Badminton

What is badminton?

Badminton is a sport where players use a racket to hit a cone-shaped projectile, called a shuttlecock, over a net. Badminton is similar to tennis but in a lot of ways very different, which we will discuss below.

History

The sport has been played for centuries, but the modern game didn't properly develop until the 19th century in England. Badminton evolved from another British sport called Battledore and Shuttlecock, in which players hit the shuttlecock, sometimes called a birdie, over a string using rackets. The rules for Badminton were loose until officially written and revised by J.H.E. Hart in 1887, and again in 1890. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is the current governing body of Badminton competition.

The Courts

Badminton is played on a court 44ft long by 20ft wide, and the court is divided into two equal halves by the net in the middle. Either side of the net is divided into three equal thirds: the forecourt closest to the net, the backcourt furthest from the net, and the service court between the two. The service court is divided into two parts with a line extending from either baseline (the backline of the court), the right service court and left service court.

Objectives

The object of the game is to hit the shuttlecock over the net and cause your opponent to miss the shuttlecock and allow it to hit the ground. If the shuttlecock hits the ground inbounds, points are awarded to the player who last hit the shuttlecock over the net. Different methods of hitting the shuttlecock have been formulated to make the game more competitive, though it may only be hit once per side. The game can be played in singles or doubles.

Olympic Badminton

Badminton became an Olympic sport in 1992. There are four major events in Olympic Badminton.The game has also become popular in the United States as a backyard game.