Badminton is described as a type of racquet sport that is played by 2 opposing players known as “singles” or 2 opposing pairs known as “doubles” that will take up positions on opposing halves of a court shaped in a rectangle which is divided using a net. The players score points by striking what is known as a shuttlecock using their racquets so that the shuttlecock has passed over a net and then lands in the other half of a court on the opposing teams side. The rally will end as soon as the shuttlecock touched the ground. The shuttlecock can only be hit once by either side before passing over a net.
The shuttlecock which is also known as a shuttle, is described as a type of feathered projectile that features unique aerodynamic properties that make it travel or fly in a different way to other ball types that are used in racquet sports, like tennis or pickleball. It is the feathers that create a higher-drag that causes the shuttle to decelerate a lot quicker when compared to a ball. The shuttlecocks also have a higher top-speed in comparison to any of the other types of racquet sports. Due to the fact that the flight of the shuttle can be affected by the wind, the competitive badminton sport will always be conducted indoors.
Since the year 1992, badminton is recognized as one of the Olympic sports that features 5 events. This includes women’s and men’s singles, women’s and men’s doubles and the 5th event includes mixed doubles, where each pair will include 1 women and 1 man. During the higher playing levels, this is the type of sport that requires excellent fitness. The players will need aerobic stamina, precision, speed, strength and agility. This sport is also regarded as technical, and will require good motor-coordination along with developing racquet movements that are sophisticated.
History
Badminton in ancient times, was one of the earlier forms of sports which was played in areas such as ancient Greece. In the country of Japan, a similar game known as Hanetsuki was played as far back as the 16th century. In areas of the west, badminton developed from the game named “battledore and shuttlecock” where 2 or more players had to keep the feathered shuttle away from the ground with the use of small racquets. This game was named “Poona” in India during the 18th century. It was from here that the British Army officers that were stationed there decided to take the Indian version back to their home in England in the 1860s, where the game was then played at the different country houses in the form of “upper-class” amusement.
This “new” sport was launched definitively launched in the year 1873, at the Badminton House in Gloucestershire which was at the time owned by the Duke of Beaufort. It was at this stage that the game was called “The Game of Badminton”, where the official name for the game became Badminton.
The IBF (International Badminton Federation) which is now known as the Badminton World Federation was first established in the year 1934, with Wales, Scotland, New Zealand, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, England, Denmark and Canada as the founding members.
If you’ve never seen badminton played before, here is a YouTube video that shows some amazing shots: