Roger Mills (badminton)

Roger J Mills (1942–2020)[1] was a former English international badminton player[2] and coach.

Roger J Mills
Personal information
CountryEngland
Born3 March 1942
Battersea, Greater London, England
Died16 October 2020(2020-10-16) (aged 78)
Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, England
HandednessRight
CoachEngland National Coach Senior & Junior
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1966 Kingston Mixed doubles
Silver medal – second place 1970 Edinburgh Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1966 Kingston Men's doubles
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 1968 Bochum Men's doubles
Silver medal – second place 1968 Bochum Mixed doubles

Badminton career

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Mills won 9 English National titles, Singles three years running, 1965, 1966, and 1967, Men's Doubles 1967 and 1970 plus Mixed Doubles 1965, 1968, 1969 and 1971. Roger was a Winston Churchill Fellow which he gained in 1974 for his contribution to badminton. https://www.wcmt.org.uk/users/roger-jmills1974

He won the 1969 All England Badminton Championships in mixed doubles with Gillian Perrin when this tournament was considered the sport's premier event (aside from the international team world championships, Thomas Cup and Uber Cup).[3]

Mills competed in the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica winning the gold medal, in the mixed doubles with Angela Bairstow and a bronze medal, in the men's doubles with David Horton. Four years later he won a silver medal, in the mixed doubles with Perrin at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.[4][5][6]

He represented Surrey and spent many of his years coaching in Surrey, most notably at Guildford University and at the Wimbledon Squash and Badminton Centre.

After his playing career, Roger continued his love of the sport of Badminton by becoming one of the leading coaches in the country where he took the position of Senior English National Coach before moving his focus to the development of youth badminton. In addition, Roger was the Part-Time Scottish National Coach in 1976 until 1980 where he provided new age coaching techniques to a generation of Scottish Badminton champions.

Roger's coaching and dedication to Badminton resulted in the development of many Champions at all ages and levels.

Roger has written and published a number of books on badminton and is a Winston Churchill Fellowship.

All England Badminton Championships

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Year Event Event Partner Result
1969 All England Badminton Championships Mixed Doubles Gillian Perrin Winner
1970 All England Badminton Championships Mixed Doubles Gillian Perrin Semi-Finals

Commonwealth Games

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Year Event Partner Result
1966 Commonwealth Games Mixed Doubles Angela Bairstow Gold
1966 Commonwealth Games Men's Doubles David Horton Bronze
Year Event Partner Result
1970 Commonwealth Games Mixed Doubles Gillian Perrin. Silver

English National Badminton Championships

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Year Title Event Partner Result
1965 English Nationals Men's Singles n/a Winner
1965 English Nationals Mixed Doubles Margaret Barrand Winner
1966 English Nationals. Men's Singles n/a Winner
1967 English Nationals Men's Singles n/a Winner
1967 English Nationals. Men's Doubles David Horton Winner
1968 English Nationals Mixed Doubles Gillian Perrin Winner
1969 English Nationals Mixed Doubles Gillian Perrin Winner
1970 English Nationals Men's Doubles Tony Jordan Winner

Juniors

Year Title Event Partner Result
1958 English National Juniors Men's Singles n/a Winner
1958 English National Juniors Mixed Doubles M. K. Bishop Winner
1959 English National Juniors Men's Singles n/a Winner
1959 English National Juniors Men's Doubles D. J. Minton Winner
1959 English National Juniors Mixed Doubles Angela Bairstow Winner
1960 English National Juniors Men's Singles n/a Winner
1960 English National Juniors Men's Doubles D. J. Minton Winner
1960 English National Juniors Mixed Doubles Angela Bairstow Winner

Open Badminton Championships

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Year Title Event Partner Result
1964 Austrian Open. Mixed Doubles Michael Rawlings Winner
1965 Irish Open Men's Doubles David Horton Winner
1966 Scottish Open Men's Doubles David Horton Winner
1967 Irish Open Men's Doubles David Horton Winner
1967 Irish Open Mixed Doubles Iris Rogers Winner
1967 Welsh Open Men's Singles n/a Winner
1967 Welsh Open Men's Doubles Robert S. McCoig Winner
1967 Canadian Open Men's Doubles Colin Beacom Winner
1967 Canadian Open Mixed Doubles Sharon Whitacker Winner
1968 Welsh Open Men's Singles n/a Winner
1968 Welsh Open Mixed Singles Julie Charles Winner
1968 Welsh Open Men's Doubles J. G. Pearson Winner
1968 European Championships Mixed Doubles Gillian Perrin Runner Up
1968 Swedish Open Mixed Doubles Gillian Gilks Winner
1969 Scottish Open Mixed Doubles Susan Whetnall Winner
1970 Scottish Open Mixed Doubles Gillian Gilks Winner
1971 Scottish Open Mixed Doubles Gillian Gilks Winner

Winston Churchill Fellow

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The Fellowship was created by public subscription in 1965 as the living legacy of Sir Winston Churchill.  ‘We are empowering individuals to learn from the world, for the benefit of the UK. Today this idea is more valuable than ever’.

Roger was awarded the Winston Churchill Fellowship for his overseas research  on Badminton in China.

Award Year Category Award
Winston Churchill Fellowship[7] 1974 Adventure, Sport & Exploration Coaching of badminton

Published Books

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Author Name Publisher Year ISBN
Roger Mills & Eric Butler Modern Badminton Stanley Paul 1966 1547628077MEP
Roger Mills Tackle Badminton Stanley Paul 1974 ISBN 9780091192204
Roger Mills Tackle Badminton Hutchinson 1977 ISBN 9780091290214
Roger Mills Badminton EP Sport 1977 ISBN 978-0715805596
Roger Mills Badminton Sterling 1980 ISBN 978-0715805954
Roger Mills Pocket Guide To Badminton Tactics Bell & Hyman 1985 ISBN 9780713525410

References

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  1. ^ "WATTANASIN WINS LANCASHIRE OPEN SINGLES". The Singapore Free Press 5 December 1961.
  2. ^ "History". All England Badminton.
  3. ^ Matthews/Morrison, Peter/Ian. The Guinness Encyclopaedia of Sports Records and Results. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. pp. 74-78. ISBN 0-85112-492-5.
  4. ^ "profile". Commonwealth Games Federation.
  5. ^ "1970 Athletes". Team England.
  6. ^ "Edinburgh, 1970 Team". Team England.
  7. ^ "roger j.mills.1974 | Winston Churchill Memorial Trust". www.wcmt.org.uk. Retrieved 15 November 2020.