The new millennium opened with Mayo badminton at one of its lowest points for adult participation. By the 2000/2001 season only a handful of adult clubs were still active in the county. Those that remained often had small memberships or had lost interest in entering a county league, choosing instead to play casually at local level.
Juvenile badminton, however, remained much stronger. The Mayo Juvenile Closed Championships were run throughout the decade and continued to attract players from across the county, providing competition and development opportunities even as senior structures declined.
With no county league available, Ballina Badminton Club continued to look elsewhere for competition and maintained a strong presence in the Sligo League. In time Castlebar Badminton Club also joined the league, entering teams there for several seasons. Ballina’s commitment was rewarded in 2002/2003 when their team won the Division Five Connacht Club title and went on to finish runners-up in the All-Ireland finals. At the same time efforts were made to revive a Mayo adult league, but the initiative fell short and the competition could not be re-established.
To help keep the sport visible and accessible, the Mayo Badminton Association organised social events throughout the decade. These gatherings provided an opportunity for players to meet, play, and enjoy the sport in a less formal setting, keeping interest alive during a period when formal structures were limited.
As the decade moved on there were encouraging signs of growth, particularly at juvenile level. The 2006/2007 season saw a rise in both the number of clubs and the number of young players competing in the Mayo Juvenile Closed Championships. Two years later Mayo celebrated a milestone on the provincial stage when nine of its players were selected for the Connacht Under-15 team. That side went on to win silver at the Interprovincial Championships, the first time a Connacht juvenile team had achieved such success.
Mayo also played an important role as a host county during this period. A variety of Connacht adult and juvenile closed competitions were staged in venues such as Ballina and Castlebar, giving local players valuable opportunities to compete against provincial opposition. These events ensured Mayo remained firmly connected to the wider badminton community, even while its own adult league struggled to return.
The 2000s were therefore a decade of adaptation and gradual rebuilding. While adult competition remained limited, the commitment of clubs and the strong presence of juvenile players provided the foundation for future renewal.