Badminton: so much more than a picnic game
Shannon Pugh
Issue date: 1/27/06 Section: Sports
This issue we will dive into a sport that thrives in the backyard-picnic world: badminton. Although usually disregarded in the family setting, the International Badminton Federation (IBF) has clearly established the laws of play for competition sake.
As with any sport, badminton requires the use of very specific equipment on a certain playing field (called a court). Sides consisting of either one or two players volley a birdie (or shuttle) using rackets over a net hoping that it will hit the ground on the opposing side.
Each court consists of a 6.1 meter wide by 13.4 meter long surface divided in half by a low net. During single play, two stripes on either edge are taken away decreasing the width of the playing field.
The size of the court alone sets the sport apart from all others. According to former high school player Liz Weber, "When playing in a smaller court it is much harder to make offensive shots because of such little space to contend with."
After a coin toss has determined the service and playing sides, the first game of the three-game set can begin. Men play to 15 while women to 11, but both have the option for extension by two points if the team whom reaches the match point first (14 for men, 10 for women), and a tie occurs (14-14 or 10-10).
A team can score points only after it member has served and the other team fails to keep the rally going. The first serve always starts on the right-hand side and must land in the left service area on the opponent's court, and alternates sides there after. A serve must always be in an underhand motion.
In singles, the serve switches back and forth between teams each time a serve is lost. However doubles operates quite differently. The order of service is team A player 1, team B player 1, team B player 2, and finally team A player 2.
Lastly players switch sides after each game and when the lead team reaches 8 points in men and 6 for women.
As with any sport, badminton requires the use of very specific equipment on a certain playing field (called a court). Sides consisting of either one or two players volley a birdie (or shuttle) using rackets over a net hoping that it will hit the ground on the opposing side.
Each court consists of a 6.1 meter wide by 13.4 meter long surface divided in half by a low net. During single play, two stripes on either edge are taken away decreasing the width of the playing field.
The size of the court alone sets the sport apart from all others. According to former high school player Liz Weber, "When playing in a smaller court it is much harder to make offensive shots because of such little space to contend with."
After a coin toss has determined the service and playing sides, the first game of the three-game set can begin. Men play to 15 while women to 11, but both have the option for extension by two points if the team whom reaches the match point first (14 for men, 10 for women), and a tie occurs (14-14 or 10-10).
A team can score points only after it member has served and the other team fails to keep the rally going. The first serve always starts on the right-hand side and must land in the left service area on the opponent's court, and alternates sides there after. A serve must always be in an underhand motion.
In singles, the serve switches back and forth between teams each time a serve is lost. However doubles operates quite differently. The order of service is team A player 1, team B player 1, team B player 2, and finally team A player 2.
Lastly players switch sides after each game and when the lead team reaches 8 points in men and 6 for women.