The recent Torpoint and Rame Leisure Centre badminton bonanza saw a number of players from the BATs Badminton Club at Bere Alston enter the league section of the event. In the men's doubles section Jonathon Freeman and Alan Berry used their experience to take 81 points from a possible 84 but failed to make the final by one point having lost 21-20 to the eventual finalists. In the other men's doubles group, juniors David Wright and James David played well to take every point they could against much more experienced players and, though they did not win a game, always took enough points in a game to make the opposition treat the them with respect. In the ladies' doubles section there was only one group which would mean that, at some stage the two BATs pairs would have to face each other. Colette David and Paula Smith played well to take 13 points off the eventual winners but then found points in other games hard to come by. Juniors Rachael Williams and Francesca Morton played well to win one game early on and take points in each of their other games. In the crunch game where both BATs pairs played each other it was Colette and Paula who just came out on top 21 points to 19. BATs entered three pairs into the mixed doubles section. Collete David partnered her son James and they took three of their four games in the round robin close, winning the all important one against the other BATs pair in their group. David Wright partnered Francesca Morton in the same group as Colette and James and showed great promise as a mixed doubles pairing for next season as they carefully constructed rallies. The other BATs mixed pairing was junior Rachael Williams who partnered Alan Berry. Of the five games they played they won three, taking pride in beating a Devon county junior coach and her son on the way. At the end of the tournament the BATs players came away with their heads held high knowing that the junior players were continuing to improve and show potential for the future.
