Competitive Play

Badminton is played recreationally, competitively, and professionally all across the globe. As a new badminton player, you should be aware of all the options you have regarding where, how, and why to play.

High School

Most badminton players here in the states get their first introduction to the sport during middle or high school. This brief and often perfunctory introduction to the sport usually happens in physical education classes. From my experience, no matter how “manly” or recalcitrant a young person is to accepting badminton as a sport, when given the chance to play, most people come to truly enjoy the fun that badminton can be.

High school teams are usually the first competitive exposure to badminton that people have. While not every high school offers badminton, most (maybe all…I haven’t checked) states in the US have badminton as an official high school sport through their state high school interscholastic associations. This means that your average high school possibly has an official school sponsored badminton team with varsity and JV teams, tournaments, matches, and state championships.

High school badminton is a great time to explore the sport and meet new friends that will last a lifetime. Most states and school districts hold high school tournaments and many states have official high school state championships for both teams and individual players!

Unfortunately, as with many other athletic programs, badminton teams cost money and given the less than popular status it has here in the US (in addition to the deep recession we are in), many high schools do not offer badminton as a sponsored sport. Additionally, because of the misconception that badminton is a “feminine” sport, many states and school districts look at badminton as being a perfect counterbalance to boys-only football programs for the sake of Title IX compliance. Thus, badminton is often made a girls only sport (as it is here in Arizona). This is an unfortunate but true reality for a number of sports at the high school level.

Collegiate

At the collegiate level, you are more likely to find college clubs and interest groups that gather to play badminton on campus. These clubs are rarely selective in their membership thus allowing any student to come out and play. Badminton at the college level is, in my experience, the most rewarding place to experience badminton. Not only do you get to meet a bunch of interesting and usually friendly players, but the skills at the collegiate level is often the best in the nation (again, for the US). You will have the opportunity to play and practice with people from all over the world with varying skills and styles.

Some colleges also participate in regional collegiate badminton leagues. These leagues generally consist of any number of regional college and university teams who get together in official matches and compete for regional titles. Again, these leagues are a great experience as they allow you to travel locally to other colleges and meet even more great badminton players.

You can’t really mention collegiate badminton without talking about the collegiate nationals (or National Collegiate Championships, if you will). This annual tournament is held at different locations across the US at major universities and features both team and individual competition. Some of the best players in the US can be seen at this tournament.

Open Tournaments

As with many other sports, badminton has a number of local, regional, and national tournaments open to all who wish to participate. These open tournaments are a great way to challenge your badminton abilities and see what kind of talent is in your area. Most open tournaments that are held in major cities feature a number of different levels of play usually ranging from open and A level (the very best players) all the way down to D (entry-level players) and youth brackets. Entry into these kinds of tournaments usually cost anywhere from $10-25/event and are often used as fund raising for local badminton clubs or teams.

National Tournaments

There are few national level tournaments across the nation that are usually filled with the best players in the nation. These tournaments are usually used for national ranking points for professional, international, and Olympic competition.

Club and Community Play

Finally, the most accessible kinds of badminton play are at the local club and community level. Many larger cities have self-organized badminton clubs where people come together at a chosen facility and play during arranged hours. These are great for budding players as they allow you to meet experienced local players. Local clubs often run open tournaments and training sessions for members and membership usually come with certain perks like priority court time and discounts on gear like shuttles and stringing services.

Community centers like city-run and private facilities often offer open badminton time. Most of these facilities charge a nominal fee of a few dollars to play but some offer memberships to the entire facility which, if you use the other amenities (usually a weight room, fitness center, pool, etc.), can be a pretty good deal. These are great place to go when you are just looking to play a few games. However, if your goal is to meet lots of players and improve your game, I would definitely suggest joining your local badminton club.