In 2023, the club invited Rick Wiker to be the club coach during the spring and autumn. Spring Coaching will begin again in mid-March 2024.
   
Rick has coached at the Garrison Forest School for 12 years and he is director of the Howard County Meadowbrook youth badminton programs.

Rick was a high school county champion for several years in both singles and doubles and the runner-up in western NY competitions. 8 years later, he was a Maryland state champion in singles. For the past decade, he was either champion or runner-up in the Maryland State Seniors (Ages 50+) competing in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. In 2023, he played in the National Senior Games in Pittsburgh - he won second place in Singles and 3rd in Doubles (with JC Hsu) in the 70's age group.

Rick was the president of the Catonsville Badminton Club for 41 years (until 2019). He also started and then managed the Baltimore Badminton Charity Open for 15 years (raising over $75,000 for the Red Cross). He's now a consultant and web master for that large annual event. He also manages the even larger annual Howard County Open, which had over 300 entries in 2023.

Rick has retired from an IT career and concentrates on woodworking, including furniture; updating his log cabin residence; and coaching badminton for Howard County. He does not offer private lessons, but recommends the local Loch Raven, Towsontowne, or CBA club pros for players wanting personalized coaching.

His Western Tech group training hours are 6:30pm - 8:30pm Sundays starting in mid-March, Fees are $7 cash per night or a monthly fee ($25 cash for a month with 4 Sundays and $30 cash for a month with 5 Sundays). Normally, the first 8 students to arrive will be trained, but students who have paid in advance (via the monthly fee) will bump others if necessary. Students must be at least 9 years old and must be a Club members.

A parent or guardian for each child must stay at the gym in case any problems arise (the coach is not a babysitter); the parent/guardian can also get trained if they are a club member.

OTHER NEARBY TRAINING FACILITIES

In the Towson/Parkville area, the Loch Raven Badminton Club provides Adult and Child training.

In Towson, try the Towsontowne Club.

In Columbia, the Capital Badminton Academy provides Adult and Child training.