BADMINTON: ARDEN Academy’s key stage three badminton team successfully defended their National School title on Sunday at the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes.
The Badminton England initiative is growing each year with more than 8,000 schools taking part and 44,000 students.
Including three of Warwickshire’s County Under 16s squad, the Arden team defeated every team in the local, county, and regional rounds to reach the final.
Containing nine schools – put into three groups of three teams – the girls team of Milly Evans, Mia Kirk, Tessa Franks, and Francesca Barbieri entered the competition as a result of their previous placings in the competition.
With support and guidance from Mr Hunt – head of sport at Arden – they first defeated Sheffield Girls High 5-0, followed by a difficult draw against Kendrick School – which ended 3-2.
The winners of each group then played against each other for the medal positions.
Arden held their nerve with a 4-1 victory against Queen Elizabeths Academy Trust and then a nail-biting and tense battle saw Arden take a 3-2 win for the gold medal over Chelmsford County High School.
The Arden girls badminton girls team were also awarded the ‘Outstanding Team of the Year Award’ by Solihull Borough at the Solihull Sports Award Evening held on March 30 earlier this year.
