With so many great sports out there to play, some, such as badminton, get overlooked. Sure, it’s not the most popular sport on the block, but badminton is fun, fast-paced and perfect for sunny summer fun!
Badminton is basically a mix between tennis, volleyball and squash. You play with long handled racquets, and “birdies” or shuttlecocks (those things that get whacked back and forth). The original birdie was a cork with feathers sticking off one side creating a conic shape, allowing it to spiral through the air. Now, most people use cheaper and more durable plastic versions that you can find at any sporting goods store.
You can play singles or doubles, serving the birdie over a net about five feet high. The server has to serve the birdie within a specific box on the opposite diagonal side of the net. The rest entails a rally back and forth across the net, peppered with spikes, slams, drop shots and clears. It’ll really keep ya’ on your feet!
If your school offers badminton as a club or sport, you might want to consider giving it a shot. It varies from being considered a fall or spring sport and is guaranteed to keep you entertained while improving your hand-eye coordination. Can’t find it at school? Check our your local YMCA or any other activity center in your area for club teams. Better yet, pick up a yard set from llbean.com, SEARS or Target and get the whole fam involved.
By: Holland White
BY JIAE K. ON 7/23/2008 10:36:00 AM 47 COMMENTS