Essequibo schools benefit from GBA visit, Shuttle Time programme

On Friday last, the Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) visited Region Two’s Essequibo Coast to introduce and demonstrate badminton to three secondary schools in the region – Aurora Secondary, Abram Zuil Secondary and Anna Regina Multilateral School – and also donated equipment through the Shuttle Time Programme to promote and develop badminton in Guyana.
The Shuttle Time Programme was introduced to some schools in the Berbice region in 2019 and a follow-up was done in 2023 producing athletes who compete in the GBA tournaments. In 2023, during the National Junior Tournament, sponsored by the National Sports Commission, the Director of Sports, Steve Ninvalle challenged the GBA Executives to take the sport of badminton to Region Two. The GBA is happy to report that the challenge was accepted and the Shuttle Time Programme was implemented in the Cinderella County. It will now follow up with the PE teachers, and visit the schools as well as assist with equipment whenever it can.

In 2012, Badminton World Federation (BWF) launched Shuttle Time globally. Shuttle Time  is a schools’ badminton programme supporting the principle that children should lead a healthy and active life, both in and out of school. BWF’s goal is to make badminton one of the world’s most popular and accessible school sports.
Shuttle Time offers school teachers access to resources, training and equipment, which support the teaching of enjoyable, safe and inclusive badminton activities to children aged 5-15 years old. Shuttle Time lessons are designed to provide children with a positive image of badminton through many opportunities to have fun, engage with others, and experience success.
Shuttle Time is currently being implemented in more than 140 countries in partnership with BWF’s Continental Confederations and Member Associations.
Special thanks from the GBA were extended to Saeed Zameen and Nicholas Fraser of the Allied Arts Unit of the Education Ministry, and the Principals and PE teachers of the schools for making this activity a success.
The equipment was handed over to the PE teachers by the members of the GBA. Senior national badminton players Priyanna Ramdhani, Akili Haynes and Nkosi Beaton taught the students a few drills to improve their technique on court.