Badminton Ireland won the Membership Grant Programme Impact Award at the third BWF Membership Awards for their BadminTEEN project, which addresses the decline in teenage participation, especially among girls.

This aligns perfectly with the Olympic Day’s ‘Let’s Move’ campaign. 

BadminTEEN involves teenage girls playing, coaching, and officiating in badminton while focusing on personal wellbeing and nutrition. The brainchild of three-time Olympian Chloe Magee, the project has expanded across all four provinces of Ireland, with 156 teenagers completing both online and face-to-face training. The programme has already shown positive results, with increased participation in school clubs, effectively reengaging teenagers in the sport. 

“We know sports bring huge benefits so it’s important to find fun ways to keep teenage girls active,” said Magee. 

“It’s a programme that offers teenagers the chance to try all parts of the game, whether that be playing, coaching, officiating or just being the person who runs the events. There’s something for everyone in the programme and that’s why we’ve had such a success with it. I’d like to thank BWF, Sport Ireland and the development team at Badminton Ireland for all the support and hard work that has gone into making BadminTeen a success,” she added.  

Edna Lynch, CEO of Badminton Ireland, expressed his excitement about the award.

“This was part of our strategic plan to grow our participation numbers post COVID-19. It has built on our values to ‘have fun’ playing badminton. We know through research and evidence that teenage girls were not as active in badminton anymore, stopping around the age of 14 to 15. We created a programme with them – they designed it. It’s about playing badminton and setting up a club so even if you don’t want to play there’s something in it for you. We piloted the event at clubs and now more and more are being run.” 

Reacting to winning the Impact Award, Lynch added: “We are so happy for a small national body. We are on the edge of a rock in Europe and to be able to win this award is unbelievable.”  

This recognition highlights the innovative efforts of Badminton Ireland and underscores the impact of targeted programmes in reviving interest and participation in badminton. BWF awards not only celebrate these achievements but also inspire other associations to adopt similar initiatives. 

Don’t delay, pick up a racket today. Watch the Olympic Day celebrations from around the world, and get inspired to keep moving.  

The International Olympic Committee’s ‘Let’s Move’ campaign for Olympic Day highlights the profound impact of sports and physical activity. Regular exercise enhances cardiovascular health, strengthens muscles and bones, improves flexibility and coordination. Participating in activities like badminton not only boosts physical fitness but also supports mental and emotional health. Badminton encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to embrace movement and enjoy the benefits of a dynamic and inclusive sport.