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AZBC JOURNAL
Arizona badminton history, center updates, and the game around the world.
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AZBC History
The 2023 Jim Poole Classic was held at the Arizona Badminton Center with 40 plus entries covering Open and Senior Singles, Doubles and Mixed events. Anthony Phillips won the Open Men Singles in all straight set…
Feb 11, 2023
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The 10th Annual HOLIDAY FUN BOWL saw 50 fun-loving competitors burning up the courts all day Saturday. Starting with a "warm-up" half-court mini-tournament separated into boys and girls draws, playing 7-point games…
Dec 10, 2022
The 30th Annual Smash Bash brought 75 competitors into 8 doubles events, including Kids, High School (Girls & Boys), Collegiate (Women & Men), Open and Senior (Men). As always, there were lots of hard-fought matches…
Sep 10, 2022
Sat, April 23 & Sat, April 30, 2022, Mesa... A ferocious two consecutive Saturdays of competition revealed this year's Arizona Champions in Junior, Collegiate, Open and Senior divisions for Women & Men Singles, Women…
Apr 23, 2022
Celebrating AZBC's 10th Anniversary with our annual Jim Poole Classic badminton tournament... Jim Poole passed away this past November at the age of 89. He had retired to Arizona after one of the most decorated…
Feb 12, 2022
Sat, Dec 18, 2021, Mesa... This year we combined the annual SMASH BASH that usually occurs in September, but was canceled, and the annual HOLIDAY FUN BOWL to host the HOLIDAY SMASH BASH. More than 60 entrants…
Dec 18, 2021
Moving back to a more regularly scheduled tournament season, we were able to host the 10th Annual 2021 AZBC ARIZONA BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS within one month of our normal annual dates. It was fantastic to have such…
May 22, 2021
Like all of us during this unprecedented year, the 9th Annual AZBC ARIZONA BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS, normally scheduled in April, suffered delays, inconveniences, and much more, but were finally rewarded with play in…
Dec 12, 2020
The 8th Annual JIM POOLE CLASSIC featured Singles, Doubles and Mixed events in the Open, Collegiate and Senior categories. All the singles matches were 1-gamers, which allowed enough time for full matches for all the…
Feb 8, 2020
This was the first time for a whopping good time of KIDS, KIDS and more KIDS, and KIDS and PARENTS, too! What I thought would be a fun little morning tournament turned out to have 40+ participants, including 18…
Dec 21, 2019
Sahuaro Tucson-back row: Ian Kron, Marcos Berrellez, Logan Martin, Michael Stewart; and Basis in the front: Michael Liang, Luke Wang, Steven Zhang, Samuel Rivas (not pictured)
Nov 23, 2019
Although there are Collegiate badminton clubs and recreational badminton play at universities throughout the US, Arizona is pioneering the resurgence of COLLEGIATE BADMINTON SCHOLARSHIPS for the first time since…
Sep 28, 2019
The 27th Annual SMASH BASH was smaller but mightier than ever! 60 players smashed and bashed all day in doubles and mixed doubles events for kids, adults and seniors. A big contingent of Tucson players added to the…
Sep 7, 2019
From left to right: Senior Mixed Champions Naren Koka & Helen Zhang; Open Mixed Champions Hiroki & Hitomi Sato; B Mixed Champions Kiseki & Steve Hashimoto
Apr 13, 2019
The 2019 Jim Poole Classic ran 2 days for the Open & Senior Singles and Mixed on Saturday, then the Open and Senior Doubles events on Sunday. It's the first time we've run a full weekend event in several years and…
Feb 9, 2019
The 2018 HOLIDAY FUN! BOWL and HIGH SCHOOL BOYS STATE BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS filled the AZBC courts with great competitive action, lots of fun, great prizes and tournament shirts. 80 players, 130 matches, 8 events.…
Dec 8, 2018
The 26th annual SMASH BASH DOUBLES BADMINTON TOURNAMENT displayed, yes, SMASHES, SMASHES and more SMASHES (along with 1000s of all the other shots)! 99 participants battled their way through doubles and mixed events…
Sep 8, 2018
Apr 14 & 21, 2018, Mesa... The 7th annual Arizona Badminton Championships were held at the Arizona Badminton Center over two Saturdays. The competition was the deepest ever with 100 competitors battling it out in…
Apr 14, 2018
Maybe the biggest and baddest JIM POOLE CLASSIC yet! More than 80 players, including 21 kids under 13, participated in non-stop competition from 9am to 8pm. Players from Tucson and California also spiced up the…
Feb 10, 2018
Dec 9, 2017, Mesa... Always a great way to start off the Holidays, this year's HOLIDAY FUN! BOWL held 7 action-packed events, including the 6th annual BOYS HIGH SCHOOL STATE BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS, Open Men and…
Dec 9, 2017
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the SMASH BASH was a blast with jam-packed action from start to finish. Lots of great matches, upsets and new winners and big smiles as displayed by Doug Towne and Marsha Morris to…
Sep 9, 2017
Avi, Priya, Vaishnavi, Tejas, Chinmai, Kiyoko, and Art -- some of the winners and finalists at the 2017 Arizona Badminton Championships.
Apr 15, 2017
As part of our AZBC 5th anniversary celebration, the annual 2017 JIM POOLE CLASSIC took place on Saturday, Feb 11 with about 60 entries competing in singles, doubles and mixed doubles culminating with a special…
Feb 11, 2017
JR Holloway (Campo Verde), Alex Decker (Campo Verde), Cameron Ohoro (Mt View), Ray Del Gallo (Basis-Chandler), Gabe Wilson (Perry), Brian Lin (Higley), Brendon Van (Desert Vista), Leo Hsu (Desert Vista) [photo by…
Dec 5, 2016
The 2016 SMASH BASH DOUBLES TOURNAMENT lived up to its name once again with 70+ entries pounding away at the bird for winners. There were Open, Senior, Varsity & JV High School Women Doubles, and Open, Senior, and…
Sep 10, 2016
The 24th annual Grand Canyon State Games Badminton Event took place at the Arizona Badminton Center. Twenty-nine participants competed in 5 events, Open Women and Men Singles, Women and Men Doubles, and Mixed…
Jun 11, 2016
Who are the best badminton players in Arizona? Every year that is decided at this tough April event at the AZBC and memorialized on a plaque in the lobby. At the 5th annual AZBC ARIZONA BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS more…
Apr 16, 2016
More than 60 entries vied for SIngles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles titles at the annual Jim Poole Classic at the Arizona Badminton Center. Jacky Myers of Laguna Hills, Ca took the Open Women Singles trophy while the…
Feb 13, 2016
(l-r) Derek Yu, HS Boys Singles Champion, Jeffrey Luo & Jason Truong, Doubles Champions; Luo, Truong & Brendon Van--Desert Vista HS - Team Champions
Dec 5, 2015
Alex Liang (foreground) with Dean Schoppe (left) and Yuko Kawasaki (right) in pilot Jim Thatcher's small plane as they prepared to fly to Arizona for the Smash Bash.
Sep 5, 2015
left to right: Christopher Mann of Flagstaff teamed with Stephen Li of Tucson (MD Silver Medalists), Tejas Ashani of Tempe & Doug Towne of Phoenix, (MD Gold Medalists)
Jun 13, 2015
The 2nd Annual JIM POOLE CLASSIC BADMINTON TOURNAMENT featured perfect mid-70s degree weather, a picnic out front the AZBC facility throughout the tournament, and some special out-of-town guests from CA, Canada, and…
Feb 7, 2015
The 3rd Annual HOLIDAY FUN BOWL & ARIZONA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS combined tournament was the largest to date. More than 60 competitors including 12 high school boys representing 7 different high schools…
Dec 6, 2014
The 22nd Annual SMASH BASH BADMINTON DOUBLES TOURNAMENT included exciting matches in Women's Doubles, Men's Doubles and Mixed Doubles, and a special presentation of the "Hank Anderssohn Memorial Eagle Award" to long…
Sep 6, 2014
The 22nd annual GCSG Badminton Event was held at the AZBC on Saturday, June 14 with women singles, men singles, women doubles, men doubles, and mixed doubles played.
Jun 14, 2014
Badminton continues to grow in Arizona and for some time we have wanted to establish a basic ranking system. 'A' for advanced, 'B' for intermediate, and 'C' for novice/beginner. These are not clearly defined levels…
May 17, 2014
The 3rd annual Arizona Badminton Championships brought more than 60 competitors to the AZBC courts on consecutive Saturdays. The doubles and mixed doubles events were held on Saturday, April 19 and the singles events…
Apr 19, 2014
In honor of U.S. badminton legend, Arizona resident and AZBC member, our annual Open and Masters Classic has been named the JIM POOLE Badminton Classic. Jim won some 75 U.S. national titles from 1958 - 1995 in…
Jan 25, 2014
In a tournament highlighting "interesting" events, such as men's and women's half-court singles and the 3-person net rotation game involving 16 teams of 3 players each, along with the standard men's & women's doubles…
Dec 7, 2013
School is back in session and the local high school badminton season is underway. The SMASH BASH from its origin was designed to expose high school players to higher level tournament action. Not only do they get lots…
Sep 7, 2013
We have run the Grand Canyon State Games badminton event every year since the Games began in 1993, but this was the first time at the AZBC! We changed the format somewhat to include just the 3 events, Women's…
Jun 22, 2013
It was the hottest day of the year in Arizona to-date and so was the action on the AZBC courts as everyone played 5 matches in round-robin pools for women's doubles and men's doubles. When the smoke had cleared there…
Jun 1, 2013
The annual Arizona Badminton Championships places the top Arizona badminton players in the record book. This year we saw many new champions receive plaques and have their name etched on the perpetual trophy on…
Apr 13, 2013
After a friendly "Challenge Cup" series of games on Friday evening, Feb 1 between AZBC players and out-of-town players (AZBC won 5-2!) there was non-stop intense competition from 9am - 8pm on Saturday, Feb 2 in five…
Feb 1, 2013
The 2013 New Year's Badminton Fest brought out the best of BBQ, food and badminton in a half-day tournament from Noon - 6pm. The weather cooperated perfectly again allowing time to relax between matches out by the…
Jan 5, 2013
The 2012 Holiday Fun Badminton Bowl was a raging success and lived up to its name! We set up a bar-b-q grill, tables, chairs and additional food tables outside along with a sponsorship tent by Russell Nelson and…
Dec 1, 2012
The first-ever 2012 HIGH SCHOOL BOYS STATE BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS were held at the Arizona Badminton Center on Saturday, October 20. Seven boys representing 5 different high schools battled it out for the individual…
Oct 20, 2012
The 2012 AIA STATE INDIVIDUAL HIGH SCHOOL BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS were held at Independence High School on Friday and Saturday, October 12-13. More than 300 players participated from 53 different high school…
Oct 12, 2012
The 20th annual Smash Bash Doubles Tournament was held at the new Arizona Badminton Center on Saturday and Sunday, September 8-9, 2012. Continuing a long tradition of showcasing both open events and high school…
Sep 8, 2012
On consecutive Saturdays, April 21 & 28, 2012, the Arizona Badminton Center hosted the first annual Arizona Badminton Championships to determine the top Arizona-based badminton players in open men's and women's…
Apr 21, 2012
The 4th Annual AZBC ARIZONA BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS added the first-ever Arizona Junior Badminton Championship events for U11, U13 and U15 age groups, along with crowning several new adult Arizona badminton…
Apr 18, 2012
Prominently displayed in the AZBC lobby is the Hank Anderssohn Memorial Eagle Award which honors extraordinary sportsmanship, service and dedication to the sport of badminton in Arizona.
Doug Towne and Marsha Morris, two of our awesome seniors who excel not only on the AZBC courts, but in national competitions. The AZBC has a large number of top senior players mixing it up with lots of talented young…
