A Good Sport

Almost nothing feels as rewarding as playing a sport or completing an exercise regimen, and for myself, I indulged myself in the sport of badminton, which presents many direct and indirect benefits to those who choose to play.

Before I had taken up my new favourite past-time, I was constantly on a hamster wheel of emotions, constantly seeking new videogames, playing till I was bored of them, then finding another game, relying on the success of winning to make myself feel better. My day would literally be ruined after a day of unlucky gaming, driving me to play even more to make up for the losses. This compulsive binging of gaming often had the additional effect of angering my parents, who wanted me to focus more on schoolwork and music.

Thankfully, I discovered recreational badminton in or around 2013, finding that I enjoyed the sport whether I won or lost. When I did lose, it drove me to work even harder to compete with the best of the players—with the best games happening with evenly matched teams. The main reasons why playing badminton makes me content is because it presents a reachable challenge, it teaches me to work as a team, it forces me to learn from my mistakes, it helps keep me physically fit and it helps me practice the art of strategic thinking.

The challenge of badminton is that it requires a lot of practice and experience to learn the skills needed to play the game. The techniques of dropping, clearing, smashing, serving and defending are all important components of the game; each playing an integral part of the game as a whole. The beauty of the game is that it presents an ever-shifting goal for the player, whether that be learning the perfect serve, matching the skills of another player, winning the game outright, or probably most importantly, trying one’s best to improve and get better at the sport. The feeling of trying my best made badminton fun, no matter the result.

Learning different techniques also presents a challenge, and there is a satisfying feeling at having mastered a new skill or improved in a technique. For an example, I practiced really hard on developing a new way of serving, which would make it hard to opponents to return the serve. I would tape a rope in the hallway of my parent’s home and practice serving as close as I could to the line. Pretty soon, I was comfortable performing a rocket-fast serve, that some of my opponents have nicknamed a ‘bullet serve.’ Another technique I realized I needed to work on was my backhand shots, which were weak and shallow when I first started playing. So, when I got to the gym early, I would practice my backhand, working on the technique till I was able to master it. Although I am able to do a standard backhand, I still continually work on it as it is still one of my weakest areas as a badminton player.

In addition to the contentment with learning new skills and facing new challenges, badminton also presents an opportunity to learn about teamwork—particularly in the doubles play. Without good communication, synergy, and understanding, doubles would be a disaster for any team unless they worked on those key areas. Teams work to cover their court area and any open areas that an opponent might target. Players have to know where to cover and to know where their partner is on the court. Sometimes, working as a team means following up with an attack to score the point, or to defend when a team member is down. The feeling of working together successfully with a partner brings joy to the game, along with accolades, encouragement and constructive criticism. While some partners make the experience bad by blaming and venting anger at their teammates, most partners are supportive and more enjoyable to work with. From my own experience, being able to support or score a point makes me feel useful—a contributor to the team.

Another factor that contributes to the joy of badminton is that it gives a unique opportunity to learn from one’s mistakes. Whether that’s from digesting the constructive criticism of partners, or learning lessons from facing a team that is near impossible to defeat. The feeling of overcoming a weakness or mistake also makes badminton enjoyable, pleasant and constructive, especially to one’s self esteem. Learning from one’s mistakes not only makes badminton enjoyable, it also helps develop character and resilience in other aspects of life, such as in a career, relationship or social life. Learning from mistakes is a universal skill that can be applied in many situations and contributes to a happy life.

If a healthy life also contributes to a happy life, then badminton presents yet another benefit to one’s wellbeing. The sport requires short bursts of energy and constant movement, which makes it a great form of exercise. By the time I finished an hour of rallying, I would be sweating profusely and would likely be short of breath. The constant running trains the legs and lower body, while arm strength is also trained by all the smashes, clears and swings of the racket. If the exercise from badminton can mitigate against diseases and ailments, then one can feel great about playing badminton because it is helping contribute to a healthier body.

Lastly, badminton helps develop the skill of strategic thinking, just as a chess master strategizes his moves on the board. A large part of badminton is guessing where your opponent will likely hit, if they will defend—basically predicting their next move and preparing for it with a counter attack. The psychological strategy of the game is also notable, with professional players asking for the floor to be mopped or a shuttle changed in important or tense situations to change or disrupt the flow during the game. Deceptive shots are also part of strategy, tricking the opponent to think you will act one way, but changing course and acting differently. Succeeding in outsmarting your opponent also brings a good feeling, that one was adequately prepared against your opponent’s strategy.

The compounding effects of successfully strategizing, feeling fitter, learning from mistakes, working as a team, and encountering challenges all give rise to the conclusion that badminton truly does help make oneself feel better, leading to a more peaceful, fulfilled and happy life.

The End