Cartoon by Randy Otter

http://www.randyotter.com/

Hello, California.

Little bit behind-- it's been more than a month, but I've finally settled down and gotten back into my routine of badminton. (A month off badminton isn't good for the gut. Time to burn off some of that delicious California food.)

I've been playing at Irvine Valley College (http://www.ivc.edu/). They have plenty of banners flaunting their badminton spirit, having won many Women's Badminton Championships over the years.

If you're a student, you can try out for their team for this coming Spring and be a part of their history! Some people have been known to sign up for one online class just so they could join the team, so it's highly recommended! You get to meet some nice people and play competitively-- that's the dream!

I just play weekly-- every Saturday at 6PM. It's an $8 honor-code drop-in fee, and you can play all the way until 10PM. The courts go by a typical two-court rotation rule. Birds aren't provided, but you can buy them at the front desk.

They also have drop in on Sunday from 1PM, and social events Thursday nights, so you have plenty of opportunities to get to know the badminton community around here.

The level is, on average, a B- to C+ (for Washingtonians). You can get a few good games to work up a sweat and get some friendly competition going, but if you're looking for some hardcore rigorous training, I'd recommend driving 10-15 minutes to OCBC.

I'm not too familiar with the badminton scene here, though, but I've heard rumors that OCBC is pretty empty ever since LABC opened up. Guess it's time for me to check them out!

Come visit IVC sometime and say hi! :)

Get nervous before a game?

No fret!

The American Psychological Association recently published an article called "Simple Routine Could Help Athletes Avoid Choking Under Pressure"

Even better?

The study included Badminton players!

The study was done in Germany, and participants included soccer players, judo experts and BADMINTON PLAYERS! So proud!

According to the article, "Right-handed athletes who squeezed a ball in their left hand before competing were less likely to choke under pressure than right-handed players who squeezed a ball in their right hand."

TL;DR? (Too Long; Didn't Read)?

I cut out the badminton portion for you here:

"The final experiment featured 18 experienced badminton players (12 men and six women) who completed a series of practice serves. Then, they were divided into teams and competed against each other while being videotaped for evaluation by their coaches. Athletes who squeezed a ball in their left hand didn’t choke under pressure, unlike the control group players who squeezed a ball in their right hand. A final phase of the experiment had the athletes just clench their left or right hand without a ball before competition, and players who clenched their left hand performed better than players who squeezed their right hand."

Next time you're on the court, remember this tip and see if you play well! Post a comment below if you felt a difference!

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2012/09/choking-pressure.aspx

Anyone in California?

I've been taking the last month to relocate to California.

Any good places to play badminton? :)

California is famous in the US for having a HUGE amount of places to play for badminton, but I'd love first person account on where the best places to play are!

Leave me a comment and I'll come check it out soon!

Badminton trouble at the Olympics

What the heck happened?

Following #badminton on twitter?

In the women's doubles game, China vs. Korea, both teams were booed for not trying as hard, hoping they would lose to get an easier draw.

Is that cheating, or that strategy?

In my opinion, I think in an honorable event like the Olympics, you give it your all, no matter who you're up against. To think that Chinese and Korean fans, both of whom are incredibly proud of their athletes, were all boo'ing their own players.

Badminton is an honor sport. As an athlete, your sportsmanship is paying both respect for your sport, and to your opponents. Playing well during a game, no matter how difficult or easy it is, proves that you are trying your hardest to be the best you can be. It's showing the world that you've worked hard to be the tough athlete that you are, and you're not willing to go down without a fight.

I've always wanted badminton to get press coverage, but not like this.

Let's hope the rest of the Olympics are a little better than what we've witnessed today.

Read more about it here:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/london/story/2012-07-31/Badminton-players-charged-with-throwing-matches/56630488/1

Ever want to be in the Olympics?

Have you ever wanted to be a professional athlete? What are you chances?

A reader of BadmintonSquare, Sam, sent me this snazzy infographic of your chances:




Looks like guys have a greater chances in badminton: 1 in 1,564. You might think this still isn't that great...but just think....how many people out there play badminton!? There are plenty of us! But if you play basketball, soccer or tennis...you better work really hard, or have a back up plan!

The Olympics are right around the corner...who are you rooting for? :)

Injuries? What injuries?

I was playing badminton last night when a few of my friends and I started a discussion about injuries on the court.

We were all bandaged up in someway-- ankles, wrists, knees. Occasionally we'll ask each other for advice on what we should do to fix ourselves up. We get the same usual answers: ice it, wrap it up, warm-up for a longer period of time, stretch it out...but it all boils down to the same conclusion:

You have to let it rest. For at least a few weeks...maybe even a few months.

We sat in silence for a few seconds...then burst out laughing.  No way in HELL are we going to stop playing--it just doesn't happen. I've known people who are bandaged on every joint on their body, but they refuse to stop playing!

Injuries seem to bond players like war-stories...we've all gone through rigorous training, played the wrong way, played so much to the point that we should really stop but we don't... and somehow those stories bring us together. It's endearing, really, but you have to remember that taking care of your body is the most important part to being an athlete. Sure, it feels fine now, but if you keep injuring yourself and don't allow your body time to heal, then you could be looking at more permanent injuries that could hurt your badminton career long-term.

My brother had injured both of his knees a little while back, and chose to continue playing. It got to a point where he could barely walk without pain, and he ended up having to rest for 6 months to let his knees heal properly.

So remember next time when you're on the court and you start wincing in pain: Take the time to warm-up properly and cool down properly. Bring a proper brace, and make sure you ice that area as soon as you get home. If your injury gets worse, make sure you consult a doctor and give your body a little break to heal before you get back on the court.

Happy playing!

Richmond Night Market

Have you been to the Richmond Night Market?

I went for a short road trip this past weekend, and ran into this little shop:

Badminton Pro Shop? Yonex, Li-Ning and Victor shirts....1 for $15, 2 for $25. Too good to be true? You tell me. 

They don't have a huge selection for girls, unfortunately, but they carry a few designs that I've only seen online for men. My brother walked away with two pairs of shorts (Yonex), but I can't help but be a little skeptical...

Any Canadian readers want to enlighten me? 

(PS: The nightmarket is amazing. Go check it out!)

Freaknomics blog mentions badminton?

I was surprised to see the world-famous Freakonomics blog refer to an article about the Olympic badminton scene. China has been under fire for their tactics in getting their athletes into the Olympics through strategic implementation of the ranking program...and here's a link from FIRSTPOST that talks about this ordeal.

So how DOES China have a huge share in the Olympics badminton pool? They remain the top in the world for the sport, and there's no doubt that they've put in rigorous training programs to make this happen. It's a lot of hard work.

But does it go beyond that?

In the last Badminton Asia Championship, you might remember that Lin Dan forfeited due to injuries. As a result, Chen Jin won the title. Come on, really?

"Chen went on to win the title, which made a considerable contribution to his ranking points."

Oh.

You see, as you might probably know, ranking points are what make your place as an athlete. You become an Olympian if you can join and win enough tournaments to make the cut. This isn't easy-- this makes it difficult for US athletes (among many others) to find tournaments to play in order to gain some points. They usually have to travel around the world, which make it extremely costly--but of course, which sport isn't like this?

As you read FIRSTPOST's article (I highly recommend it), you can see that the Chinese team has carefully mapped out the way to get the most out of their athletes. To simplify it: all the games that they play have been mapped to ensure that the Chinese team has the most players to win medals in all tournaments-- not just for the Olympics.

Should this be legal? Is this breaking any rules? I'm sure the smartest teams are all doing this. But doesn't this ruin the meaning of being a true athlete? What does it mean to be a true athlete, anyways?

Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia has been known for attempting to petition the Chinese tactics, but BWF has been unable to do anything about it.

What should they do? Should they stick to their guns as athletes? Or should it be "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em?"

Washington State Open

The event of the year is here-- are you ready for it?

75th Annual Washington State Open 2012!!!

75 is a big number-- The Washington State Open is a senile old man chasing after women on his electric wheelchair in the nearby retirement home. The Washington State Open is yelling at kids to get off his lawn. The Washington State Open is tying balloons on his roof so he can fly over to paradise islands with an Asian boy scout and a talking dog. 

Yeah. The Washington State Open is pretty awesome. 

In all seriousness, 75 is a huge deal-- and we're making it a big deal. We've been planning this tournament since last year-- plans, plans and more plans. It's going to be big.

And we want you there.

Here's the information:

75th Annual Washington State Open 2012

Where?: Seattle Badminton Club (Kirkland)

When?: May 18-20, 2012

Deadline: APRIL 29, 2012. 

Link: http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/tournament.aspx?id=418E4819-F10E-4130-9228-472C874C6C26

How much?: $40 for the first event, $10 for the second, +$5 for every additional event. REMEMBER that this includes banquet fee, T-shirt, unlimited birds etc. 

What should we know?: THIS. IS. HUGE. UNLIMITED Yonex Birds. AWESOME T-shirt. The biggest tournament Washington can offer with people coming from all over the country and Canada. THIS IS GOING TO BE HUGE. 

*PLEASE REMEMBER: Due to the size of the facility and the fact that participants are growing every year, it's harder for WSBA to accept late entries. THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT LATE ENTRIES, ESPECIALLY for the Washington Open. PLEASE plan accordingly and sign up BY THE DEADLINE, APRIL 29 2012.

We're planning a big banquet with awesome prizes this year, so you don't want to miss out. Yonex bags, rackets, grips, hats...Games! Laughs! Jokes! Music! A PONY? 

...ok. Maybe not a pony. 

But you get the idea.

I'LL SEE YOU AT THE WASHINGTON OPEN!

2012 UO Open

Angry birdies. 

University of Oregon is having an open tournament!

University of Oregon Open 2012
Where?: University of Oregon
1585 E. 13th AVE
Eugene, OR 97403-1279
When?: April 14, 2012
How much?: $30 for the first event, +$5 each additional. (UO Members receive a discount at $20 for up to three events. Groups of 10 or more get an ADDITIONAL $10 discount per person! What! Time to be a UO member!)
Deadline: APRIL 10th, 2012. DO IT NOW
Link: SIGN UP HERE
Why?: Prizes are trophies, giftcards and Nike gear. JUST DO IT! Players at the University of Oregon are really friendly, and you can test your skill against different players.

Take this opportunity to enjoy the sunny beaches of Oregon. This tournament only lasts a day, so you'll have time over the weekend to really appreciate spring!

Take a roadtrip! 

Steve Aoki

Steve Aoki of Dim Mak Records is all the buzz around Seattle right now-- he came up yesterday for a visit to do some signing and whatnot around the U-District.

For you electro house fans, this is what he's known for:

Yesyes. Steve Aoki.


But did you know....

He used to play badminton?


Yes, boys and girls.  According to his Wikipedia page:

"....he graduated from Newport Harbor High School in 1995; he was a star player on the varsity Badminton team"

He's one of us!

So, how's about it? And, Mr. Aoki, if you happen to be seeing this message...how about you come visit the courts next time you're here and we'll duke it out? :)

It's all in the details. [the significance of training]

I'm not a professional photographer, but I do like to take pictures at local badminton tournaments. You get to see snapshots of certain player dynamics, styles, and teamwork-- things that are often overlooked by the human eye.

Taken at Seattle Super Regional Junior Tournament 2012

While I was snapping away during this year's Seattle Super Regional Junior Tournament, I began to notice small differences between good players...and the best. 

I'm sure lots of players wonder the same question that I used to ask: Why train? You can get better by just playing more games, can't you? Sure you can. But you'll improve at a slower rate. And eventually, there will come a time where you will plateau. Where you'll realize you just can't get faster, where your shots are not cutting it, because the technique is not there. By then, your bad playing habits will be so ingrained that it will take an excruciatingly longer time to "unlearn" your habits than it would have been to just train and learn the proper techniques to begin with.

How do I know this? Well, because that's me. 

The importance of technique may be pretty obvious, but I had a certain lightbulb "Aha!" moment when I was taking pictures at the last tournament. I realized the less experienced the player, the longer it took for me to get a shot with "perfect form". But as the games progressed towards the finals, almost every snapshot I took was golden. The birdie placement was perfect, the posture was beautiful, and every jump smash was worthy as a Facebook profile picture. 

Most importantly, their play seemed effortless. 

Constant training is done so that the proper technique becomes so ingrained that, come gametime, it's effortless. It gives you more time to think about your next shot, react to quickly, and place the bird at the exact corner that you want it to go. You can have the right idea, but your opponent's shots can vary so much that you will have to accomodate your shot from wherever you are to get the birdie to where you want to go. It's not very easy when you don't practice...and in the long run, it'll be even harder if you don't practice properly. 

Remember that the next time you practice. Your shots should be deliberate. Think before you hit, and be aware of how you're moving. Take a video of yourself so you can see where you're moving, where you should have been, and start tweaking each movement little by little. Watch your favorite players on YouTube-- pause at a shot you thought was done wonderfully, and see the details in how they moved. Mimic them, while accommodating to your own playing style.

You might not notice the change in the short run, but eventually you'll notice that your playing is much more efficient than it has been before. 

Remember, it's all in the details.

2012 Seattle Junior Regional Badminton Tournament

Design by your's truly. Steal it, and I will eat you.

The tournament is looking GREAT! The kids are fantastic. Here's to the world's upcoming badminton champions!

It's still going (Finals are tomorrow), but here's the link for the pictures, if you weren't there in person:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clintonc111/sets/72157629353530497/

Check them out!

65th Washington Closed Badminton Tournament

Happy Valentine's Day.

Time is passing by too quickly.

I'll take that as a good thing for now, because that means the WA Closed is right around the corner! Have you been training?

If your answer to the above question is yes, well then good for you! If no, don't worry! First of all, it's a closed tournament so you'll likely be competing against people you know and love...(for now). If that's not enough to convince you, sign up for Funky Doubles!

That's right, ladies and gentlemen-- Funky Doubles! The more competitive tournaments that have larger enrollment usually don't have room, but we're lucky! Funky doubles allows you to have a little fun and play with non-competitive people, preferably siblings, spouse, or family members! Two players in OPEN and COMPETITIVE are not allowed to play in this category--DON'T RUIN THE FUN, GUYS.

SO here we are!

65th Washington Closed Badminton Tournament
Where?: Seattle Badminton Club
When?: March 16-18, 2012
How much?: $30 for the first event, + $5 for every other event. FUNKY DOUBLES is only $20, instead of $30! What are you waiting for?
Deadline: February 26, 2012
Link: PDF File or Enter Online
Why?: Yonex sponsored tournament! That means free tournament grade birds, yonex T-shirt and as always, FANTASTIC door prizes. Funky doubles is always the most fun event to watch (Anyone remember Toru and Brandy?)  It's not too pricey!

DON'T FORGET: The badminton community in Washington is rapidly growing, so it's become harder to accomodate to everyone that signs up. SIGN UP ON TIME. LATE ENTRIES WILL NOT RECIEVE A T-SHIRT. You're going to want a T-shirt.


I have an idea. Just sign up now.

I look forward to seeing you there!

The image speaks for itself.

2012 Seattle Super Regional Junior Tournament

Congratulations to Seattle Badminton Club! Soon they'll be hosting their very first NATIONAL tournament!

I heard that top junior players, as far as California and Boston, are set to compete. With more than 150 players signed up so far, we'll get to watch the future athletes of America duke it out! Juniors have amazing stamina, so they won't go down without a fight. The games should be good!

Check out the list of players and see if your friends are attending here, on tournament software!

Keep in mind that games will be played Saturday, Sunday and Monday, so if you want to watch the finals make sure you go on the right day!

REGISTRATION IS OVER, but here's the information if you want to watch:

Seattle Super Regional Junior Tournament
When?: February 18-20, 2012
Where?: Seattle Badminton Club
Link: http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/tournament.aspx?id=7AC7F841-4CFB-4EB0-A94B-0542C9191A7F%20
Why?: It's a Junior National ranking tournament, so you're guaranteed plenty of good matches to watch. Future badminton athletes of America, UNITE! (Be sure to get your autographs before these kids get famous!)


Hopefully this tournament will get you pumped to start training and get some games of your own! Have no fear, the Washington Closed 2012 is right around the corner, in March! Information on when, where and how to register will come soon, so check back!

Broken Racket

This video makes me want to take each of my rackets and give them a hug. Let's not do this to our rackets. (Especially if it's a new LYD Brave Sword from Victor...! Anyone try it out yet? I'd assume more girls would want their hands on a LYD racket...just knowing that LYD is somehow connected will make their smashes even stronger. DO IT FOR LOVE, FANS!)

If you want to share your broken racket experiences, don't forget to check out BadmintonCentral and share your stories with other badminton athletes like you.


Send us your stories and pictures, too! Comment below!

WINTER OREGON OPEN BADMINTON TOURNAMENT

[To new subscribers: Please don't forget to verify your subscription through e-mail! Check your spam mailbox...sometimes it lands in there!]

Portland Badminton Club's Winter Open is right around the corner!

Looks like Washington won't be having a tournament for a little bit, so why don't you plan a road trip down to Portland! Watch the scenery, take some friends and get some food from the world famous food carts in downtown! It'll be a trip you can't forget!

Winter Oregon Open 2012
Where?: Portland Badminton Club
When?: January 28th, 2012
How much?: Open/Senior events $35 for One or three events
One feather shuttle per match free-Open/Senior events only
Jr-1, $20 for singles event and Jr-2, $25 for singles/doubles events.
Jr-1 and Jr-2 will use Plastic shuttles for events.
Late Fee $10.
Deadline: January 25, 2012 (YOU CANNOT SIGN UP ONLINE! So do it soon!)
Link: http://portlandbadmintonclub.com/tournaments/Tournament_012812.pdf
Why?: I've heard great things about Portland giving amazing prizes. All badminton equipment, from bags, rackets, shoes and more! You might be able to get more than you pay for! The people in Portland are amazingly accommodating as well. Help them expand their badminton community!

Shake off the snow and let's play a tournament!

[If you have pictures from any tournaments, please send them to BadmintonSquare! We'll be more than happy to feature you and your clubs on the blog!]

Yonex Nanoray

Image taken from yonex.com 

YONEX NANORAY!!!

DUN DUN DUNNN!!!!

With our powers combined...we...ARE....NANORAY!

I was browsing around on the Yonex website today and discovered their snazzy new interactive website and catalogue, created solely for the distribution of the new Nanoray! Anyone take a swing with it yet? I'm curious to see what new things Yonex might have in store. 

According to their interactive, page-turning online catalogue (check it out here), it boasts an even thinner frame but thicker sides to speed up your game. Expect "LIGHTNING FAST MOVEMENT!" It looks like they've taken the concept of their old Nanospeed rackets and upped the game a little. 

They come in great looking color combinations (orange, blue, yellow, lime/white) with 5 different rackets in the Nanoray division for you to choose from (700RP, 700FX, 500, 80 and 20). The blue one looks great...need to get me one of those...

It seems like the development of the racket focused not only on speed, but durability. I'm hoping this is true-- if I remember correctly, the Z-Slash was notorious for snapping after first and second stringing attempts, even under very average tensions. I've had more than a good handful of friends who reluctantly had to use their warranties to replace their shiny new rackets. 

Can't wait to give it a shot! Unfortunately Christmas is over, so I'll have to wait a bit to test it out. If you have one, let me know what you think!