What better way to celebrate Women’s Month than getting acquainted with Badminton South Africa’s female champions of the game!
Badminton South Africa (BSA) is privileged to be presided by a female figure of great skills and achievements. Reigns were handed over to Gretha Prinsloo in 2021 after the unfortunate passing of the previous president due to the horrific virus, COVID 19.
Gretha Prinsloo has contributed tremendously toward Badminton and dedicated much of her time to our beloved sport. A couple of decades ago she qualified as an entry level Technical Official and diligently worked her way up the ladder to national level, to continental level, to international level until she finally reached the highest international Technical Official’s level which is a Badminton World Federation Referee Assessor.
During her journey as an inspirational woman in badminton she has been awarded the BCA Woman In Sport Award 2020 and the BWF Badminton Service Excellence Award 2021. On her road to success as a Technical Official, board member, chairperson of different structures in BSA and operations officer, she has become a mentor to many.
She also served as the chairperson of the South African National Defence Force Badminton Committee until she reached retirement. She groomed many candidates in different spheres of Badminton over the years that she has been involved with the said sport. She is currently reigning strong and making our gentle gender proud. The Badminton Family greatly appreciate her support, guidance, contributions, and efforts.
Badminton South Africa is proud to have quite a number of females reigning in different structures of BSA. Emmie Wiggins is currently steering the reigns of the Badminton South Africa Technical Officials committee and has been affiliated to BSA for decades. She has dedicated much of her time to badminton over the years especially in her home province, Cape Winelands.
Not forgetting her contributions towards the successes of badminton in different spheres of our beloved sport. Emmie also qualified as an entry level technical official a couple of decades ago and have persevered to provincial level, to national level and currently her highest level of technical official’s achievements is a Badminton Confederation Africa Certificated referee.
She recently had the honour of serving as the local appointed deputy referee at the All-Africa Senior Championships 2023 that was hosted by Badminton South Africa in Benoni over the period 12 – 19 February 2023. She has been appointed at different major tournaments on the continent, over the years, as referee and umpire respectively.
She also had the privilege to attend empowerment workshops and to officiate abroad. Emmie has been and still is a mentor to many with the willingness to always assist and share her wisdom. Another female figure the Badminton Family is proud to have on their courts and its surrounding.
Deidre Horne, whom is a qualified technical official, has taken on the responsibility to promote and develop Para Badminton in South Africa. She has progressed tremendously in her task and has become a qualified Badminton World Federation Para Badminton referee as well as a qualified para classifier.
She has been appointed at several international para badminton events and has done Badminton South Africa very proud in this regard. Over the years she has contributed much of her time to badminton in the country districts, development in badminton as well as to the South African National Defence Force Badminton committee. She drives para badminton with great zealousness and pride. Badminton South Africa is privileged to have someone of her calibre on board.
Another female figure who is an ambassador for Badminton South Africa is Megan Jullian Plaatjies. She has qualified as a technical official just over a decade ago and has been affiliated to BSA for quite some time. In 2016 she was nominated for the position of international line judge by BSA to BCA who forwarded her nomination to BWF for approval.
Her nomination was accepted by the Badminton World Federation and she was appointed as international line judge by BWF in December that same year. The aim of the international line judge position is to expose future aspiring BWF Umpires to more intense and professional umpiring skills, knowledge, court management and people skills.
The position also grants an opportunity to those who did not manage to succeed to BWF level due to several reasons, such as age etc. to officiate at international tournaments. She is currently in her second term of international line judging and has represented BSA at a few major international tournaments over the years thus far but to mention a few: GOLD COAST 2018 COMMONWEALTH GAMES, TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES, BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION TOTAL ENERGIES FINALS 2022, etc.
For the past couple of years she has been serving as a member on the Badminton South Africa Technical Officials committee and as the chairperson for Badminton South Africa Women In Badminton.
Others who have been and still are ambassadors for BSA over the years in the respective roles of technical officials and national squad athletes are Karin Bester, Janine Kotze, Michelle Butler-Emmet, Jabulile Geninda, Elme De Villiers, Sandra La Grange but to mention a few.
Women like Lydia Vorster, Grace Van Niekerk, late aunt Avril Tudhope, Emelda Botha, aunt Rita, Brenda Boshoff are but another few to mention who greatly contribute to the successful steering of Badminton South Africa.