Front row: Natalie Troughear, Jess Wallace, Jackie McEwan, Laura Todd. Missing from picture is Leanne Sewell.
Cumbria Badminton Association has marked a significant milestone this season with the reintroduction of a second senior team into the Badminton England Senior County Championships.
Historically, the county fielded three teams, but declining participation over the past 10 to 15 years saw this reduced to a single team in recent seasons.
Following a year of consultation and player recruitment, the association voted to re-enter a second team, ensuring sufficient interest and depth to meet the competition requirement of at least four male and four female players per team.
Graeme Lowrey stepped forward to manage the newly formed second team, ensuring that the considerable effort invested in rebuilding participation was not lost.
At the start of the season, a selection committee finalised both squads, marking the return of two Cumbria county teams competing at senior level once again.
The Cumbria first team played in Division 3 North with Malcolm Grayson the team manager.
Division 3 North, Cumbria faced seven other counties across fixtures held at the Tyneside Badminton Centre. Each match consisted of 11 rubbers, including singles, doubles, and mixed events.
The team made an excellent start in November 2025, securing victories over Derbyshire 2 (6–5) and Isle of Man 2 (8–3). Momentum continued in January this year with a narrow win against Lancashire 4 (6–5), before their first setback against Northumberland 2 (4–7).
Front row: Esme Williamson, Natalie Troughear. Emily Wood, Bekah Briggs. Missing from picture is Emma Metcalf.
Heading into the final round of matches in March, Cumbria sat third in the table, within reach of promotion. Strong wins over Nottinghamshire 3 (6–5) and Cheshire 3 (9–2) kept promotion hopes alive. However, a 4–7 defeat to Lincolnshire 1 ultimately confirmed a third-place finish.
Ten players represented the first team throughout the campaign, drawing talent from Leagues across Carlisle, Westmorland, and West Cumbria, highlighting the county’s competitive depth.
Cumbria second team played in Division 4 North East with Graeme Lowrey as team manager.
The reformed second team competed against five other counties and despite challenges with player availability throughout the season, the team demonstrated resilience and strong team spirit.
Their campaign had also began in November 2025 with a hard-fought 6–5 victory over Northumberland 3.
In January, despite further disruptions and the need for multiple substitutes, Cumbria secured another 6–5 win against Staffordshire 3 before facing a strong Lincolnshire 2 side, losing 9–2 in a match that was closer than the scoreline suggested.
Entering the final round in March, Cumbria 2 remained in contention for a top-two finish. A convincing 7–4 win over Lincolnshire 3 guaranteed at least third place, before another 7–4 victory over Shropshire 2 in their final match.
Winning four of their five matches, Cumbria 2 secured an impressive second-place finish in their first season back in the competition, with potential promotion pending confirmation from Badminton England.
A total of 15 players represented the second team during the season, including several making their senior county debut—an encouraging sign for the future of badminton in the county.
With the first team finishing third out of eight teams and the second team achieving second place out of six, the 2025–26 season represents a positive step forward for Cumbria badminton.
The successful reintroduction of a second team reflects growing participation and renewed enthusiasm within the county.
The association has thanked all players, team managers and players families whose commitment and support made the season possible and TJ Kemp Construction Ltd for its sponsorship of the 2nd team tops this season.
With a strong foundation now in place, Cumbria looks ahead with optimism, aiming to build on this success and push for promotion in the coming seasons.
