nt

like, on top of a building or something?

I prefer to play at low levels by the beach.

I will play it on planes, trains, and even in pain.

However don't know anyplace to buy feather shuttlefluffs.

I'm coaching the intermediate team at my school. Doing tryouts now. I've got quite an extensive tennis background... as does one of my co-coaches. Another one of my co-coaches has a pretty extensive squash background. None of us really know anything specifically about badminton though and I was wondering if there's something specific to badminton that we should be aware of and look for. So far we're looking for court awareness, a variety of shots, keeping the shuttle low and/or deep, and smashing/putting away high shots close to the net. Grade 7/8 boys and girls. We need to pick 6 boys and 6 girls for 2 boys and girls doubles teams and 2 mixed doubles teams.

Pros call it.....SHUTTLEfluff!

Yeah... you can imagine the reaction if I were to use the word shuttlefluff in front of a gym full of 12 year olds.

Scary sport at a high level. Don't people lose teeth and fluff?

Yeah.. kids need to wear goggles when playing. They don't hit it hard enough to knock out teeth though.

Any fool can smash a shuttlefluff with poor technique, . What you want to look for are the kids that have the ability to use different angles on their shots. Pay attention to their net game, it will show off their control and technique more.

Don't focus on who won the point, focus on how the point was won. If the point is lost through the shuttle going out or hitting the net, was it because the kid tried a difficult shot/point winning shot.

Having played all 3 I can tell you that badminton is completely different. The main things I would look for are below:

Footwork (essential!) - This is not their movement around the court, it is their ability to place themselves in the correct position for optimum shot return.

Shot variety - Different use of angles and distances. If they have a drop shot, take them.

Winning mentality - Are they just returning the shuttlefluff or are they trying to win the point.

Court movement - Their placement on the court following their shots. Do they watch the shuttle or do they move back to centre court.

Serve - Same as winning mentality. Is their serve a token effort or are they trying to ace their opp.

Smash - Is it brute force (ignore their smash) or is it through technique (proper rotation of the arm and wrist).

Court awarenes - Do they realise where they are on the court and how it impacts on their shot selection? Ties in with variety.

Physical ability - Anticipation, reactions/reflexes, stamina and acceleration (in that order).

That's off the top of my head. You need any help/info then drop me a pm, I'm happy to help.

As somewhat of an expert on the subject Menion hits many points.

Featherball is completely different than the rest. Tennis background actually hinders more than helps.

The more power, the less accuracy, and in turn the less speed.
Getting to the shuttle is rarely an issue, it's more about their position when they get to it.

This position is even more important in doubles. Find two that can work together rather than necessarily the two best. I for instance have to play with a partner that stays back and comes up and generally has a smaller stance. This is because I have a wider stance and longer reach, and because of this can't play right up against the net. If I play with someone that stays forward from the back line, while I am in front I interfere with their shots. Especially if they have long reach.

Really it's almost better to find those with shorter arms. May sound odd but you generally hit kind of from the side for most power. It's hard to explain. You basically have 3 shots.

Low, which means you are bringing the racquet up from your feet. This is a save, and probably the hardest shot to use offensively as you have to hit it at an angle that brings it up enough that it can't be spiked but it will still drop in bounds.

Side, So you are swinging as if you are playing baseball except your stance is loose and you are going to step forward and let the racquet go back a little. (I don't know if these descriptions are of any use...) Somewhat like a normal forehand shot in tennis. I suppose you could backhand like in tennis too if you had no time to get in position. This is pretty much your best shot for power but you have to make it drop and it should be a really straight shot just barely over the net.

High, This is your normal shot, and the most used. You hold the racquet upright and use your elbows to position and kind of cup the shuttle and best case scenario drive it downwards. You have your most control here but for the most part unless everyone is at the net you don't want to pop it up, which beginners tend to do.

You have a spike (which should only be done while shuttle is still aimed and traveling up), You have a serve which you hold shuttle up in front of you and drop swatting it backhand from the side. Professionally with both though they are pretty routine and I have rarely seen spike with out a decent vertical jump. Serve all I have seen by professionals is hitting it to the very front of the net. My serve sucks though so I try and put it back a little bit. If you serve it right you are pulling them out of position, there is rarely an ace opportunity but if you do it right they will hit it leaving you in position while they struggle to get into position to return your followup shot. Sometimes easy point.

Menion hit on the biggest factor and that is drop. If they can control their drop they are gold. It should look like magic the thing goes to a point and just falls out of the sky. If you see someone that can hit it and it just falls out of the sky in a comical and ridiculous fashion, get them because someday they could easily be playing in China. It truly is magical the first time you see it.

Court movement should always be staying their zone in doubles and generally not relying on the middle it's not like tennis, they should be watching how their opponent is going to hit the thing and going to where the shuttle will be. There are no trick shots, no spin, and no faking. The only trick is drop, and if people are paying attention that matters little.

This is turning long and rambling and Menion got most of this on the nose. Brute force is useless, this entire game is finesse. Form and how you take shots off balance are what matters. The best player in the world looks like he is off balance all the time, he might even be. However, he hits with the right form and tends to maintain control. Being off balance isn't an issue maintaining form and technique is.

Really nothing else matters, the loser is always the one that returns poorly. This is because poorly generally means slowly and while tennis has a much faster ball, featherball has much faster action.

Wait that is a real sport?

I thought it was fake....like soccer....

Wow. Some great points and things to look for. Thanks guys. I'll use this info to select players and then I'll certainly drop you a PM to see if you have some suggestions for drills or know of any good diagrams etc. online. Thanks again!

Pick the girls according to how their mother's look like

Plenty of good looking mothers around. I'm in a predominantly upper-middle class Italian neighbourhood.