Badminton | Teen Ink

Badminton MAG

By Anonymous

     “Badminton, a real sport? Are you kidding? Badminton is for girls who have no athletic talent but want to be on a team. There is no way that wussy sport is harder than tennis or track.” That’s the usual reaction to badminton. Most people think the game includes ladies wearing petticoats, gently tapping the birdie (shuttlecock) back and forth. The sport is widely depicted as lacking intensity or serious competition. Arguing that badminton is indeed a rigorous sport is futile.

I recently read an article by sports writer Frank Fitzpatrick, who wrote, “Until barbecuing becomes an official sport, there’s little need for lawn games.” In other editorials, he implies that any person could play badminton without breaking a sweat. He also writes that no one attends badminton matches, even at the Olympics.

Professional badminton is in fact one the most exhilarating sports of all time. It is the world’s fastest racket sport with the shuttlecock’s speed topping 200 miles per hour. Most NASCAR racers have trouble attaining that speed! The shuttlecock can be hit to any part of the court and even the most experienced players have trouble seeing it when it travels that fast. Professionals have suffered permanent eye damage and ruptured their Achilles tendons trying to reach the shuttlecock. Obviously, this “backyard sport” is more intense than most realize.

Tennis is considered an extreme sport on a large court. Badminton, played on a much smaller court, is not considered action-filled, though it requires running, jumping, lightning-fast reflexes, and power. In a typical two-game singles match, players will cover almost every inch of the court and travel more than a mile, not to mention hit the birdie 400 times in 20 minutes. Compared to tennis, badminton players compete for half the time, but run twice as far and hit twice as many shots.

Most who judge badminton know little about the game. But, during the 1992 Olympics, 1.1 billion people worldwide watched the badminton competition, most from Asian countries where badminton players are held in high esteem. Won’t you give it a fair shake?



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This article has 8 comments.


lucky girl said...
on Jan. 8 2016 at 5:12 am
This speech is very useful and I hope that this speech will change the mind od people who use more plastic

Ads. said...
on Nov. 26 2013 at 5:52 pm
Agreed! Good points listed. People just don't understand how hard the sport really is if you play competitively. And the sport takes just as much skill (If I must say) to get the shuttle going fast and in the right direction maybe more. They have tennis, rugby, hockey, football etc on TV but I never see badminton unless it's the olympics or worlds etc. It should be publicised a lot more. Just as other not so well known sports should be too. They talk about getting kids into sport but why should they even care if they haven't  see the sport at such a proffessional level. I ask half the people I know if they have seen badminton proffessionally on TV or in real life and they say no. That's how publicised badminton is.

on Aug. 15 2013 at 9:05 am
bookmouse BRONZE, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
1 article 90 photos 251 comments
Well written and I agree, it's a sport! I love talking to nontaditional sport people because they usually take other nontraditional sports seriously (I ride horseback, which a lot of people seem to think is as easy as sitting on a chair)! Martial arts is another one people have a hard time accepting as a sport. Next time someone says badmintion isn't a sport invite them to play with you or drag them to a competition.

on Oct. 23 2011 at 8:07 pm
riesenlover BRONZE, Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts
1 article 1 photo 3 comments
IT IS A SPORT...I ride horses and I hate when people say that riding isn't a sport

Catherine said...
on Jul. 27 2011 at 9:26 am
I want to make friends with you.

on Jul. 5 2011 at 9:51 pm
KristinHopkins8 SILVER, Aspen, Colorado
7 articles 0 photos 83 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If a writer falls in love with you, you can never die"

my family and i are hosting two badminton athletes from Norway for a tournament here. We watched them practice, and i totally agree with you that it is a difficult sport. they have to be on their feet and in such good shape to do that sport! 

on Aug. 9 2010 at 2:30 am
Future_author SILVER, Baltimore, Maryland
9 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
Some secrets can hurt, but sometimes they keep you safe, but all secrets are found out sooner or later.

i love badminton it is one of the only sports I'm good at.

cavalier87 said...
on Mar. 9 2010 at 12:41 pm
i love badminton!

on Aug. 25 2009 at 1:22 am
Sara.M.G.D BRONZE, Dallas, Texas
4 articles 1 photo 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
thats interesting

very interesting i have never heard of it before