JIT dates: 4/3/26 - 4/6/26
Hello fellow NorCal badminton families!
We had a great community effort in 2024/25 to "Bring JIT to NorCal". Before we know it, 2026 JIT is up for bidding. In order to encourage bay area clubs to bid for hosing 2026 JIT, NCPC suggests we start another fundraising (target $20K) to show our community support!
We decided to use the same approach as last year to start the pledge to a total of $20K. This fund will be collected after the selection is done and only if a bay area club is selected by USAB. It will be provided directly to the hosting club. The deadline of bidding is 12/19 - only a few days away. It's important for us work together to pledge $20K together to show our support and strong desire to have the JIT in the bay area again.
If we were to travel to another city for JIT, we will be easily spending $1500-2000 for the travel expense, plus we need to take extra days off for the traveling. If we can come up with $20K to support the hosting club to cover this high bidding fee from USAB, and if they win the bid, we will get to play this important tournament locally and save a lot of expenses. NCPC recommend a donation of $250 from each player's parents, and we will also recommend other local clubs to contribute $300-500 to support their fellow club who step up to host the tournament.
We appreciate your support and let's show the power of our community again!
Keep-JIT-in-NorCal Fundraiser https://forms.gle/afCTF8X9M7f8GcAs7
Here’s how you can help:
Help connecting sponsors
Donate to makes a difference (please fill the form and pledge; please consider the amount entered as commitment, recommended $250+. Fund will be collected after club(s) has entered and won the bid).
Fill out the form and pledge donation amount before 12/18 to help us meet our target at the 1st stage.
Talk to all NorCal club owners (with 20+ courts) that the community may be able to get a fund to support interested clubs. Please consider hosting JIT.
Spread the words about keep JIT in NorCal: Share this fundraiser with your friends, family, and fellow badminton lovers.
Ways to donate to the Keep-JIT-in-NorCal Fund
Benevity - please look for RisingStars Infinite. If your company does have a company matching program (donation or volunteer hours), we strongly encourage you to use this method so we can get additional funding to run our regular operations.
Zelle: https://www.zellepay.com/go/zelle ID: risingstarsinfinite@gmail.com
Cash - if you see me at upcoming RisingStars sparring events, at Synergy, or at other locations.
Paypal: https://paypal.me/RisingstarsInfinite?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US
*** Please see below for what we accomplished together in 2025; why & how we can support this community efforts ***
We did it! We finally got the $20K fund we targeted, and I've presented the checks to CanAm on 4/12. On behalf of RisingStars Infinite, I'd like to express my sincere appreciation to all 90+ families who donated to the fund. I'd also like to thank Synergy, F&K, and BWB, who made significant contribution to the fund. It's indeed a great community effort!
As a parent, I'm very glad that I didn't have to plan/purchase flight/hotel/rental car, and I don't need to worry about taking time off from school/work next week! I hope my son and all NorCal players are all well prepared and be ready to do their best in the JIT next week!
I truly believe community efforts like this creates win-win scenarios that benefit not only to the players/parents, but also to all badminton clubs. Hope all Bay Area clubs will be encouraged to host more major tournaments in the area.
Finally, good luck to all players at JIT!
USAB:
Tournamentsoftware Link: https://www.tournamentsoftware.com/tournament/E5F301F7-ADE5-4AEF-8941-FAD832AEF8F8
Updates 2/1/2025
USAB announced that JIT will be hosted at CanAm in San Jose, CA. Can-Am Elite Badminton & Sports to Host 2025 Junior International Selection Event (for Pan Am Junior Championships/BWF World Junior Championships) - USA Badminton
Great news to the NorCal community! This should benefit all NorCal players, parents, clubs/coaches, and the whole badminton community. Let's keep our promise to the provide our supports!
Updates 12/14/2024 (recap of events in the last few days)
USAB informed a parent in the other region that they are only considering bids submitted prior to 11/22. Many NorCal parents, myself included have expressed that USAB should honor the deadline posted on USAB official website (12/4)
During the USAB Annual Assembly meeting, we brought up this topic to USAB. Below is the question I sent "Regarding 2025 Selection Event for Pan Am Jr Championship /World Jr., the deadline set to 12/4 as listed on USAB website. NorCal community, including parents from all clubs, worked together to raise funds to encourage our NorCal clubs to bid for JIT. Both Bintang and Synergy stepped up and submitted the bids before the 12/4 (and both received acknowledgement from USAB). We'd like to make sure these NorCal clubs are considered as potential host in your selection process. We saw an email message from John (shared in a public group from a parent in other region) stating that USAB "only considering bids submitted prior to 11/22", which we believe is incorrect, unfair, and disrespectful to the efforts and good will from NorCal families"
In the meeting, John R still stated that they will only consider bids prior to 11/22, but acknowledged that NorCal has the largest badminton population and JIT should be hosted at NorCal at some time. He also mentioned that there is one club in NorCal expressed interests prior to 11/22.
It was later confirmed CanAm did sent an email to USAB in early Nov, so CanAm is eligible to be selected per USAB's "interpretation of deadline",(which we still think it's wrong. All clubs submitted by 12/4 should be considered). In any case, thank you Can Am for submitting your interests early!
CanAm owner did reach out to me on 12/14 evening and discuss the supports needed from the community.
I did confirm that my view and my plan is still the same. We set up the process and plan to execute if indeed Can Am is selected to host JIT in 2025, which include collect and provide the $20K funding to the club, and encourage community support in volunteering / helping out at JIT.
JIT cost structure and charges
$20K bid fee
30-33% revenue split
Fees for Junior Coaching Fund and Technical Official / Admin fee ($60 per player)
Clubs to be responsible for hotel, meals, per diem for all technical officials, and other tournament expenses (medals, meals for volunteers, mementos, etc).
Hosting club needs to close the gym for the duration of the tournament and put in a lot of work to host and run the tournament.
Based on the projected revenue and the expenses, to host JIT, hosting club needs to pay out of pocket $7k, plus loss of 4 days weekend revenue (class, court rental income, etc).
From efforts, workload and financial point of view, it doesn't make sense for NorCal clubs to host JIT
Above is based on my understanding of the USAB charge structure and estimate expenses of tournament. If anything is incorret, please feel free to point it out and let me know. The actual expense of the tournament by the hosting club is likely to be more than $10k
Accept the fact that, unless there is significant change in the badminton community, we will NOT have JIT in NorCal in foreseeable future.
Accept that for our kids to participate in JIT, each family will spend ~$1500-$2000 travel expense to fly somewhere else to play JIT.
or,
we can do something about it!