04/04/2024
CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So without another shuttle being hit, a victory for our good friends Tasburgh over Lingwood last night means that the Mighty Besthorpe Boys are Division 2 champions and are into the top flight of league Badminton for the first time ever in our history (this was the first time ever in div 2 so that goes without saying 🤣).
What makes this even more impressive is that we still have a game to play!!!
The start of the season I didn't know what to think. We had lost a number of players due to University, health, moves away and local rivals!!
Add to this I was literally one day away from deciding not to play this season due to injuries (trust me I was still riddled with them throughout the season 👴)
My expectations in all honesty were limited!!!
Then in the final few weeks/ maybe even days before the Men's season started (and Amy screaming at me that I needed to choose a six) a few players new to the club committed to play, my foot actually started to work, and partnerships started to form! My confidence grew, but I still wasn't fully aware of how good we could be!!
Then the first game against title favourites SOS, wow!!!! Safe to say we battered them!!
Then an exceptionally close game v Tasburgh, but we showed great resilience and composure to get over the line
A dominant win over UEA followed.
Christmas over indulgence (and another injury to my increasingly fragile body 🤣)meant we got off to a slow start in the return game v Tasburgh, despite a roaring comeback, they took revenge in a game that couldn't have been tighter 5-4 (11-10.in games last match ended 25-23!!!)
A few weeks later and we took on Lingwood in a top of the table clash, and proved why we were top of the league with an extremely impressive win!!
Another win v SOS followed!
Last match we steam rolled UEA to put us on the verge of greatness (overhyping out achievements.....me....no!!!)
We still have a game to go v Lingwood, but other results mean we have done it
Champions
I couldn't be happier!!!
The Bestie Boy legends:
Natahan: His full debut for the first team this year. I had the pleasure of coaching him at a young age, had the honour of being his partner this season. What a player! Moans more than me!!! Will surely go onto to great things in the sport, easy to forget he's only 17, needs to stop making me look short!
Desmond: Not sure I've seen such an all round player for sometime!!! Smash....defence....net play....speed.... he's got it all....he's even ridiculously clever, and with the added bonus as a doctor he can save your life and things🤣 Turns out he used to be coached by Lee Chong Wei's old coach 🤯
Minh: Another newcomer this year, formed a strong partnership with Michael initially, then an unbeatable one with Desmond. A really intelligent badminton player, who comes to life in the front court. Has an invaluable ability of neutralising oppositions strength. This was sometimes in part to his figure hugging cat suits, but I'm a fan of the dark arts 🤣
Eric: A stalwart of the Besties first team, he's been with me for three promotions now, starting with our demolition of division 4 a few years back. He doesn't like it but I've mixed his partnerships up a bit this year 🤣 . His defence is second to none! It's that good he likes to lift for fun 👀, cat-like reflexes makes him.an expert in counter attacking badminton.
Michael: Another who has been with me since I started captaining the side, we've progressed up every division in the league! His net play is at times unbelievable!! The speed at which he can take a net shot, and the tightness he can play it to the net is a thing of beauty!! Hasn't missed one game for the first team since his very first match 👏👏
Abdul: Stepped up from the second team twice in Two massive games, and showed why any other year he would be in the first team!! A clever player who can adapt his game to most styles, has a strong attack, but his defence is insane!
Me:.......an injury riddled ald fart who used to have a good smash, and the odd clever counter attack.
Up the "gold collecting" Bestie Boys!!!
