SA junior badminton coach Dillan Schaap, from Atlasville, described the national U15 team’s performance at the All Africa U15 Championships in December as a massive triumph for the country.
Schaap’s charges defeated a strong Egypt side 3-0 in the final to land the country’s first team championship in over 10 years.
“The feeling of winning gold for our country is difficult to put into words, but there’s so much pride in wearing the green and gold and winning our first U15 team championship since 2012. As a coach, these moments make the hard work worth it,” he said.
On the road to the final, the team lost to Egypt in their last round-robin match. Schaap said he was proud of how his team bounced back from that defeat to claim a convincing win in the final.
“That group-stage defeat to Egypt had to be our outstanding moment. It was special seeing how the players came together. With the help of our captain, Emily Li, we were able to identify the positives we could build on.
“It was special because that moment reminded me that sport is about bringing people together in difficult moments. These players are young and still learning each moment they walk onto the court.”
Schaap said the unity displayed by his players during the tournament showed the “togetherness being strung within Badminton South Africa (BSA)”.
He thanked his assistant coaches, Roger Howson and Michelle Butler-Emmett, who were instrumental in helping the team before and during the tournament, saying their experience was key in helping the players remain positive during the competition.
“With the help of former national players and our assistant coaches and selectors, we took a more holistic approach to build and prepare a winning team.
“We are still working and building our structures. With the full support of BSA and our sponsors, we will be able to support and develop our structures more,” he said.
The Eastern Gauteng Badminton Association member said this year they will begin preparations for the U19 All Africa Junior Champs in August, which they hope to win.
“We will look to apply the same tools and principles in preparing the squad for this tournament. We want to continue to build on the strong end to 2023,” said Schaap.
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