Asheville Badminton Club

Badminton on the Rise?

In the NEA (National Education Association) Today magazine I received in the mail today there was an article called Shuttlecock. Seems the sport is making a comeback; hmmm, never knew it left. Come by the gym sometime and see the range of ages in play!

Badminton, a sport better known as a leisure-time activity best enjoyed at summer barbecues, is making a comeback. Its popularity peaked in the 1950s, along with the growth of suburban lawns and cookouts, but today the sport is being reinvigorated in high schools. Badminton is one of the fastest growing high school sports in the country, played by more than 15,000 students. Jeff Limke, who coaches the varsity girls’ badminton team at Burnsville Senior High (Burnsville, Minnesota), says it’s a perfect fit. “It’s competitive but low-key and requires more finesse than brute strength; and the girls like that it’s a meritocracy: You’ve got to win to advance. ”Just don’t ask his athletes to show their stuff at a summer picnic. “Once they join the team,” he says, “they get too competitive for backyard games!” So what’s next for the sport? Collegiate badminton? Professional badminton? Don’t be surprised.