Badminton Wales is deeply saddened to hear of the recent passing of former National Coach Phil Roberts.
Members of the Badminton Wales Community of a certain vintage will remember Phil as a softly spoken individual with an unparalleled enthusiasm and long-standing commitment to coaching the sport in Wales.
Phil was Welsh National Coach towards the end of an era of voluntary post-holders, motivated purely by passion and an insatiable appetite to learn and pass on as much about his beloved sport as possible.
His mentor was the legendary Midlands coach Maurice Robinson who Phil visited regularly to keep up to date with the latest thinking. Yours truly vividly remembers Phil returning from one such visit to enthusiastically announce that for the backhand clear, the high elbow was history, and it was all about the rotation of the forearm. Expert demonstration then followed with the new approach dissected stage by stage. Coaching the backhand remained a firm favourite of Phil’s throughout his long career!
For many decades after finishing as Welsh National Coach Phil continued coaching juniors and seniors at all levels of the game, with a strong emphasis on technique and the art of deception, another aspect of the sport that Phil adored. Phil had time for everyone but players and coaches needed to ensure they had time too, as once Phil started on a coaching topic his passion would often take over!
As a player in his latter years Phil loved nothing more than catching an inexperienced junior out with the use of his own deception – often followed by a wink and a knowing grin!
Fun, warm, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and with generosity in abundance – Phil will be greatly missed. The Badminton Wales Community extends our sincere condolences to Phil’s wife Audrey and the whole family at this difficult time.
Peter Hybart
Chair, Badminton Wales