HISTORY, FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENTS

What is the game all about?

The objective of the game is simple, that is to hit the shuttle over the net so that it lands in your
opponent's court before it can be returned. You can hit the shuttle fast, slow, high, flat or low. You can
smash it with maximum power or use the most delicate touch shots.

A rally is started when the shuttle is returned. Each rally begins with a stroke known as the serve.
This gets the shuttle into play, and from then on you will be engaged in a battle to outwit your opponent
by using strokes which aim to increase your chances of winning that rally.

You can win the rally when:

 You hit the shuttle on to the ground in your opponent's court.

 Your opponent makes a mistake and hits the shuttle out of court.

 Your opponent has committed a fault according to Badminton Rules.

Like tennis, Badminton can be played in singles or doubles.

HISTORY OF BADMINTON

Badminton evolved from a Chinese game of the 15th century BC called ti jian zi that involved kicking
of shuttle. A later version of the sport was played in Ancient Greece and India with rackets rather than
with feet. A similar game called, jeu de volant appeared in Europe during 1600’s.

In other history, Badminton was invented long ago; a form of sport played in ancient Greece and
Egypt. Badminton came from a child's game called battledore and shuttlecock, in which two players hit a
feathered shuttlecock back and forth with tiny rackets. The game was called "POONA" in India during
the 18th Century, and British Army Officers stationed there took the Indian version back to England in
the 1860's. The army men introduced the game to friends, but the new sport was definitely launched
there at a party given in 1873 by the Duke of Beaufort at his country place, "Badminton" in
Gloucestershire. During that time, the game had no name, but it was referred to as "The Game of
Badminton," and, thereupon, Badminton became its official name.

In 1934, the International Badminton Federation (IBF) was organized with nine members - Canada,
Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. Membership grew
steadily year after year. It became the sport's sole international governing body in 1981. The
International Badminton Federation (IBF) decided in March 1939, that the time had arrived for the
inauguration of international competition. Its president, Sir George A. Thomas. Baronet, offered a trophy
for the winning team. The war and post-war shortages of shuttlecocks delayed the first Thomas Cup
matches until the 1948-49 season.
FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENTS

1. COURT

Court size for singles - 44 feet long x 17 feet wide

Court size for doubles - 44 feet long x 20 feet wide

2. POSTS

The posts shall be 1.55 meters (5 feet 1 inch) in height from the surface of the court.
They shall be sufficiently firm to keep the net strained as provided in Law 3, and shall be placed
on the side boundary lines of the court. Where this is not practicable, some method must be
employed for indicating the position of the side boundary line where it passes under the net,
e.g., by use of a thin post or strips of material, not less than 40mm (1 1/2 inches) in width, fixed
to the side boundary line and rising vertically to the net cord. Where this is in use on a court
marked for doubles it shall be placed on the side boundary line of the doubles court irrespective
of whether singles or doubles are being played.

3. NET

The net shall be made of fine natural cord of artificial fiber of a dark color and even
thickness and not less than 15mm (5/8 inch) and not more than 20mm (3/4 inch) mesh. It shall
be firmly stretched from post to post, and shall be 760mm (2 feet 6 inches) in depth. The top of
the net shall be 1.524 meters (5 feet) in height from the floor at the centre, and 1.55 meters (5
feet 1 inch) at the posts, and shall be edged with a 75mm (3 inches) white tape doubled and
supported by a cord or cable run through the tape and strained over and flush with the top of
the posts.

4. SHUTTLECOCK
 A Shuttlecock shall have 16 feathers fixed in a cork base covered in kid leather.
Interestingly, the best Badminton Shuttlecocks are made from feathers from the left wing of a
goose.

The feathers shall be measured from the tip to the top of the
base and each shuttle shall be of the same length. This length can be
between 62mm and 70mm. The shuttle shall weigh between 4.74 to 5.5
grams.

5. RACKET

The racket shall be a frame not exceeding 680 mm in overall

length and 230 mm in overall width consisting of the main parts. The
handle is the part of the racket intended to be gripped by a player. The
stringed area is the part of the racket with which it is intended that a
player hits the shuttle. The head bounds the stringed area. The shaft
connects the handle to the head. The throat (if present) connects the
shaft to the head. The weight should not exceed more than 100 grams.

BADMINTON BASIC SKILLS

Badminton is one of the most followed and fast sport which demands utmost fitness. At the same
time, badminton is a beginner friendly sport which anyone can start without much hesitation. In fact,
playing the sport has many health advantages added to the fun. If and when you start playing the
wonderful sport, you need to work on some basics to make it the top in the individually demanding
sport. Besides, if you decide to go pro, basics are something that will haunt you in the journey if not paid
proper attention to them.

BASIC SKILLS

1) GRIP

is a way of holding the racket in order to hit shots during a match. Most players change grips
during a rally depending on whether it is a forehand or backhand shot. A grip is also the wrapping
around of the fingers and hand in the handle of the racket.

Kinds of Grip:

 Forehand Grip - The forehand grip is mainly used for forehand over head shots. It’s an easy grip
to learn, and also provides a useful reference point for learning the other grips.

 Panhandle Grip - is mainly used for forehand shots in front of your body. That means it’s useful
for many forehands in the midcourt or at the net, but not in the rear court.
  Thumb Grip - is like the backhand version of a panhandle grip. It’s mainly used for backhands
where the shuttle is in front of you. That means it’s useful for many backhands in the midcourt
or at the net, but not in the rear court.

 Backhand Grip - Often we need a less extreme version of a thumb grip. I call it a backhand grip,
because that’s the most common name. You could also call it a partial or moderate thumb grip.

 Neutral Grip - is mainly used in between shots, as it helps you change quickly to other grips. It
can also be used for hitting certain shots.

 Bevel Grip - is mainly used for backhands in the rear court, such as clears or drop shots.

2) STANCE

The stance is how you stand while playing badminton, both in between a rally and before the
serve. A stable and correct stance will bring a huge change in the results due to easier
movement. There are 3 types of stance:

 Attacking Stance

It is used to get into position before playing an overhead forehand stroke. To stand in the
attacking stance turn your body facing the sidelines with racket leg behind and both legs
shoulder-width apart. Now raise both racket and non-racket arm to generate the power to
attack the shuttle on its downward trajectory.

 Defensive Stance

To defend the opponent’s smash, you need to be prepared with the defensive stance. Face the
body to the net and place your racket in front at waist height, slightly pointing forward. You can
keep the non-racket arm as comfortable while ensuring a better balance.

 Net Stance

This stance is to be ready for the opponent’s return after playing a net shot. To play this shot,
place your foot on the racket side forward while keeping non-racket foot at the back. Place the
racket in front of the body, slightly above waist height while raising the non-racket arm. Shift the
body weight slightly forward to be ready to pounce forward.

3) FOOTWORK

Badminton is played on a court with limited space, and the athletes have to take care of the
same while playing. Footwork plays a huge role in helping with an effective and organized
movement on the court. In fact, some coaches even raise footwork to prime importance over
other skills.

Tips for proper footwork

 • Always remember the base (starting point).

• Move only 2-3 steps backwards.

• Shuffle only 1 step sidewards.

• Move only 2-3 steps front.

4) SERVE

is the way the shuttle is put into play. Typically, the serves in badminton are different for singles
and doubles play. In singles, you want to serve with a high long shot that will land near the back
of your opponent's court. Service is among the most basic skill that you need to master in
Badminton. Also, you should ensure to make a legal service otherwise it might lead to penalty
points.

5) SMASH
 Smash is the most potent and powerful stroke in badminton which naturally turns out to be the
most familiar term to all. The shot is basically to hit the shuttle powerfully towards the opponent’s
body or downward on the court. A perfectly executed smash has no defense. Technically there are 3
types of smashes:

 Forehand smash

The forehand is an overhead smash which is similar to the action of throwing a ball. You
shouldn’t have a problem playing this stroke if you can throw a ball well.

 Backhand smash

This is one of the toughest strokes in badminton, and even experts face difficulty in playing the
stroke. Still, it is important to practice and get the technique to rise in the skill level. To execute
this stroke, getting the backhand grip is extremely important. Also, it is equally important to
return back to stance.

 Jump smash

A jump smash is basically taking a jump before hitting the shuttle to give it a steeper angle and
making it very hard for the opponent to return. The jump that is taken before hitting the smash
is because it generates a lot of power making it more effective.

6) DROP SHOT

Badminton Drop Shots is a badminton shot that you perform when you are in the back of your
court and you hit the shuttle so it lands in the front part of your opponent's side (near the net).It
is a delicate badminton shots that can win you points that aim at scoring points in deception.
Played with both backhand and forehand, these are used to move the opponent to the
frontcourt. This creates space in the midcourt and backcourt for you to exploit. There are slow
and fast drop shots, played judging the situation.

7) CLEAR OR LOB

is hitting the birdie high and deep into the opponent’s court. It can be used as a defensive hit to
make sure your opponent cannot smash the shuttle at you or use it to keep your opponent on
the move. The idea is to land it as near to the baseline as it is, at an angle that is impossible to
clear. This is similar to the drop in challenging the opponent with sudden motion backwards this
time. It can also be executed by both backhand and forehand. This generally results in the
creation of space in the front and midcourt, opening plenty of opportunities.

BADMINTON TERMS, SCORING SYSTEM , BASIC RULES & OFFICIALS

 BADMINTON TERMS FOR SCORING:

1. Love - this refers to Zero points.

2. All - if both sides' scores are level, we say ALL behind the points. For example, if the score is 2 –
2, we say 2 ALL. The score of the winner of the last rally should always be mentioned first. For
example, you won the last rally. Your score is now 2, and your opponent's score is 5, so the
score of the game will be mentioned as 2 – 5.

3. Deuce - if the score reaches 20-20, the game will be "deuce". This means that either one side
must lead by 2 points to win the game

BADMINTON MATCH TERMS:

1. Rally - arally starts as soon as the server performs the service. The rally ends when the shuttle
touches the ground, or a player commits a fault. Winner of a rally will be awarded ONE point.

2. Game or Set – is referred to as the race to 21 points. You'll need to obtain 21 points to win a
game. In some countries, the term 'set’ is used instead of 'game.’

3. Match – a badminton match consists of 2 or 3 games/sets. The player wins a match if he wins 2
straight games. If both sides won one game each, a third game would be played to determine
the winner.

SCORING SYSTEM:

In recent years, badminton has changed how players can score a point. In 2006, the rules were
changed to a rally point system and this now allows both players to score a point during a rally,
regardless of who served.

In competitive adult matches, all games are played to a best of three games. To win a game, a
player must reach 21 points. However, if the game is tied at 20-20 (or 20-all) then you are required to
win by two clear points. Unlike most sports, however, if the score becomes 29-29 (or 29-all), the player
or team to score the 30th point will win the game.

BASIC RULES:

 A game can take place with either two (singles) or four (doubles)

players.

 An official match has to be played indoors on the proper court

dimensions. The dimensions are 6.1m by 13.4m, The net is

situated through the middle of the court and is set at 1.55m.

  To score a point the shuttlecock must hit within the parameters of

the opponents court.

 If the shuttlecock hits the net or lands out then a point is awarded to your opponent.

 Players must serve diagonally across the net to their opponent. As points are won then serving
stations move from one side to the other. There are no second serves so if your first serve goes
out then your opponent wins the point.

 A serve must be hit underarm and below the servers waist. No overarm serves are allowed.

 Each game will start with a toss to determine which player will serve first and which side of the
court the opponent would like to start from.

 If a player touches the net with any part of their body or racket then it is deemed a fault and
their opponent receives the point.

 A fault is also called if a player deliberately distracts their opponent, the shuttlecock is caught in
the racket then flung, the shuttlecock is hit twice or if the player continues to infract with the
laws of badminton.

 Each game is umpired by a referee on a high chair who overlooks the game. There are also line
judges who monitor if the shuttlecock lands in or not. The referee has overriding calls on
infringements and faults.

 Let may be called by the referee if an unforeseen or accidental circumstance arose. These may
include the shuttlecock getting stuck in the net, server serving out of turn, one player was not
ready or a decision which is too close to call.

 The game has only two rest periods coming the form of a 90 second rest after the first game and
a 5-minute rest period after the second game.

 If the laws are continuously broken by a player then the referee holds the power to dock that
player of points with persisting fouls receiving a forfeit of the set or even the match.

OFFICIALS OF THE GAME

The referee is in overall charge of a badminton tournament or championship(s) of which a match forms
part, to uphold the Laws of Badminton and Competition Regulations in the BWF Statutes.

1. Individual singles matches require a total of six officials:

• an umpire who is in charge of the match, the court and its immediate surroundings

• four line judges (two for each side of the court positioned at the baseline) who indicate whether
a shuttlecock landed 'in' or 'out' on the line(s) assigned

• a service judge
2. Doubles matches require a total of eight officials. This is as above but an additional two line judges are
sometimes added (one for each side of the court positioned at the doubles service line).