NMBA gains accredited umpires, line judges

Pacific-accredited line judges join BWF line judge Ravi Nandan, second left and Badminton Oceania referee Peter Crocker, right, for a group photo during the certificate awarding ceremony in the final day of the badminton competition in the 2022 Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games last month at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022 served as a perfect opportunity for the Northern Marianas Badminton Association to boost its local technical official capacity as more than 40 individuals gained accreditation during the regional event.

NMBA secretary general Christy Villaflor, Ericka Santiago, and Arianne Antonio received their Pacific Accredited Umpire qualifications at the badminton competition in the Mini Games, while 44 individuals passed their line judge assessment and gained their Pacific Accredited Line Judge qualifications. Villaflor, Santiago, and Antonio umpired matches in the badminton competition that ran from June 20 to 25, while the 44 individuals volunteered as line judges in the same tournament.

“We would like to congratulate everyone who received their Pacific Accredited Umpire and Line Judges qualifications. Thank you all for your time and efforts, as your assistance allowed us to successfully host the badminton competition in the Mini Games,” NMBA president Merlie Tolentino said.

Tolentino added that technical officials play a critical role in the continued growth of the sport in the NMI. Having accredited and qualified officials will help the NMBA run more tournaments, especially at the grassroots and interscholastic levels.

The NMBA president thanked Badminton Oceania and its technical officials led by Badminton Oceania CEO/secretary general Julie Carrel for assisting in the upskilling and assessments of local volunteers and officials. Ravi Nandan, who attended the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games as a BWF Line Judge, was the line judge manager and trainer at the Mini Games, while Susan Taylor served as umpire manager/trainer. Completing the Badminton Oceania technical officials group are referee Peter Crocker and umpires Vic Kim, Holly Cho, Richard Wong, Taurea Mara, and Heirani Taupo.

With the success of the Mini Games and training of more local technical officials, discussions on a possible hosting of high-level tournaments in the NMI have been initiated.

“It is incredibly motivating and positive to see such a huge amount of interest from the local workforce. We are very grateful for the passion and dedication from the local volunteers who were pivotal to the tournament’s success. Moreover, I’d like to thank the experienced technical officials who accompanied us to the Pacific Mini Games for sharing their knowledge and helping others to realize their potential by officiating in badminton,” Carrel said. (PR)