A summer badminton program for area youth is celebrating its third anniversary in the community.
Taking place at Monck Public School between July and early August, the recreational program is aimed at introducing youngsters to the sport. It is currently being run three days a week by the Bracebridge Knight Hawks badminton club and is aimed at elementary-school students age eight and over.
“We get some kids who are Knight Hawks, (but) we get a lot of other kids who just want to give badminton a try and they come in the summer and they’re looking for something to do that’s different,” said program organizer Warren Brownlee.
Unlike the Knight Hawks, which is aimed at more competitive play, Brownlee said this summer program is aimed at beginners looking to try their hand at badminton for the first time.
“This is not for the high-end badminton players, it’s for the beginners,” he said. “There are a couple of high-end players, younger ones that do come to the camp and we do try to refine their skills and accommodate that, but basically we’re just out to have fun and involve them in a summer program where they have a lot of fun structured around badminton.”
The program is partially subsidized by a provincial government grant, which helps pay for administrative costs for use of the gym. The school agreed to open its doors for the program during the summer months.
In turn, Brownlee said the program has given back to the community in the form of youth employment.
“I hire high school students to run the program, so this is also creating a little student employment,” he said. “I have three kids working for me from the high school who are Knight Hawks, so this is a summer job for them.”
The program runs on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. In the first weeks of the program, it runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For the remaining weeks, it runs from 9 a.m. till noon. The longer sessions cost $25 per week, while the shorter sessions cost $15 per week.
For more information on the summer badminton program, please visit www.bracebridgeknighthawks.ca.