A series of Racketpack festivals will take place in Leicestershire this year with the first event, held on 31st January, already proving a big success.
The first festival, was a hit with all those involved, particularly children who took to the court in numbers, as the grassroots game in the county goes from strength to strength.
Held at Charnwood College, Loughborough the first racketpack of 2022 was able to encourage both teachers and pupils alike to pick up a racket and play badminton.
After a difficult 20 months due to the pandemic, many schools have not been able to play at the same level as before covid-19 hit and limited many grassroot sporting opportunities.
But those involved were delighted to be back on a court with a ‘badminton buzz’ taking over at Charnwood.
The aim now is to spread that enthusiasm across Leicestershire in the subsequent festivals.
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The sessions will have introduced many kids to the sport for the first time, as well as re-engaging those who haven’t played during the last two years.
A combination of dedicated volunteers and a £500 grant from Badminton England will allow for a series of five festivals to take place, with the remainder planned in different areas across Leicestershire, running from February to October.
The exact dates and venues of these are yet to be finalised but each will be in a different target area of the county.
The whole programme should see around 200-250 kids take part in the festivals with the hope that 20 will transition into local junior clubs.