THREE West Midlands badminton clubs are celebrating today after being named a BADMINTON England Performance Centre.

And to mark the occasion the new West Midlands Performance Centre are having a launch day at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury High School in Bourneville on Saturday (December 5, 10am-12 noon) with two hours of non-stop badminton.

Phil Darlow, West Midlands PC Liaison Officer and Coach, said: "Since we started in October we are increasing numbers week on week and this Performance Centre status will help us develop even further."

Former England internationals Lorraine Cole, Rebecca Pantaney and Darlow will be working with junior players from the Birmingham Blazers Club, Colmers Farm Badminton Club in Rednal and South Birmingham Junior Badminton Club - and in the coming weeks  they are looking to expand the Centre by attracting new raw talent or developing junior prospects to join their ranks.

On Saturday youngsters will get the chance to tackle a variety of activities, including the smash speed gun challenge and to take on BADMINTON England players.

Among the BADMINTON England squad players taking part will be Alyssa Lim, who is already attached to the Birmingham Univerity High Performance Centre, and emerging potential players like Jess Pugh, James Hendy, Adam and Robert Bowater and Lauren Bromley.

Head coach Cole explained the importance of the new Performance Centre. "We want to develop badminton as a sport for all while also encouraging the best players to succeed at the highest level.

"The purpose of the Performance Centre is a identify talent among new and existing players and to forge links with schools, sports partnerships and other local clubs to achieve this goal.

"What we can offer is a quality environment for players, coaches, officials and volunteers.

"But perhaps most important, the coaching is of the highest possible standard with close links with High Performance Centres and pathways to BADMINTON England's World Class Programmes where players can make the transition from junior to elite senior levels."

The groups are divided into Raw Talent Group, Developing Group and, for those showing real potential, the Emerging Group. As Cole explains: "There are definite targets for players to aim at and as the youngsters develop and progress the most promosing will be invited by the head coach to join the Emerging Group."

Please note: The Dame Elizabeth Cadbury SportsCentre is in Woodbrooke Rd, Bourneville B30 1UL

For more information and to confirm media attendance, please contact Phil Darlow (Performance Centre Liaison Officer & BE Coach) on 0121 605 6576 on phillipdarlow@blueyonder.co.uk or Lorraine Cole (HEAD Coach of the West Mids PC and National U19 coach) on 07966 142196 or lorrainemcole@googlemail.com.