September 18, 2024
Alison Thompson was raised with the concept ‘time is nothing’, so it’s no shock that she doesn’t see her many years of dedication to badminton at each nationwide and native stage as a motive to have a good time.
Thompson has been an indispensable member of Elmfield Badminton Membership for the previous 40 years, first as a participant, then as membership secretary and later as unofficial membership captain. He additionally labored as a nurse.
The North East-born athlete has been enjoying shuttlecocks for so long as she will be able to keep in mind, impressed by her father, Jack Maughan, who ran a junior badminton membership in her hometown of Hartlepool and performed there for many of his life.
Regardless of transferring north to Newcastle, Thompson could not shake the badminton bug her brother inherited from his father. She says it is the household ambiance within the sport that has stored her within the sport.
“My brother and I obtained so concerned by my father,” she stated. “My life has all the time been full of badminton, I don’t suppose there’s any approach I can repay the quantity of pleasure I’ve skilled from supporting, watching and enjoying this nice sport.”
Thompson first joined Elmfield Badminton Membership when she was 20 years outdated and has since turn into a everlasting member of the board, a job she considers as a lot of a privilege as her paid job.
“My brother and I have been all the time raised with the concept ‘time is free,’” she stated. “We have been raised with the concept everybody can afford to offer a little bit of their time each occasionally.”
It comes as no shock then that Thompson took on the function of membership captain – reserving courts, maintaining gamers knowledgeable and making certain the entire membership ran easily – with out ever being formally requested to take action.
“Because the older members retired, my function as secretary advanced into taking up the unofficial duties of membership captain,” she added. “Our actual captain for a few years was Foong Tham, an ideal volunteer who based the Anglo Scottish League in 1997.
“Les Hodgson, now in his 80s, has additionally been chairman from my first days on the membership and nonetheless takes an lively curiosity in its progress.”
A real unsung hero, Thompson refuses to acknowledge the lasting affect she has personally had on her Newcastle membership, however she can not ignore the truth that she is the one who retains issues going even in probably the most tough circumstances.
Final month, Elmfield Badminton Membership misplaced its final corridor and was compelled to search out another house for native badminton lovers. Nonetheless, Thompson performed a vital function within the membership’s survival.
“The longer term didn’t look brilliant,” she stated. “I had many sleepless nights considering we wouldn’t make it to 99, however we made it by the robust instances and reached our a hundredth anniversary.
“A giant thanks to Newcastle Excessive Faculty for Ladies who stepped up on the final minute. So many members helped us discover a new location and I believe with such a group we’ll proceed to thrive.”
As for Thompson’s contribution to the sport on the sector, she has represented Northumberland for over 40 years as a participant and has created recollections along with her teammates that can final a lifetime.
“Representing Northumberland for the previous 40 years has been such a rewarding expertise,” she stated. “It has given me a wholesome respect for the hours others put in to get our county groups up for video games a whole bunch of miles away.
“I additionally know that there are lots of individuals concerned in unpaid roles in the present day throughout the Northumberland Badminton Affiliation and past who do rather more than I do.
“There have been highs and lows, however I would not surrender the recollections for something.”