A good number of Notts coaches joined Martyn Lewis, Head Performance Badminton Coach at the University of Nottingham, for a full continuing professional development (CPD) day on Sunday 13 September. The event brought together a wide mix of coaches from across the county, creating a genuinely collaborative atmosphere where ideas, methods, and coaching philosophies could be shared openly.
Clubs represented on the day included Notts Outlaws, Safari Badminton Juniors, The Nimesh Badminton, Mansfield Juniors, and Olympians Juniors, giving the session a broad spread of coaching backgrounds and player pathways. This variety meant discussions were rich, with coaches comparing experiences from grassroots beginner groups through to competitive junior squads.
The morning block focused on strengthening core coaching knowledge. Martyn led detailed exploration of grip fundamentals and footwork development for beginner‑to‑intermediate players, emphasising how early technical habits shape long‑term performance. Coaches worked through practical demonstrations, shared best practice, and discussed how to build confident movement patterns in young players while avoiding common technical pitfalls.
In the afternoon, the group shifted to higher‑level performance coaching. Martyn introduced current international thinking around mixed doubles systems, highlighting tactical trends, rotation principles, and the evolving demands of the modern game.
Mike Storey, Notts Coach Coordinator commented: ”This was a great first event to ensure our coaching community are building their network, happy to share best practise and are open to new initiatives and thinking. The aim is to continue these days at least once per annum, ideally more — with thanks to Nottinghamshire Badminton Association for their support to the day”.
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