Badminton :)

The final farewell match of the badminton legend, Peter Gade of Denmark, against the two-time Olympic champion, Lin Dan of China, ended 2 days ago with Peter being victorious. However, I could see that victory wasn't what this veteran was seeking. The fact that he invited Lin Dan to Copenhagen only meant that he wanted a challenging and exciting game to be his farewell match before he finally walked off the arena for good. Such is the spirit and passion of a 34-year-old veteran, who will be an unforgettable icon in the world of badminton. Being a fan of this humble yet powerful character, I will miss his ever elegant and captivating skills on the television.

The match gave me an inspiration to write something about my experience on the all-time favourite racquet sport of many of countries in the world. It is more so in Malaysia ever since the legendary Lee Chong Wei was crowned the world champion which lasted for 199 consecutive weeks from 21 August 2008 to 14 June 2012. Badminton, which was already a Malaysian sport, has then been further popularised among the younger generation of people who do not recognise the Sidek brothers, Wong Choong Han, and many other previous local badminton stars alike.

I fondly remember the time when my timid hand was first exposed to the handle of a badminton racquet. I was barely taller than the length of the frame. If I recall correctly I was only about 5/6 years old. I was introduced to this sport by my dad who preferred badminton over other sports. In fact, it was the only sport he played for leisure besides jogging.

'Swing it higher to serve the shuttlecock!', he would yell out to me. My short built then would only mean damage to the racquet if I swung it the usual way a taller person would. Sometimes forgetting to flex adequately, I was amazed by the sparks created when I hit the ground. By 'ground' I mean the tar road in front of the single-storey terrace house that my family used to inhabit. Of course, as naive as I was, I could not comprehend the destruction I wreaked onto the poor racquet (luckily it was a cheap one). Nonetheless, after a few years, height was not a problem anymore. I learned to play better and I became more fond of it.

My dad isn't exactly a big fan of badminton. He slowly gave up the sport as I grew older. I played with my elder brother more often, and sometimes with the neighbourhood kids. Back then, there was nothing about strategy. All we did was just hitting the bird back and forth with our opponents. Being able to hit the bird accurately was already a huge achievement to us. My elder brother was good then, and I remember learning some skills from a boy who lived 2 houses away too. Perhaps that was the time I started realising the concepts of lobbing, smashing, and dropping in badminton.

I finally joined a badminton club when I was in Primary 3. Received weekly training under a coach with a small group of students for about half a year. He focused a large part of the training on footwork. I recall having to do at least 100 times of basic footwork drills before we were allowed to swing the racquet at the bird. It was during the period that I improved significantly. However, the number of students grew and the coach decided that a test had to be conducted to handpick a limited number of students to continue the training. Unfortunately, not being able to display what I had learnt on the court, I was not selected. There were many better players, and I was asked to discontinue my training to make way for them. Such was the harsh truth a 9-year-old had to absorb. 'Survival of the fittest', I told my young mind. I was nevertheless grateful to the coach because he helped me lay a good foundation on which I could improve myself.

I did not further my training since then, but some of my friends did. I joined a badminton competition when I was in Primary 4, which was organised by the club from which I was expelled. I was not surprised that I lost terribly to my friend who was so advanced in speed and skills. I was utterly disappointed. 'He's going to make 5 mistakes on purpose', I heard from my other friend that my opponent, who happened to be one of my close friends then, secretly promised himself to give up 5 points to me so that I would not feel too upset. And he really did. 15-5.

My passion dwindled, as I realised that I did not have the talent to go far in badminton. I did not join any club nor training when I was in secondary school. I focused a lot on my studies. Perhaps being brought down from training so much was a blessing in disguise, for I could prioritise what was more important to me in my life. If I had not done well in my studies I would not be what I am today.

Playing badminton has still been my hobby all the while. I never gave it up. I slowly trained myself by observation and practice with some of my friends whom I incidentally found to be interested in the sport too. After a very long period of stagnation, only in Form 4 did I finally  start to have weekly exercise in badminton. Sometimes we would meet new people, some were ex-students who also happened to play weekly in the school hall. Having more experience in the sport, they taught us many basic yet essential strategies to work on. Thanks to them too for without the basics I don't think I would have enjoyed the sport as much as I have been. Even until now, a group of my ex-schoolmates maintain weekly sessions, and I would usually join them when I'm back home for holidays.

The group of friends who have been organising weekly badminton sessions for many years.

While I was furthering my studies in college, I lived in an apartment and there were about 4 outdoor badminton courts there. Many enthusiasts played badminton there every evening. It was simply an amazing feeling to know that when I felt like exercising, I just had to invite some college mates out to have a few rounds downstairs. The only problem was the occasional wind but it was free and available so it was most convenient. It was around that time that I got to meet some really skilled people who were trained as college players. They gave tremendous commitment into their training that it was no wonder they were impressive in their games. I could not be too distracted by the sport as Cambridge A-levels demanded most of my attention.  I remember joining a tournament organised by the college twice in mixed doubles. Of course, on hindsight, losing was absolutely not surprising because of very little sense of strategy back then. Compared to the elites, it was as though we were some dancing jokes to them (literally). Still, the experience (and the freebies) were amazing.

This Yonex racquet, bought for me by my girlfriend and our classmates as a birthday gift, has been my faithful companion on the court since then.

I started going to proper courts for my badminton sessions after entering university. My course mates and I barely knew each other in our first year, hence there was nary a badminton game throughout the year. But in our second year, which was the year in which we ought to expect a lot of stress and anxiety, we needed an outlet. We slowly found out while socialising that there were actually a few of us who enjoyed badminton, hence the regular friends whom I have been playing with since then. My girlfriend has also been a regular player because she is naturally elated to have finally found another girl who could partner well with her.

My fellow ex-groupmates who decided to join the fun.

'Playing with you is too stressful', she would often say to me, apparently because I always looked too serious in casual games.  I am not sure why, but it could be the thoughts that I put into analysing the games while they unfolded themselves that rendered my grin minimal. Although I am always not her favourite partner to tag with, little does she know that her mere glamorous presence made those sessions more enjoyable and happening. I love to see her exercise by my side, and I am truly grateful that she always tries to appreciate my most favourite sport!

My girlfriend and I, with a group of friends in YONEX-SUNRISE Malaysia Open GP Gold 2012, Johor Bahru.

I actually learned a great deal especially from my partner, who helped me to secure my first ever gold medal in the sport. Even though it was just a small tournament in my medical school, it was still challenging and rewarding. He has the astounding ability to win  almost any double/mixed-double game whichever side he is in. I'm glad that I was worth his consideration to pair up with in the tournaments.

School tournament. Men's doubles final. Year 2011. Won silver.

My partner in men's doubles. Year 2012. Won gold.

I fondly recall the time when I could finally call myself a school player because a group of us represented the school to compete in a national inter-varsity sport tournament organised by UPM this year. And it was hell exciting and stressful to witness good players from medical schools all over the country! And who says doctors don't play games? They were good! My team essentially battled with 2 different schools in the qualifying rounds. My partner and I were able to secure 2 points for the team from winning both the matches we played in. It wasn't easy at all to control my nerves and focus on the matches. In the process I made quite a few costly unforced errors. 'Calm down bro, calm down', my partner who knew too well that I was panicking, reassured me while moving both his pronated palms up and down briefly during the match.  Eventually we made it through the matches, both of which involved nerve-wracking rubber games. Alas, the other players were simply too good and my  other teammates could only concede in their games. My team failed to reach the next stage, but we revelled in the fact that we all put in our best efforts.

My fellow passionate teammates in UPM.

Badminton is continuing to impress me with its intricacies. I never got bored of the sport, not when there is a network of badminton enthusiasts that I'm linked to. At the age of 23, I'm still looking forward to many years of agility, strength, and stamina for the sport, until one day I have to give it up. I have witnessed middle to old aged men and women played badminton before. Even though I admired their continuing passion, I could not help worrying about their proneness to injuries. My cousin-in-law who is a coach, once tore his Archilles tendon before at the age of 30+, let alone 'uncles' and 'aunties' who are naturally more fragile if fitness is not properly maintained.

I love badminton, and I have learnt a lot from it. Respect and humility are 2 good examples. There has been so many times when I encountered players who  were conceited and lost miserably in the end. Some were genuinely skilled but they could never earn respect from others even though they won. There ought to be respect for each other across the court, no matter how huge the gap of ability is. That's the spirit of sportsmanship. In addition, keeping calm while thinking on your feet is another example. I learned not to judge the players on the TV because no one off the courts could actually comprehend fully what runs through their heads - nervousness and stress can easily topple any good players off. It's too easy to criticise without an attempt to empathise. I believe these learning points apply in almost any aspect of life as well.

'Don't only practise your art, but force your way into its secrets,
For it and knowledge can raise men to the divine' 

- Ludwig van Beethoven

It is true that when you get to know more about an art, the more joy and pleasure you would discover within. I'm not close to having found the sport's 'secret', but I can be definite that there were lots of experience accrued over the years that made this sport more and more gratifying.

I have recognised long ago that I am a man without talents. Playing badminton is the by far only thing I can consider myself slightly better at, if not considered an actual talent. Therefore, I cherish it, and the folks in British India in mid-18th century who were blessed with superb minds to conceptualise such a sensational sport.

May the future shine bright in badminton and may more people be benefited from playing this addictive sport!