Badminton has been Roberta Cannell’s life for more than 40 years and as a volunteer she has coached countless youngsters who have taken part in the nine years of the HSBC Manx Youth Games.
"For the past eight years, I’ve been the badminton coach co-ordinator," says Roberta, who met her husband of 35 years ago through playing badminton. "I coach because I get great satisfaction from seeing children playing the sport I love.
"The Games are just such an excellent opportunity for the children. Badminton has always been one of the most popular sports, if not the most popular sport, and that is because it’s such a friendly team event.
"On the day there will be 120 children taking part from around the Island."
Two of Roberta’s young proteges who have taken part in the Games are Josh Clague, 14, and Nathan Allen, 15, who both now want to coach badminton at the NSC and are going on coaching courses to achieve the necessary experience and qualifications.
One young internationally recognised badminton player she has coached at squad level is Josh Green, who earlier this year won the Badminton England under-19 men’s singles national championship.
Now based at Bath University, 17-year-old Josh is a Gubay ‘Chase Your Dream’ scholarship recipient.
Josh’s father Steve, a duty officer at the NSC, acknowledges what an important role the Youth Games have played in his son’s success.
"From the age of 10 he took part in the Games and then, once spotted as one of the better players, he joined St Ninian’s Badminton Club and progressed to play for the Isle of Man Badminton team," says Steve. "You could say that had it not been for the Games, he might not be where he is today.
"It was hard to let him go from a relatively small island to fulfil a dream and for me it was the worst feeling in the world when I took him to Bath and had to leave without him.
"I knew, in my heart of hearts, things would never be the same again but it’s all been massively worthwhile and now it’s Josh’s ambition to play badminton at professional level for the England senior team."
In the England Badminton Association’s senior level rankings, Josh is ranked at 16, having come from 64 at the beginning of the season in September.
He is widely expected to be selected to represent the Isle of Man in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi come September and is hoping to pursue his academic studies with a sports degree course at Leeds Metropolitan University in the autumn.
Kevin Cartledge, senior manager for HSBC in the Isle of Man, said, "We are once again delighted to be sponsoring the Games as this reflects the Bank’s commitment to the community, in particular encouraging children to become involved in sport.
"We are also looking forward to sponsoring the Games when they celebrate their 10th anniversary in 2011."
Pictured: Roberta Cannell with young badminton players in training at the NSC.
