Perth Village Wins Badminton 1st Division

At last, after 10 years there is a new name on the Perth & District Badminton Association League Division 1 trophy, and it’s Forgandenny BC.

Although a small village Forgandenny has produced a winning team able to compete against bigger clubs. Four members of the team were born & bred in Forgandenny, and first picked up a racket in the village hall. Apart from one member, the rest stay in the village or in one of the neighbouring villages.

Badminton hasn’t always thrived in the village and without the enthusiasm & determination of Nigel Scobie, the club wouldn’t be in the position it is now. Having a willing volunteer who put time in to encourage locals down to the club, regardless of their badminton ability, helped.

The other major factor was encouraging juniors to take part, these juniors are now the stalwarts of the winning team. The older players encouraged the youngsters, despite having to avoid pool balls accidentally chipped onto the court by teenagers desperate for a game of badminton but having to play pool while they waited.

The club is now on an upward trajectory with plans to start a junior section at Perth High School after the summer, and possibly field a 2nd team in the leagues.

A small village, willing volunteers and a great team spirit built over years of playing at the local village hall have culminated in producing the best team in Division 1.

No wonder Forgandenny is proud of its badminton club.

Pictured from left to right is Ian Scobie, Lee Scobie, Aimee Smith, Christy Laird, David Morrison and David Yeaman. Missing from the photo is Jill Taylor who played in every match, and Molly MacDonald who made a valuable contribution to the team.