BADMINTON IN ACTION!
Thesis Statemens: Badminton is not merely a garden or backyard game – it is an enjoyable sport requiring as much, if not more, skills and stamina than any other popular sport and is also equally benefiting.
Introduction
Badminton is a racket sport played by either two opposing players (singles play) or two opposing pairs (doubles play), who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock (or shuttle or bird) with their racket so that it passes over the net and lands in their opponents' half of the court. A rally ends once the shuttlecock has struck the ground, and the shuttlecock may only be struck once by each side before it passes over the net.
Because shuttlecock flight is affected by wind, competitive badminton is best played indoors. Badminton is also played outdoors as a casual recreational activity, often as a garden or backyard game.
At high levels of play, the sport demands excellent fitness – players require aerobic stamina, agility, strength, speed, and precision. It is also a technical sport, requiring good motor coordination and the development of sophisticated racket movements.
I. The Fame of Badminton
Like many other racket sports, badminton has a long history. There is uncertainty as to its origin. But one thing for sure, badminton has evolved over generations to become the challenging, complex sport it is today.
a. The Origin of Badminton
Badminton gets its name from “Badminton House” in Gloucestershire, England — the home of the Duke of Beaufort, where the sport was played in the last century. Before Badminton House, there was a game called “poona” (a game played by British army officers stationed in India). Before poona, there was “jeu de volant” played on the European Continent, before that, “battledore and shuttlecock,” (the battledore was a simple bat aimed at hitting the shuttlecock...