The first steps to implement the changes outlined in the Competition Review are revealed today.

Several new or reconfigured events have been scheduled in the 2024/25 calendar, in liaison with event organisers and committees, with a clear focus on improved opportunities for youth players.

As well as announcing the key dates, we are inviting club venues to apply to stage the competitions.

The announcement follows the Board’s approval of Phase III of the National Competition Review last month, following extensive consultation across the sport.

The key developments are:

National Series

August 24; October 19; November 23, 2024; and February 1, 2025

A new four-date series for the top players in the Under-13, Under-15 and Under-19 age groups, with competitions for both boys and girls. The number involved will be between 12 and 30, depending on the age group, with promotion and relegation between groups after each round.

This event provides a regular, high-quality match-play opportunity for the top cohort in each GB youth age group.

Click here to view the guidance document for prospective hosts (can also be downloaded at the foot of the page).

Under-21 National Cup

September 28-29, 2024

This event will aid retention of, and provide a valuable competitive opportunity to, talented players transitioning from Junior to Senior categories – a priority age group. England players who are in that age bracket and who are part of the Performance Pathway will be required to compete.

Click here to view the guidance document for prospective hosts (can also be downloaded at the foot of the page).

Mark Bates Ltd National Championships

The stable of National Championships events will be reconfigured into four (rather than the current three) competitions as follows:

• Cadet & U17 Nationals (March 8-9, 2025)
• Senior Nationals (March 21-23, 2025)
• U10-13 Nationals (April 12-13, 2025)
• Junior & U21 Nationals (May 10-11, 2025)

This reorganisation will create more doubles opportunities and continue to support integration of para categories, as well as allowing focus on one age group per day in the three age-group events, and allowing for greater flexibility in the schedule of the Senior Nationals.

Junior Club Leagues

October 12-13, 2024; February 15-16 and March 29-30, 2025

The current Junior British League will have a third date introduced and doubles introduced in boys’ and girls’ Premier Divisions, at the same general entry cost to participants.

In addition to the above, the scheduled Mark Bates Ltd U11 & U13 National Championships this season (June 8-9, 2024 at WV Active Aldersley) will be expanded to an open event which also includes Under-10 and Under-12 categories, in order to provide more youth competition and doubles opportunities which are not restricted by having an existing national ranking. Further details about this, including eligibility criteria, will follow in due course.

Neil Rogers, Head of Competitions and Events, said: “It’s exciting to see these tangible changes to the competitions landscape – they have been a long time in the making and involved extensive consultation with numerous stakeholders in the sport.

“This is a big step towards delivering a fit-for-purpose competition programme to ensure the future health and success of the sport.”

A draft 2024/25 calendar including all these competitions and dates will be available shortly.

Further information on the format of each new event will be released in due course.

Further implementation of the agreed changes will be announced going forward, for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons.

For more about the Competition Review, including FAQs, please click here

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