Hey, Sports Fans!
A fairly popular sport that shouldn’t be too difficult to find offered at summer camps on an outside court or maybe a gym, Badminton is an ancient game that’s traced back more than 2000 years to an extremely similar game called Battledore and Shuttlecock. Instead of racquets, the game was originally played with paddles or bats (Battledore) used to strike a lightweight feathered bulb (Shuttlecock—also called a Birdie). 
Other games of a great likeness were played for hundreds of years, widespread across Europe and Asian countries like China, Egypt, Greece, India, 
Japan, and more. It was around 1850 when officers of the British military came across a popular game in the Indian town of Poona. There, they simply called the game Poona.
Poona wasn’t played with a net, however, the British officers added one to the game when they got home and officially introduced it to England in a country estate home called ‘Badminton House’. That’s when it got the name we know for it.
Often seen as an easy leisure activity, Badminton may appear as though it’s nothing too difficult. The game takes on a different pace with a ‘ball’ so lightweight and feathery, but don’t let it fool ya! There’s plenty of skill going on in this game. Check it out:
Keep your Eye on the Shuttlecock
There’s a lot more involved in Badminton than may initially meet the eye. But extreme accuracy in hand-eye coordination is developed rather quickly with a racquet and birdie.
Beat the Birdie
A slower moving object may create the illusion of a slower-paced game, but there’s nothing slow about chasing the birdie to the right spot in time to deliver a crushing response.
What a Racquet!
The birdie tends to take an interesting trajectory across the net which can keep the players guessing as to which way it’s going. Along with its unique movement, the birdie must be hit with careful force to send it to specific spots that will keep your opponent on the run.
Enjoy playing Badminton at your summer camp this coming season. While official games require a net and a specific court size, all you really need to have a fun time is a couple racquets, a birdie, and a friend. Have a great time and, as always, thanks for reading!
- John