Assistant Coach    June 2019-Present

After obtaining her UKCC Level 1 Badminton Coaching Qualification in June 2019 and seeking to gain some practical experience, Rachel joined her coach, Rob, as a volunteer coaching assistant for his coaching sessions at a local junior club. Rachel understands the impact that her local junior league had on her development as a badminton player. She is keen to help and give back to them and encourage children to have a similar, positive experience as she did.

 

In recent years, Rachel has been invited as a special guest to the Liverpool & District Junior Badminton League End-of-Season Presentation to present the awards.

 

 

Proud Paralympian Educator    July 2018-Present

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Proud Paralympian is the Agitos Foundation (the development agency of the International Paralympic Committee)’s education programme that is delivered by athletes, to athletes. Proud Paralympian Educators are trained to deliver workshops and outreach activities to para-athletes, aiming to inspire and educate them to be the best they can be, both on and off the field of play. 

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In July 2018, Rachel was selected by Badminton World Federation (BWF) and the Agitos Foundation as part of a group of applicants to become Proud Paralympian Leaders. The following month in Barcelona, Rachel received and completed her Leader training where she developed and refined her presentation and facilitation skills.

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“I’m very excited to begin my work as a Proud Paralympian Leader.

I’ve been competing in para-badminton for ten years, and I hope my experiences and advice can help support and shape other para-athletes

in the workshops I’ll deliver.”

 

– Rachel speaking about her selection as a BWF/Agitos Proud Paralympian Leader. [July 2018]

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The following year, the Agitos Foundation (in co-operation with the World Academy of Sport) rebranded the Proud Paralympian programme and offered Proud Paralympian Leaders to be upskilled to Educators. In February 2020, Rachel travelled to Bonn, Germany and completed the Educator Course, certificated through the WaoS.

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Read more on BWF – Badminton World Federation, and on IPC – International Paralympics Committee.

 

 

Women’s Sport Trust Advocate    May 2016 - Present

 

Rachel was introduced to the Women’s Sport Trust and its co-founders in 2016. Together, they have established a powerful working relationship. Since then, Rachel has attended numerous events such as their former flagship event, the #BeAGameChanger Awards, and an ‘Elite Athlete Influencer Day’. She has also worked on several of their projects and initiatives – the ‘Being an Athlete Influencer’ and ‘Athlete Influencers Steering Group’ meetings, #BeAGameChanger Awards Expert Judging Panel, and most recently participated in the first cohort on the ‘Unlocked 2020’.

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‘Unlocked 2020’ was a ground-breaking initiative that brought together 41 elite athletes from 24 different sports who were individually matched with ‘activators’ made up of leading figures from business, sport and media to shape the future of women’s sport.

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“As an athlete in this programme, knowing that I have the support of not only my activator but a network of the other athletes as well as all the other activators and their expertise is empowering. I’m so grateful to be a part of this programme, and I am excited to see what waves we make in women’s sport.”

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– Rachel speaking about her experience on the ‘Unlocked’ programme. [May 2020]

 

Read more about ‘Unlocked 2020’ on Women’s Sport Trust, and Rachel’s personal experience on EIS – English Institute of Sport. https://youtu.be/Y9pIVWHz8dQ

 

 

Crosby Badminton Club Committee Member    May 2013-Present

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During the early years of Rachel’s junior career, the club that she played for was dissolved. Not sure where to go, she and her father decided to restart their local Crosby Badminton Club and enter it into the local junior leagues. Some several successful years, Rachel was then too old to play as a junior. Moving into the senior league, she followed her father into the clubs he played for. Not feeling at home there, together they decided to expand the junior club into the senior leagues.

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Rachel has been on the committee of Crosby Badminton Club since 2013 when the club was formalised and entered into the Southport & District Badminton League with the Choong’s. For the next five years, Rachel was appointed as the club’s General Secretary and Match Secretary –usually separate roles. As Rachel became busier with her international career, she could no longer fulfil these positions and resigned from them in 2018 but stayed on as a committee member.

 

Rachel still represents the club in the Southport League and Liverpool League.

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Read more on Crosby Badminton Club Facebook Page.

 

 

Community

Rachel is passionate about giving back to the community that always gave so much to her and supported her in the important moments of her career. Rachel made her first school visit to Hillside High School in 2012, where she spoke about her journey through sport and her goals and aspirations. Other school visits include local primary school, St Nicholas in 2013, where Rachel spoke during a special assembly and gave a demonstration during PE badminton class. She visited the school again in 2016 following her success at the BWF Para-Badminton World Championships 2015 – taking in the medals won for the children to look at and try on.

 

Read more about the St Nicholas 2013 [internal link] and 2015 [internal link] visits.

 

In 2018, Rachel visited Crosby High School – a community special school. Rachel delivered an assembly sharing with them: how sport has impacted her life and the opportunities it has given her for travel, meeting new people and self-confidence.

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On several occasions, Rachel has also been asked to attend community badminton events as a special guest. In 2015 and 2016, she was invited to Cambridge for the Power2Inspire Inclusive Badminton Festivals to help promote para-badminton and the importance of having inclusive sport. Following that in 2017, Rachel was invited to Barnt Green Sports Club as a mystery guest for Hotshot Badminton Club’s 24-Hour Charity Badminton Marathon, where she participated in the Marathon, aiding their efforts for a couple of hours.

If you would like to work with Rachel, click to [Get in touch].