The best schools from each of England’s nine regions came together this weekend (25-26 April) at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest to take part in the Center Parcs National Badminton Schools Championships.

The weekend was the culmination of seven months of qualifying rounds to find the National Champions in both the boys and girls years 10 and 11 age group and boys and girls years 7,8 and 9 age group. Over 15,000 children representing 1,000 schools took part in the championship with 164 children from 36 schools contesting the National Final at Center Parcs.

Team England player Anthony Clark, who has made 87 appearances for his country, watched Saturday’s years 10 and 11 competition from the courtside seating and observed the local Nottingham schools steal the show in both the boys and the girls championships.

Defending champions Nottingham High School for Girls, comprising sisters Piya and Anushka Sachdeva, Eleanor Travers, Anjuli Henderson and Elizabeth Mumby beat Church High (Newcastle Upon Tyne) in the final round to win the Championship. Oakbank (Yorkshire) filled the final podium spot to win the bonze medal.

The boys years 10 and 11 national title was a closer competition and came down to the final match between Nottingham High School for Boys and Colchester Royal Grammer School. It was clearly Nottingham’s day and the boys team of Rohan Midha, Karan Maini, Sam Dickinson and Kurran Sachdeva (who had already seen his sisters win in the girls competition) came through to win the championship title by a two point margin.

Clark, who also jumped on court in the break between rounds to play against the competitors, said:

“The standard of badminton has been incredible really. Obviously there are some England players that are in the mix with some of these schools but generally the standard throughout the whole of the tournament is really, really impressive. It’s good to see there are so many children involved in badminton, and to see the amount of players that are on the fringe of being in county squads and England squads is really impressive.”

Sunday was the turn of years 7,8 and 9 to participate, this time under the watchful eye of Team England players and London 2012 hopefuls, Chris Adcock and Gabby White.

In the boys Championships, Denbigh School (Milton Keynes) were the team to beat having not lost a match all the way through the qualifying rounds. In the end it was a battle between Denbigh and Wilson’s School (Surrey) with Denbigh, comprising Harrison Simcock, Gregory Fung, Jake Varty, Kalena De Silva and Luke Phillips, eventually taking the national title. St. Joseph’s College (Stoke-on-Trent) put in a strong performance to win the bronze medal.

The girls years 7,8 and 9 competition came down to three schools vying for the Championship and was a close fought battle between Helenswood School (East Sussex), Talbot Heath (Dorset) and Church High School (Newcastle upon Tyne). Helenswood School, comprising Lydia Powell, Marie White, Louise Earey, Hannah Hall and Charlotte Wells, put up a tough fight and were rewarded with the honour of being able to call themselves National Champions ahead of Talbot Heath and Church High School.

Martin Dalby, Chief Executive, Center Parcs said:

“We are delighted to have played host to the Center Parcs National Schools Championships this weekend at our Sherwood Forest village. Badminton is at the very heart of Center Parcs with thousands of families playing on our courts each year and for some of the children participating in the Championships, it is where they first picked up a racket. Congratulations to all of those that have taken part, especially to the winning teams, and we look forward to another great competition next year.”

Final Results

Years 10 & 11

Boys

1, Nottingham High School for Boys, Nottingham

2, Colchester Royal Grammer School, Essex

3, Wilson’s School, Surrey

Girls

1, Nottingham High School for Girls, Nottingham

2, Church High School, Newcastle Upon Tyne

3, Oakbank, Yorkshire

Years 7,8 & 9

Boys

1, Denbigh School, Milton Keynes

2, Wilson’s School, Wallington, Surrey

3, St Joseph’s College, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs

Girls

1, Helenswood School, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex

2, Talbot Heath, Bournemouth, Dorset

3, Church High School, Newcastle upon Tyne