Basics for New Badminton Clubs

• Is there a hall in your area?
• Does it have badminton courts lined in it?
• What is the cost of hiring the hall - can you get a discount for hiring more than one hour or for booking the same time each week?  
• Is the hall suitable for your players?
  i.e. some learning disability players may not like crowded or noisy environments / players with sight loss may have trouble is the floor/wall colour is similar to that of the shuttles / wheelchair players may prefer a hall with a wooden floor
• Is it possible to mark out a half court when working with relevant standing disabilities?
• Some facilities may offer a discount to disabled players/members

Equipment:

• Does the hall have posts and nets?
• Do you need to provide racquets for people to try out badminton before they get their own?  The BUI sell cost price kit bags with 20 racquets, 2 dozen plastic shuttles and a net
• Shuttles - are you going to use feather or plastic? - You are better to source these through your local county/league association as they will be able to advise you on the cheapest suppliers
• Do you need any special equipment? i.e. sports wheelchairs, hi-visibility shuttles, ribbon for marking half-way point of the net

People:

• Do you have help to get a new club running - you should have a group of people involved and not do everything yourself.  Can you get a committee started?
• Is there an interest in badminton in the area - will people turn up if you start a club?
  • It may be useful to get professionals involved who have experience working with people with disabilities – even if this is simply getting advice on how to run the club
• Is there a coach in the area who will help beginners?
  • Do any coaches have experience working with disabled players?  If not, what courses are available? – Check with Badminton Ireland or disability sport governing bodies
•  How are you going to advertise the club to get people interested in trying it out?
• Are you going to start a senior club/juvenile club/both?
• If you are going to start a club involving any juveniles (those under the age of 18) you need to be aware of and follow the BUI Code of Conduct for Children’s Sport 
  • Special Schools
  • Adult Centres
  • Hospitals with spinal injuries or amputee units
  • Disability Governing Bodies – i.e. Irish Wheelchair Association, Irish Deaf Sports, Irish Blind Sports, CP Sport, Special Olympics Ireland 
• Which disabilities will you include – main classifications are learning disability, wheelchair, dwarf, standing (cerebral palsy, amputees, ect.), deaf/hearing impairment and blind/visual impairment or Pan-Disability
•  Clubs should have a Vulnerable Adults Policy in place if working with over 18s with disabilities

Insurance:

• You need to get insurance in place as soon as possible - the BUI have an insurance scheme available for clubs.  Contact the BUI office for details

Funding:

• New clubs can often access funding to help get themselves started - your regional badminton development officer and local county/league association can give you advice on where to look
• How much are you going to charge for membership fees/nightly fees/both?
• For Clubs working with disabled players there may be more options for funding, i.e. health boards, funds working with disadvantaged groups

Please contact your regional development officer if you are interested in starting a new badminton club! We can help with information and support.

http://www.badmintonireland.com/index.php/developing-badminton/staff/15-contact-our-development-team.html