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Author: Kevin
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Recap Video
2019 BWF US International Challenge
HI Everyone!
Merry Christmas! I am home visiting family for Christmas and enjoying it greatly!
California was great despite some tough losses. I learned a lot and showed I can compete with the best. It is time for some rest for Christmas and then putting in the hard work before nationals!
I moved up in ranking in Mens Singles from 368 to 305 which is a good move up!
If you want to watch my matches or even some of the other great matches of the tournament check out my Youtube Channel
For more results and scores check out the Tournament Software
If you would like to support my journey in badminton – my ability to coach and lead the next generation, and my pursuit of competing at the best level you can donate at the following links: GoFundMe Buy Me a Coffee.
Thank you for all your support!
Arrived in California!
Hi!
I haven’t been home much for the past few months, but I just arrived at my last tournament of the year. The Yonex K&D Graphic USA International Challenge in Orange California. I am in the main draw in all three events. I play against Belgium in singles, and Chinese Taipei in both doubles and mixed.
Due to recent financial challenges I am not playing the Toronto Open in January, so this is my last big tournament until the National Championships in February.
I am very pumped to play. Had a few tough matches in the past few weeks, and some good training. I am on the right track and excited to take steps forward.
You can follow the draws here : https://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/tournament?id=32085A06-7D4C-45E1-AF4E-989B57508B92
And I will be uploading my matches here : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI8834Clt301lNPF6l9-BQg?view_as=subscriber
You can help support me here on Gofundme : https://www.gofundme.com/f/kevin-barkman-hope-through-sports
Thank You everyone for your support!
Onward and Upward!
Training
Training is always tough. Sometimes you get worse before you get better. I feel that these days. I have been spending a lot of time working on certain skills, but finding myself playing with less intensity than I want. It takes time for those skills to become solidified and habitual.
However, with a few tournaments under my belt I am feeling more confident and comfortable playing again.
I qualified for all three events at the Yonex K&D Graphic USA International Challenge. I am playing doubles with Imran Wadia and mixed doubles with Isabelle Rusli. But before that I am playing the Yonex Alberta Elite Series.
Thanks for your support!
Support me here:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/kevinbadminton
https://www.gofundme.com/f/kevin-barkman-hope-through-sports
Adversity
Hi Everyone!
First of all. Thank you to each of you for your support! I couldn’t stay in badminton without your help and support!
Guatemala international has come to an end.
I am so thankful for the opportunity to compete. I won my first round and lost in the round of 16 to the number one seed and eventual winner Kevin Cordon.
In mixed Isabelle Rusli and I made it to the quarter finals where we lost to the number 2 seeds and eventual winners from Brazil. Imran had to withdraw from our doubles due to an unfortunate wrist injury.
I am very thankful for the opportunity to compete in Guatemala. I improved on last years performance as well which is fantastic. I showed that I am playing at a higher level than before and winning matches internationally for which I am thankful. There is still a lot of work to do to challenge the top athletes in the world. Every day I get out and I work towards that; Improving the things I am weak at, and strengthening my assets.
I am back in Calgary for an Alberta Series tournament and then Atlanta Elite Series is next!
A lot of people have asked me about my withdrawal from this past Prairie Elite Series tournament in Winnipeg. It was a tough decision, but one made carefully with lots of input from doctors and coaches. Since my hamstring pull at the US International, I have had minor bugging knee issues. Due to that and various other factors, everyone decided it would be best for me to pull out and focus on the Guatemala International coming up in two weeks. It was a tough call as the Prairie Elite is the first tournament of the Canadian National Elite Series circuit. However, I need to stay healthy and keep improving, which can’t happen if I am injured. I am so thankful for the host of professionals helping me make these tough decisions.
My dad returned from safety stand down (a gathering of high-ups in aviation to discuss safety) and brought these words of wisdom “Glad to be here.” It has taken me a long time to wrap my head around the ramifications of such an outlook, but this week it really hit me: I AM glad to be here, and that changes a lot. Let me explain.
Badminton, like all sports, is tough mentally. There are huge ups and downs that come with wins and losses, good performances or devastating injuries. Training at this level means pushing my body to its limit quite often. I did not begin this journey in the greatest shape- I had a broken leg and ankle that needed recovering from last year. The battle forward has been full of minor setbacks, but also great improvement. It is not easy, and it’s not easy to stay positive while fighting off injury and making tough calls about competing. However, I am continually reminded that I am glad to be here, and that makes all the difference.
“Glad to be here” is an outlook that doesn’t make excuses; it acknowledges the huge blessing it is to be where we are. It makes sure that we use every moment to the best of our ability to move ahead. Being glad to be here means not getting hung up on adversity, but instead being thankful for it.
The last year has been full of adversity as I decided to pursue badminton full time. (That doesn’t mean I don’t work other jobs, it means I try to be involved in badminton as an athlete and a coach as much as possible). I broke my ankle, took a long recovery, dealt with minor related injuries, like a pulled hamstring and knee injury, missed work and training, and struggled through finances. Yet when I look back I am thankful for every struggle. Through the injuries I have found a great group of people at Sweaty Training who have my back, and continue to help me get my body ready for world competition fitness. I started coaching and training at Gao Badminton and have been extremely blessed by the club and by Coach Gao and Coach Grace Gao’s help. They have walked me through getting in court shape and coming up with a long term plan, while giving me the daily on court training I need to make forward progress. Dynamic Chiropractic and Sports Therapy in Steinbach has also generously given me a sponsorship and worked with me in my recovery and in planning the next steps of training to avoid more injuries.
I have learned a lot about training, about building my body up, about rest, recovery, and diet. None of that would have happened without adversity.
I am glad to be here. Thank you for joining me on this crazy journey, and for continuing to support me through it all.
If you would like to support me, check out the GoFundMe or contact me about sponsorship opportunities!
Onward and upward!
Kevin
Spokane Shuttlefreaks Badminton Camp!
HI Everyone!
Quick Update before the Yonex Canada Open starts tomorrow. I am currently 4th in qualifying and will play Tuesday morning. Later today I will have my first practice in the venue! Here is a link to my match last year at Canada Open against Heo Kwang Hee of South Korea. I have come a long ways since then, and I will keep moving ahead!
The past week I had the privilege of helping coach a badminton camp in Spokane WA for Shuttlefreaks. Four days of helping kids improve and working with great people! This year Shuttlefreaks ran the camp apart from the Spokane Parks and Rec as we had done in previous years. This meant less advertising, and less revenue. However we had 21 kids which was more than enough for the number of courts we had rented. The kids improved a lot. The focus of the camp was on the foundations of badminton, as well as being self disciplined and being respectful to ourselves and our teammates through the way we focused, worked, and treated others.
Thank you to all of you making this badminton journey possible!
Onward and Upward!
Kevin
Brazil and Provincials
Hi Everyone!
I am writing to say thanks for investing in my badminton journey and success. The past 6 weeks have been a time of good forward motion and growing returns. Thanks for investing– here’s what I’ve been doing!
Brazil!
I spent three weeks in Calgary training and coaching at Gao Badminton in April. They have graciously sponsored all my training which has been a huge blessing. To prepare for Brazil International Challenge I trained both with the group and many private lessons from Grace Gao, a former Olympian. From Calgary I flew to Sao Paulo, Brazil and got a ride to Campinas where the Brazil International Challenge was held.
I got there on Tuesday morning, checked into the hotel and went to practice. I stayed with Kari Gunnarsson from Iceland as well as B.R. Sankeerth from Canada. We practiced together Tuesday and Wednesday morning before I played my first match Wednesday evening at 5:30. I lost the first set but won the next two, progressing to the next round. I played the second round half an hour later and ended up losing in a hard-fought, two set game. I battled some calf cramps but other than that played well. That Friday I flew back to Calgary, picked up my car and drove to Manitoba!
Manitoba Provincial Championships
At the Manitoba Provincial Championships I played all three events. Mens singles, Mens doubles with Ryan Giesbrecht, and Mixed doubles with Mélanie Curé. I made the Mens singles final, but lost to Thien Vo in the final. I won my doubles final with Ryan Giesbrecht, also against Thien and his partner Chris White. In mixed, we lost in the quarter finals to the eventual finalists.
The Mens singles final was a great match, and one where I felt I played to my full current potential.
I am improving my game at a great rate, for which I am very thankful. Coming back from the injury has been hard, but it has also helped me refocus and I believe I will be stronger than before.
two weeks I also finished my fitness testing and body composition with Sweaty Training. I have made good progress since the injury. We are looking at increasing the rate of progress now that my ankle is healing up more. I also got a new off court program with this in mind, which I am very excited about.
Thank you all for your support!
Gratefully,
Kevin Barkman
If you would like to donate you can do so through GoFundMe
Jamaica, OCN, Thunder Bay, Minneapolis, Calgary and Beyond!
The life of a coach is nomadic, and the life of an athlete is more so. I have been traveling a lot since I returned from Jamaica mid March. In fact I was home less than twelve hours after landing from Jamaica before heading up to northern Manitoba to OCN. The next weekend I was in Thunder Bay playing a fun tournament and making contacts for future clinics and coaching. From there I went to Minneapolis to play a tournament. I did okay there making semis in both singles and doubles and winning the mixed consul. Two days later I was on the road to Calgary, where I am now.
Minneapolis came quickly on the heels of the other trips. It ended up being a great tournament and I got to test my on court training and fitness. The training with Sweaty Training really showed as I was able to compete in three events without crashing. However, I made a lot of mistakes and struggled with some of the shots that are my bread and butter. This makes me even happier to be working these days with Gao Badminton in Calgary on my on court game.
I am excited to be working on the on-court part of my game with Coach Gao and Gao Badminton as well as helping coach the team. The opportunity to train and coach is huge. Gao Badminton has been generous in their support of me which I am very grateful for.
I am continuing to work with Jeff at Sweaty Training to improve my fitness and strength. There is always a gym nearby and always work to be done!
Brazil International Challenge is coming up the first week in May and I am hoping to be playing my best by then. The draw is tough this year and I am only in the qualifying draw this time.
Thank you to everyone for your support!
Onward and upward!
-Kevin
Jamaica International
The Jamaica International came to an early end for me. I knew I was up against a tough opponent ranked much, much higher than me. Being my first international tournament after my injury I was not too sure what to expect. The weather there was about 30C outside with 80-90% humidity, and much higher temperatures inside the gym. During practice this felt very hot and I could feel myself dragging a bit towards the end of practices.
The first set of competition went quite well. I felt I moved quite well, attacked well, followed my game plan. However, by the second set the heat was paying its toll on me. I felt light-headed and my head began to pound. I knew I was overheating but tried to play through it. I couldn’t, and fell very flat the second set.
You have a lot of emotions after a match like that. I wanted to test myself after my injury, and I did that. I performed well the first set, staying focused and sticking to my game plan. But it is a great disappointment to fall so flat at the end. Rewatching the video confirms that the second set I made 21 mistakes and struggled to breathe. My face was red and I felt heat radiating off me.
I still had juice in my legs, but no way to access it. How do I manage the extreme heat when most of my training in winter is in gyms at 16C? That is the next question to be answered.
I stayed with a good friend Milan in a university dorm at the University of the West Indies. That was a unique experience. We stayed with the Peru and Guatemala teams which was also fantastic. Over the past few tournaments I have made friends with both teams. I also made new friends with two athletes from Congo which was exciting.
I am back home to Manitoba now after spending last weekend at OCN community coaching with a multi-sport team. I am excited to get back to training and coaching and moving head!
Onward and upward!
-Kevin
kevinbarkmanbadminton.com 