1. History of badminton – The beginnings of badminton can be traced to the mid-1800s in British India, where it was created by British military officers stationed there. Early photographs show Englishmen adding a net to the traditional English game of battledore and shuttlecock. The sport is related to ball badminton, which originated in Tamil Nadu, and is similar to Hanetsuki which originated in Japan. Being particularly popular in the British garrison town Poona (now Pune), the game also came to be known as Poona.

2. Terminologies in badminton –

o Alley - side-extension of the court by l½ feet on both sides that is used for doubles play.

o Back Alley - Area between the back boundary line and the long service line for doubles.

o Backcourt - the back third of the court, in the area of the back boundary lines.

o Baseline - Back boundary line at each end of the court, that runs parallel to the net.

o Bird or birdie - another name for the shuttlecock

o Carry - An illegal tactic, also called a sling or throw, in which the shuttle is caught and held on the racket and then slung during the execution of a stroke.

o Center Line - Line perpendicular to the net that separates the left and right service courts.

o Clear - A shot hit deep to the opponent’s back court.

o Court - Area of play, as defined by the outer boundary lines.

o Drive - A fast and low shot that makes a horizontal flight over the net.

o Drop - A shot hit softly and with finesse to fall rapidly and close to the net on the opponent’s side.

o Fault - A violation of the playing rules, either in serving, receiving, or during play.

o Flick - A quick wrist and forearm rotation that surprises an opponent by changing an apparently soft shot into a faster passing one; used primarily on the serve and at the net.

o Forecourt - Front third of the court, between the net and the short service line.

o Hairpin Net Shot - Shot made from below and very close to the net with the shuttle rising, just clearing the net, and then dropping sharply down the other side. The shuttle’s flight approximates the shape of a hairpin.

o Half court Shot - A shot hit low and to midcourt, used effectively in doubles against the up-and-back formation.

o Kill - Fast, downward shot that cannot be returned; a "putaway."

o Let - A legitimate cessation of play to allow a rally to be replayed.

o Long Service Line - In singles, the back boundary line. In doubles a line 2 l/2 feet inside the back boundary line. The serve may not go past this line.

o Match - A series of games (at U.S. Olympic Festival-’93 it is three out of five), to determine a winner. Midcourt - The middle third of the court, halfway between the net and the back boundary line.

o Net Shot - Shot hit from the forecourt that just clears the net and drops sharply.

o Push Shot - Gentle shot played by pushing the shuttle with little wrist motion, usually from net or midcourt to the opponent’s midcourt.

o Racket - Instrument used by player to hit shuttlecock Weight:About3 ounces. Length: 27 inches. Made of: Ceramic, graphite, or boron frame; beef-gut string. Cost: $60-$175 (unstrung).

o Rally – this occurs when the players hit the bird back and forth several times before one side scores a point

o Serve or Service – players put the shuttlecock into play for points by “serving” it to opponents, hitting it over the net into a special part of the court near their opponent

o Service Court - Area into which the serve must be delivered. Different for singles and doubles play.

o Short Service Line - The line 6 l/2 feet from the net which a serve must reach to be legal.

o Shuttlecock - the name for the object that players hit, made of a ball of cork or rubber with a crown of feathers in an open conical shape.

o Smash – when a shuttle is floated high into the air, a player has time to unleash a powerful overhand shot straight to the floor of the opposing court

o Wood Shot - Shot that results when the base of the shuttle is hit by the frame of the racket. Once illegal, this shot was ruled acceptable by the International Badminton Federation in 1963.

3. Dimension of the court – The full width of the court is 6.1 metres (20 ft), and in singles this width is reduced to 5.18 metres (17 ft). The full length of the court is 13.4 metres (44 ft). The service courts are marked by a centre line dividing the width of the court, by a short service line at a distance of 1.98 metres (6 ft 6 inch) from the net, and by the outer side and back boundaries. In doubles, the service court is

also marked by a long service line, which is 0.76 metres (2 ft 6 inch) from the back boundary.

The net is 1.55 metres (5 ft 1 inch) high at the edges and 1.524 metres (5 ft) high in the centre. The net posts are placed over the doubles sidelines, even when singles is played.

4. Rules and regulations – (Eldrin’s copy)

5. Equipments and facilities –

a. Shuttlecock – A shuttlecock (often abbreviated to shuttle; also called a birdie) is a high-drag projectile, with an open conical shape: the cone is formed from sixteen overlapping feathers embedded into a rounded cork base. The cork is covered with thin leather or synthetic material.

Synthetic shuttles are often used by recreational players to reduce their costs as feathered shuttles break easily. These nylon shuttles may be constructed with either natural cork or synthetic foam base, and a plastic skirt.

b. Rackets - Badminton rackets are lightweight, with top quality racquets weighing between 70 and 95 grams (2.4 to 3.3 ounces) not including grip or strings.They are composed of many different materials ranging from carbon fibre composite (graphite reinforced plastic) to solid steel, which may be augmented by a variety of materials.

c. Nets - The net plays an important role in badminton matches. The Badminton World Federation’s Laws of Badminton provide specific standards for net height, width, and construction. An official badminton net must measure 5 feet high in the center, and 5 feet, 1 inch at the sides. The net attaches to vertical posts on either side of the court. The net should measure 30 inches from bottom to top, and must consist of a uniform, dark-colored mesh. The net should have a white tape running along the top to make the net’s full height visible to players and officials.