One of the barriers I have been coming up against when trying out new sports, particularly team sports, is that I am extremely self conscious about the fact that I will be holding the team back and stop them from making the most of their training. Not many people would enjoy the feeling of being the one who - literally and consistently - drops the ball, with skilled sports people looking on in despair.
So I completely understand the clubs who have responded with kindness and being so supportive of my endeavours, but ultimately explained that they could "only" offer the opportunity to watch from the sidelines. I appreciated that a longstanding team that dedicates hours to become the best they can be will struggle to make time to watch me trip over my own feet. (Even though, it is hi-LA-rious.)
When Max invited me to play badminton doubles at the local community gym, I thought that would be an ideal opportunity to get to learn a little bit about the game, without having to inconvenience accomplished players. I have a slight suspicion that Max realised at some point just how much of "not a clue" I had about the game. Because he decided that I'd need a "lesson of the basics" first.
This makes complete sense: Being the only not knowing what's going on in any group is uncomfortable for you, and slows down the game for others. So spending some time to get a grip of the basic rules, techniques and vocabulary seemed sensible.
And so I found myself one sweltering Friday afternoon in an old school gym (memories of Karate came flooding back - I think soon every gym and community hall in Ipswich will bring me flash backs of sore legs). I thought we'd have a bit of a whack about for fun, didn't really see it as part of my sporty challenge. Hence the lack of photos.
What I did not expect was that we would spend a good few minutes looking at how to hold the bat properly. Once I've mastered to keep an appropriate gap between my index finger and the handle, we moved on to practice backhand and forehand movements, how to angle the bat and how to use your other arm as a guide.
The next step was to learn about the pitch, the meaning of the white lines on the ground and some of the basic rules.
Just when I thought there was nothing more to learn and thus itching to have a "proper match", Max pulled out a pack of 10 feather shuttlecocks. That's right: time to practice the serve. "Easy", I thought, "just hit it over the net". Wrong again. Patiently Max explained that the racket should stay below the waist, angled downwards, the shuttlecock should be held in an extended arm at the angle that will allow it to just clear the net marginally....
After an hour and half, and an actual game that I lost at something like 21 - 2, I really felt like I'd had a good work out, learnt a lot, but most of all had a great time. Despite Max managing to stand still and quite comfortably hitting every shot, whilst I ran around like a crazy old Lady in an egg-and-spoon race with my extended racket...I will practice, get good, and demand a rematch. I. Will. Get. You. Back. Just you wait.
I feel I can't really write my pearls of "why it would be fabulous if you took up Badminton" wisdom, because it wasn't a fully organised-and-paid- for session. But I learnt quite a few bits that I thought worth looking back on in a few weeks when I'm a whimpering "I just can't do it" mess:
1. "Sports" doesn't have to mean hours of a heavy knot in the pit of your stomach because you're dreading it - find the people and places that make you comfortable enough to be bad at stuff, laugh about it and try again. Maybe that's an exercise class with a back row and without mirrors. Maybe that's a team sport surrounded by your friends. Or maybe that's just hanging out with friends for a laugh - as long as you're moving, you're improving. (I came up with that one myself.)
2. "I'm not the type of person who..." has been a mantra all my life. Not the type of person who is good at maths, who wears lipstick, who can pull off wearing white, who can do sports. As if we were born either good or bad at stuff. And this mindset has held me back from trying new things, and still comes to the fore on a regular basis. I'm not the kind of person who is good at badminton - because I've not practised. Because I've not invested the time in hitting shuttlecock after shuttlecock after shuttlecock over the net to get a feel for the best angle. I'm not saying everyone can achieve everything, but I do believe (when sitting comfortably on my sofa) that one is not "bad at stuff beyond hope" from the outset. By the same token, this attitude takes away from the people who are truly great at stuff. It implies that hey were just born with that skill, omitting the hours, tears and sweat invested to get to where they are.
3. Understanding gives you confidence. I'm so glad Max took the time to talk me through the rules and got me to practice clears, smashes and drops. If I had just turned up to a full blown game, I would have found it quite intimidating. It must have been one of the most boring afternoons for Max, just feeding me shuttlecocks and repeating clever words about angles and power, but it has helped me a lot. I'm no super-badminter after this, but I can go along to a game or book a court with a friend and not feel entirely useless.
Fun Fact at the end: Badminton is (apparently) a more intense sport than tennis. I'm well on my way to becoming a sportier version of Roger Federer.
