Badminton trophies make a big racquet in Oban High School

Following an appeal in The Oban Times last December Oban High School has now taken delivery of 15 new trophies and shields for its annual OHS Badminton Championship.

With the number of pupils entering the completion now more than 80 pupils for the U14, U16 and U19 events PE teacher Denise Gemmell felt it was worth asking for help.

Denise explained: ‘The tournament has been running for many years with the winners representing the region in the Argyll and Bute Secondary Schools competition. Last year we even had five pupils from Oban High School representing Argyll and Bute in the Scottish Schools National Badminton Competition.

‘We always have a huge entry and competition is fierce. We just felt that it would be fitting for our pupils to receive a trophy for their achievements and have their name engraved and displayed for years to come.

‘We are so grateful to everyone involved in donating the trophies and we are delighted that so many pupils will have the opportunity to compete for these trophies in the future.’

Former Oban High PE teacher Moira Barbour donated trophies for the U14 and U16 boys’ singles in the name of her two sons Stuart and Cameron Barbour who had played badminton at regional and national level and were both former pupils.

While in her teaching post in OHS it was Moira who helped secure the Argyll and Bute regional badminton competition for the Scottish schools event.

Another former OHS PE teacher and badminton player Liz Clunie also put a successful bid into Argyll Beats Cardiovascular Disease (ABCD) to fund the remaining awards.

ABCD’s Andy Henderson said it was ‘delighted to present Oban High School Badminton Club with 10 new trophies for its annual competitions’.

‘The trophies and will be awarded to the winners in different age groups year after year. The ABCD trustees are keen to support and encourage this sort of venture, because we know that activities of all sorts that promote regular physical exercise, started young, and continued into adult life are the best way of helping to prevent cardiovascular disease in later life.

‘We wish the OHS badminton club every success, and hope that it goes from strength to strength, attracting students at the school to take up the sport and to enjoy the wonderful facilities in the new school where it has six superb badminton courts.’