: 121.216
2005: 118.353
2012: 92.717
2013: 89.753
2014: 85.249
2015: 79,618 – the low point
2016: 87.157
2017: 90.217
2018: 92.300
2019: 93,972 (total including DGI 119,507)
EPOKEN II
The era – the very wide distribution of the Danish team tournament in almost all large and not least small towns and communities will shrink – and shrink a lot.
Team badminton at a high level – from Badminton league for the Danmarksserie will be reserved for the bigger cities, the bigger clubs, which in return will have many teams
Maintained – there will be exceptions. Small surviving dots on the map, outside the bigger cities, where you can still have a team at a decent level. But there will be exceptions and due to unique circumstances – or people. For example in Langhøj, in the Salling/Central Jutland area.
When I was young (born 1965) there were well-functioning badminton clubs everywhere.
That time is near its end!
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MEN
……tomorrow we will all have another team match and keep the traditions alive!
Badmintonbladet • Per Damkjær Juhl
