Are you struggling to balance playing badminton at a high level with the demands of life? Whether you’re a student juggling schoolwork, other sports, or social commitments, or an adult balancing university, work, and family, Auckland Badminton understands that life outside of badminton is important. That doesn’t mean you have to give up on achieving success in the sport.

Auckland Badminton follows the *Balance is Better* philosophy, a framework supported by Sport New Zealand that emphasizes a healthy balance between sports participation and life’s other commitments. We offer flexible programs that cater to different priorities and schedules, allowing players to pursue their badminton goals without sacrificing other aspects of their lives.

For those with badminton as their top priority, ABA provides the opportunity to train up to four times a week with top-tier coaching. However, players are not required to attend all sessions. Coaches recommend attending at least two squad sessions per week to maintain competitive momentum.

For players seeking more balance, ABA offers a variety of programs with less frequent training. *Te Kaha Junior* and *Te Kaha Youth* cater to juniors aged 9 to 18 with just one training session per week, while the *Aspiring* program, open to players aged 13 to 30, also runs once a week. Even if a player is selected for a more intense squad but feels it doesn’t fit their schedule, ABA is happy to move them to a program with more balance, without affecting their eligibility for team events like *Wisden* and *Palmerston North*.

Auckland Badminton strongly supports the *Balance is Better* strategy, which encourages kids to try a variety of sports, focus on fun, and develop a lifelong love for physical activity. By collaborating with *Sport Auckland* and *Aktive’s Good Sports®* initiative, ABA ensures that both players and parents are part of a supportive, positive environment that fosters not only performance but enjoyment of badminton for life.

ABA encourages any players or parents of players, whether in our programs or considering our programs, that have any concerns about finding balance with Badminton and Life, to talk to us and let us work with you to find solutions where you can balance both.

Article added: Friday 20 September 2024