Lauren Soodeen could now not be chair of St. Margaret’s Badminton Membership however she stays the guts and soul of the Tooting-based establishment.
Soodeen has spent half a century with St. Margaret’s, along with her drive of persona and trademark humour serving to the membership blossom to over 100 members.
She just lately celebrated 50 years of service and attributes her prolonged tenure to the friendships fashioned taking part in a sport so near her coronary heart.
She stated: “Badminton’s an excellent sport for health, however it’s additionally so sociable. My greatest pals are from badminton.
“I’d do something for them, and I do know they’d do something for me. Now we have a shared curiosity in badminton, and such a protracted shared historical past collectively.
“They’re the rationale I stayed with St. Margaret’s all these years.”
Soodeen’s badminton beginnings could be traced to the phrases of a neighbour, with the then-23-year-old guardian looking for an exercise to spend her evenings.
It might be the beginning of a journey that has up to now lasted 50 years.
She added: “I used to be at house all day with two younger youngsters and wanted to do one thing within the evenings. My neighbour steered night time faculty and the choices, I bear in mind, have been basket-weaving, wrestling, and badminton – so you understand which one I selected!
“As soon as I’d labored my method by newbies, intermediate and into superior, the teacher stated that I used to be able to play at membership stage. So, at 24, my pal June and I began touring badminton golf equipment, and we finally settled at St. Margaret’s
“It was very strict. Video games have been taken very severely, and also you needed to put on all white – not only for matches, however for membership nights, too. June and I have been referred to as right into a committee assembly as soon as and informed off for laughing on courtroom!”
Soodeen went on to flourish within the capital, forming St Margaret’s first girls’s workforce and finally captaining regional aspect Surrey Girls’ Sixes to the 1995/96 Croydon League Division 2 title.
She added: “You must have seen us once we received – we have been all crying on courtroom! We celebrated by going to Bruges for the day although the brand new(ish) Channel Tunnel!
“We went as much as Division 1, and got here straight again down, once more – they have been all younger county gamers, and we have been in our forties.’’
A born chief on the courtroom, Soodeen was equally efficient off it.
When Covid-19 struck, Soodeen was instrumental in convincing gamers to return to St. Margaret’s within the aftermath of the pandemic.
And although she now not performs owing to her age, Soodeen can take delight in witnessing first-hand what she helped construct and the friendships and bonds she helped create on the over 100-strong membership.
She admitted: “I really like that everybody taking part in in our membership is taking part in the way in which we performed – socially.
“They’re not simply going to play badminton and coming house.
“They’re the identical about that as we’re. We maintain a Household Day yearly for gamers, their household and pals. Seeing everybody have a go and perceive the social facet of the membership – that’s an important factor to me.
“Have a go. For those who can hit the shuttle over the online, then you’ll be able to play! Give it a strive.”
Prime pic: Lauren (second from left) with (L-R) Rachel Kiernander, Sarah Witts and Veronica Hammerstone
