Three brand-new badminton lines on the floor of Salle Maurice-Anquetin launched a surging sports club in Ferrières-en-Bray, Actu reported.
Municipal services in the Seine-Maritime commune drew the markings on the wooden floor after a badminton association formed there in 2025. The setup requires the sports structure to bring its own rackets, shuttlecocks, nets, and mobile wheeled posts.
Club Membership Reaches 54 Members Since September Opening
Admissions quickly compounded once the club opened its doors in September of last year. The roster now reaches 54 total members, split between 26 juniors and 28 adults.
“We ourselves had to turn people away,” club president Thierry Poilly told Actu regarding the unexpected rise in participation.
Expanded Training Schedules
Club organizers added an extra Monday night session to accommodate the growing roster. Adult members now practice on Monday evenings from 8:15 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.
The schedule also features Wednesday slots. Youth players train from 5:45 p.m. to 7 p.m., while adult sessions run from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Thierry Poilly Brings Official Credentials to the Club
Club founder Thierry Poilly brings official credentials to the association. He is a certified umpire through the French Badminton Federation and a federal line judge who worked the para-badminton events at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
“What characterizes our club is the super atmosphere that reigns there,” Poilly told Actu. “I think we have a lot of fun and feel good there.”
Charity Blackminton Night
The association recently hosted the first Pays de Bray Blackminton event to raise funds for the Téléthon. The tournament took place in a darkened hall lit only by blacklight projectors, with fluorescent nets, lines, shuttlecocks, rackets, and player outfits.
Players of all ages traveled from Songeons, Grandvilliers, and Marseille-en-Beauvaisis to compete. The nocturnal gathering raised 443.80 euros for the French Association against Myopathies (AFM-Téléthon).
Upcoming Holiday Plans
Club organizers plan to contact the parents of Lola, a young girl suffering from a rare disease, to coordinate a second Blackminton event in her honor. The association’s next scheduled gathering on the local calendar is a Christmas visit featuring Father Christmas.
