BADMINTON Wonderful Game

HISTORY OF BADMINTON: The modern history of badminton began in India with a game known as poona. Poona was a competitive sport that British Army officers learned and brought back to England, but more about that part of badminton’s history in a moment. First, we must answer the question, “So just where did the game of poona come from?” Child’s Play Poona developed from a children’s game called battledore and shuttlecock. The object of this game was to see how long a group could volley the shuttlecock by hitting it with the battledore, or paddle. This cooperative, non-competitive game was originally played without a net. The shuttlecock is often called a bird because its made out feathers. Today, some models are made of plastic, but competition shuttlecocks consist of 16 real feathers. Experts claim the very best shuttles are made from feathers taken from the left wing of a goose. Who knew? Even before battledore and shuttlecock evolved, there were similar sports being played throughout the world. In fifth century China, ti jian zi was played by kicking a shuttle into the air. By the 1600s, people in Europe were playing jeu de volant, a game that used a racket rather than feet to volley the shuttle. By the time British officers stationed in India encountered poona the game was a fast-paced competitive sport. These officers took the equipment for poona back to England in the early 1870s. A Party at Badminton It was the Duke of Beaufort who officially introduced the game to England. In 1873, guests at a lawn party on his country estate, Badminton, played a game of poona. The game was a hit and soon became popular among the British elite. People began calling the new party sport “the Badminton game.” The game was played both indoors and outdoors on a court with an hourglass shape. It has been suggested that this unusual shape developed so the game could be played in Victorian salons, large rooms with doors that opened inward on both sides. In 1901, the official badminton court became rectangular. Badminton clubs were started throughout England. By 1893, badminton had grown to the point where 14 clubs joined to form the Badminton Association. (Later, when more countries started their own federations, the name was changed to the Badminton Association of England.) This group was instrumental in standardizing the laws of the sport and in starting the earliest and most prestigious badminton tournament, the All-England Badminton Championships. As badminton spread to more countries, the need for an international governing board became apparent. The International Badminton Federation was created in 1934 and today has its headquarters in Kent, England. These nine countries were the original members of the IBF: Canada Denmark England France Ireland The Netherlands New Zealand Scotland Wales Today, the IBF has more than 150 member nations. The American Badminton Association was formed in the United States in 1936 and joined the IBF in 1938. In 1978 the ABA changed its name to the U.S. Badminton Association. From Party Game to Serious Sport Nearly anyone can pick up a lightweight badminton racket and hit the shuttlecock over the net. Because it’s an easy game for beginners, badminton remains popular at picnics and parties. But badminton is deceptive. It is the fastest of all the racket sports. A powerfully hit shuttle can travel as fast as 200 miles per hour. At the elite levels, the game requires amazing speed, strategy, leaping ability, power and quickness. A player can run as much as a mile during a match. As the best players moved from the lawns and salons to competitive courts, they naturally wanted to compete against other top athletes. The All-England Championships gave them this opportunity. By 1938, players from other countries began to compete in this tournament. An American woman, Judy Hashman, won 17 all All-England titles—the most of any player in history. More tournaments and competitions became available as the sport continued to attract more competitive players. In 1939, Sir George Thomas donated the Thomas Cup, a trophy to be awarded at the International Badminton Championship for the top men’s singles players. (Badminton can be played by men or women in singles and doubles competition, and by teams of mixed doubles.) Thomas was a British lawn tennis champion who switched to badminton and won 90 tournament titles over 24 years. Thomas was also the first president of the IBF. In 1949, the Thomas Cup became a men’s world team championship competition much like the Davis Cup in tennis. In 1956, the Uber Cup competition was created for women. Betty Uber of England, one of badminton’s top doubles players, donated the trophy. See a list of Thomas and Uber Cup winners below. Initially, the Davis and Uber Cup Competitions were played every three years. Since 1982, international team championships have been every two years—in even-numbered years. In odd-numbered years, individuals compete for international honors. Thomas Cup Winners Year 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 1973 1976 1979 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 Champion Malaya Malaya Malaya Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia Malaysia Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia China Indonesia China China China Malaysia Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia China China China Uber Cup Winners Year 1957 1957 1960 1963 1966 1969 1972 1975 1978 1981 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 Champion United States United States United States Japan Japan Japan Indonesia Japan Japan China China China China China Indonesia Indonesia China China China China China China China Today, the world’s very best badminton players compete professionally for prize money. Television contracts and sponsorships have dramatically increased the winnings available on the pro badminton circuit. Asia Dominates the Sport Though England birthed the sport of badminton, it has been Asia that adopted it as its own. China and Indonesia are the two dominant nations in international badminton competition. Matches in these nations draw crowds of more than 15,000. These two countries together have won an astonishing 70 percent of all IBF events. Asian countries have claimed all 23 Thomas Cups that have been awarded. In Uber Cup competition, Asian nations have won the last 15 titles. The Olympics have been another showcase for Asian badminton prowess. Badminton was played as a demonstration sport at both the 1972 and 1988 Olympic games. In 1992, medal competition began in men’s and women’s singles and doubles. Mixed doubles was added in 1996. Of the 61 medals awarded in Olympic badminton, Asian countries have won all but seven. The chart below clearly shows their dominance. Olympic Badminton Medals Olympic Badminton Medals Country China Indonesia Korea Malaysia Great Britain Gold 11 6 6 - - Silver 6 6 7 2 1 Bronze 13 6 4 2 1 Total 30 18 17 4 2 Outside of Asia, the Scandinavian countries have the strongest badminton programs. Six times, Denmark has finished second in Thomas cup competition. Interest in badminton, primarily in these two parts of the world, make it the world’s second most popular sport behind soccer. Badminton Court Dimensions Click on the badminton court layout or the links below the layouts for printable or downloadable badminton court diagram. Our diagrams show the size, measurements and layout of a Badminton Court Dimension Image Badminton Court Dimensions Diagram Click on Image for Enlarge View Badminton Court Dimensions Overall Court Dimensions The overall dimensions of a badminton court is 20 feet by 44 feet. The lines along these measurements mark the sidelines for doubles play and long service lines for singles play. The Net Line The net line marks the middle of the court where the net is placed, creating a 22 feet by 20 feet area on each side of the net. Go to : Badminton Court Dimensions Badminton History Badminton Rules Badminton How To Short Service Line The short service line is marked 6 feet 6 inches (some are marked 7 feet) from the center line. The area inside the short service line is also called the Non Volley Zone. Center Line The Center Line is the line that divides the court from the Short Service Line to the Back Boundary Line. This delineates the Left from Right Service Court. Side Line for Singles Play The Singles Side Line is marked 1 1/2 feet from the edge of the outer boundary (doubles side line) Back Boundary Line and Long Service Line for Singles The back boundary line is the same for singles and doubles play it is the outermost back line on the court. Long Service Line for Doubles The Long Service line for Doubles is marked 2 1/2 feet inside the Back Boundary Line. The Badminton Net The badminton net measures 5 feet tall in the center. Badminton Rules - Governing Bodies: Below you will find links to many of the worlds largest Badminton Rules Organizations and Governing Bodies. Click on the links below for more information about the organizations listed. Badminton World Federation USA Badminton (USAB) Badminton Association of England Scottish Badminton Union Badminton Australia Badminton Canada Badminton Union of Ireland (BUI) Singapore Badminton Association Badminton New Zeland Basic Rules of Badminton A sport similar to tennis, badminton is played by either two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs (doubles). Players are positioned at the opposite ends of the court, aiming to hit a shuttlecock over the net so that it lands inside the marked boundaries of the court, and their opponents from doing the same. Only the server can win points. Just like tennis, there are five main categories in badminton: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles (each pair is composed of one man and one woman). A game of badminton is played on a court measuring 6.1 m/20 ft by 13.4 m/44 ft. There is a net (0.8 m/2.5 ft deep and a height of 1.52m/5 ft) stretched across the middle of the court where the shuttlecock must be sent over. How to Play Badminton - Skills, Drills & Strategies for Badminton: Where do you turn to teach, coach or play better badminton? If you teach badminton, you may be looking for a lesson plan for your students. If you coach you want to find effective drills to help your players improve their skills. As a coach or a player you need strategies to hone your game. All of these important elements are in the book, Skills, Drills and Strategies for Badminton. This book will appeal to beginers and experienced players alike. Teachers and coaches will find the information contained within valuable in their respective positions. This comprehensive book on the sport was written by Donald C. Paup and Bo Fernhall (both Department Chairs in Excersice Science) this book's index shows the following topics covered Preface Section 1 Preliminaries History of the Game Organizations Publications Conditioning for Badminton Warm Up and Cool Down Equipment Section 2 The Game General Description Participants Action Involved Rules and Violations Facility Scoring Etiquette Section 3 Skills and Drills Introduction Skill 1 Racket Grip Skill 2 Wrist Action Skill 3 Overhead Strokes Skill 4 Sidearm Strokes Skill 5 Underhand Strokes Skill 6 Hairpin Drop Shots Skill 7 Service Strokes Skill 8 Blocking Strokes Skill 9 Footwork Section 4 Strategies Psychological Strategies for Performance Enhancement Game Strategy Singles Strategy Doubles Strategy Mixed Doubles Strategy.

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