Badminton
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Adaptive Badminton/Para-Badminton
About
You may be familiar with the game of badminton. Many schools teach the sport in physical education class. It is also often played at family reunions, on beaches, and in backyards across the country. But for many, that is the extent of it. Not everyone knows that it is a highly competitive sport all over the globe. In fact, it is the second most popular sport in the world.
Para-Badminton is a flexible sport. It can be an individualized sport, where it is one-on-one on the court in singles play or athletes can play doubles or mixed doubles.
Competition
There is a relatively easy point of entry to the sport. The basic equipment is a racket and a plastic shuttlecock, which can be purchased for little cost at most sporting goods stores. That’s pretty much it.
Competitively, para-badminton is played indoors typically on a 44 x 20 court with a net. A point is scored every time you serve. The first to score 21 points wins the game and the best two out of three wins the match. Matches typically don’t last a long time, most matches are under 30 minutes.
The normal rules of badminton apply. There are six classifications, including two wheelchair categories, dwarfs, and three amputee categories (BKA, AKA, and above waist). Wheelchair players may be fixed to the chair with a strap around the thighs or waist, or both. But the player’s feet must be fixed to the footrest of the wheelchair. Burnett also points out a few other adaptations.
Equipment
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Learn More
The U.S. Para Badminton Team is looking to expand the number of players.
If you are interested in competing in the sport, there are a number of things you can do. First, you may want to upgrade your equipment. As you get better, you will want a lighter racket strung at the highest level of tension. There are different types of strings. And in competition, the shuttlecock is not made from plastic, but is made of feathers.
You may also want to get a coach to help you train. And of course, you will want to enter competitions.
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Programs near you
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