Waikato girl captains New Zealand badminton team to victory
The Northern New Zealand Badminton team won the June Bevan Trophy in Tasmania over the school holidays.
Hillcrest High School’s Lily Rose lead the Northern New Zealand badminton team to victory in Tasmania over the school holidays.
The Australasian Under 17 National Championship (April 14-22), consists of a national teams event, called the June Bevan Trophy, followed by the Australasian National Championships, which is an individual event.
New Zealand have three teams that play for the June Bevan Trophy; Northern New Zealand, Central New Zealand, and Mainland New Zealand (lower South Island).
For Rose, 16, this was her first time playing badminton for New Zealand.
“I was so stoked. It was awesome knowing I was representing my country and being overseas made it more exciting.”
She could not believe she got picked as captain.
“My first reaction to being picked as captain was ‘what? Are you sure?'”
To prepare for the tournament, the Northern New Zealand team trained in Auckland four times a week. They practised consistency and accuracy, speed, fitness, and multifeed (high pace and intensity).
The training paid off when the team won the June Bevan Trophy with a game score of 10-6 against New South Wales Thunder in the final.
“Winning the team event I was so ecstatic,” Rose said, “and as the captain I am unbelievably proud of how well we did.”
In the individual event, Rose and Adam Jeffery, who is also from Waikato, made it to the quarterfinals of
mixed doubles. Photo: Ella Smith
the mixed doubles and with Ella Smith (Mainland New Zealand) Rose made it to the semi-finals of the girls’ doubles.
“In the individual event I didn’t play as I would’ve liked,” Rose said. “I now know what I need to work on going into the future and in preparation for the next big tournament.”
Badminton runs in Rose’s family with both of her parents and their families playing when they were younger. In 2006 she was watching her brother play and wanted to join in.
She started playing for Waikato when she was 10 years old and at 11 she made it into the Under 15 team.
“I remember being pretty stoked because my brother was already in the team and I thought it was a massive privilege,” Rose said.
To raise money to go to Tasmania, Rose’s grandparents held a garage sale and her dad’s barber shop, Murray Rose Barber, held a raffle.
Now Rose is back training. She’s hoping to improve and she is looking to get selected for New Zealand squads and training camps.
- Disclaimer – Lily Rose is related to the writer
