November 2025

Kia ora everyone,

It’s been another busy and productive 100 days at Auckland Badminton. Under new leadership, we continue to build strong foundations for the future, modernising our systems, strengthening our player pathways, and investing in our facilities and people. While there’s still plenty of work ahead, it’s been fantastic to see the positive progress across so many areas of the organisation. A huge thank you to all our players, parents, coaches, clubs, and partners for your continued support and commitment as we work together to re-establish ABA as the leading badminton association in New Zealand.

Pathways and Performance Strategy

The Pathways and Performance Strategy has now been completed and will be released in the coming days. This aspirational document outlines the future vision for the ABA performance system - a system that nurtures talent, supports excellence, and connects every stage of the player journey.
While there is significant work ahead to achieve the vision set out in the strategy, implementation has already begun with new structures introduced in Term 4, 2025.
We would like to again thank all players, parents, coaches, and other stakeholders who contributed to our Rapid Review of Performance earlier this year. Your insights helped shape this strategy and will continue to guide our decisions as we build towards a stronger future.

Selection Policies for 2026

New Selection Policies have been developed for 2026, covering both:

• Athletes seeking selection into ABA training squads, and
• Athletes aiming to represent ABA in national teams events, including the New Zealand Junior Teams Championships, Wisden Cup, and Slazenger Cup.

These policies will evolve over time, but their introduction provides greater assurance, consistency, and transparency around selection decisions.
A special thank you to Nathan Maisey, our Pathways and Performance Lead, for his work in developing these policies in collaboration with our coaching team.

Facility Improvements – Roof Repairs

Thanks to a generous donation from the Milestone Foundation, ABA has successfully completed targeted roof repairs at ABA Stadium.
Carried out by NRESH Group, the works took longer than anticipated due to wet weather, but caused minimal disruption to stadium users. Fortunately, heavy rain shortly after completion confirmed the success of the repairs.
In addition to patching affected areas, NRESH Group also treated the entire roof with a cleaning agent to facilitate future application of protective coatings to enhance water tightness and extend its lifespan. Our thanks go to Facilities Manager, Calvin Rainey, who project-managed this important work and coordinated closely with contractors to ensure a smooth process.

Retail Update – Launch of Badminton Express

We are delighted to announce that Badminton Express badmintonexpress.co.nz will go live next week.
Our rebranded retail arm, Badminton Express, will set a new standard for badminton retail in New Zealand - offering an exceptional range of products for serious players, paired with unmatched service and expertise. Keep an eye out for new offers and promotions launching in the coming months!
A huge thank you to Darren Chen, our Retail and E-Commerce Manager, whose tireless efforts have brought this exciting project to life.

Procurement Systems

This workstream remains ongoing. The cost and supply of shuttlecocks has emerged as a key issue, and ABA is actively pursuing direct supplier relationships to reduce costs not only for ABA, but also for our clubs and community groups.
We are also working to secure stock of the much-anticipated synthetic shuttles, which we plan to offer to clubs at competitive rates and incorporate into our own programmes.

New Zealand Junior Teams Championships – Review

Thanks to constructive feedback from players, coaches, and parents, ABA has completed an internal review of our New Zealand Junior Teams Championships campaign. While overall feedback was positive, several changes are planned for 2026, including:

• Reducing costs by replacing large bus hires with team van hires;
• Introducing clearer selection policies and timeframes;
• Targeting performance more deliberately at U17 and U19 levels, with a focus on single teams per age group;
• Removing the player sponsorship programme, simplifying the cost structure;
• Encouraging greater parent involvement as volunteer managers; and
• Implementing a more structured communication plan, ensuring consistent updates are sent directly to parents.

Stadium Pricing Update

Following consultation with clubs and groups, ABA will implement updated stadium pricing from January 2026.
Key changes include:

• Peak rates (Club/Community Members): $22 → $28/hour
• Club weekend rates: $21 → $23/hour
• Club weekday rates: standardised at $30/hour
• Group rates: $35 → $36/hour
• Off-peak rates for ABA representative players: $17 → $10/hour
• Tournament rates: standardised at $50/hour, with selected partner events at $35/hour

These adjustments ensure ABA can continue to maintain high-quality facilities while supporting our representative athletes and community groups.
A full update of prices will be published on our website in the coming weeks.

Looking Ahead – Continuing the 100-Day Plan Series

ABA will release three 100-Day Plans in 2026.

100-day plans are a powerful tool for keeping our organisation accountable, agile, and transparent. They allow us to set clear short-term priorities, track progress, and ensure that every area of ABA’s operation continues to move towards our long-term vision.

We’re proud of the progress made to date - and excited for what’s to come.