APELDOORN – A shuttle behaves differently in the air than a ball. The initial speed after contact with the racket can be as much as 450 kilometers per hour, but then the feather is slowed down very quickly by air resistance due to its special shape, causing it to follow a different trajectory compared to a ball. Ball games are ancient, but the roots of badminton also go back a long way. Nieuwsblad Stedendriehoek visited BC Appoldro on a Monday evening and spoke to an active association member and a board member about this fascinating sport.
“The club is doing well at the moment,” said treasurer Hugo. After the corona period, many members quickly found their way to the club again. What causes that? “I think there are a few things at play. One is: the members did not have high costs during corona, so no one had a reason to cancel. And a second reason is that it is a very nice club to play in. The combination of recreational and competitive play. You can see it here: it ranges from young people to people over 80. Even at that age you can still play along; You may not have much energy anymore, but you do have technique. I think this will greatly benefit the atmosphere at our club.”
High level competition
Nardi, an active association member, adds: “We offer many play evenings. It is an advantage for many athletes that they can choose a (fixed) evening on which they want to play.” Nardi is a trainer at BC Appoldro and has been practicing the sport for a long time. “I’ve been playing since I was a kid. I learned to play badminton abroad, in Suriname. I also played internationally for Suriname for a few years. During my studies I moved to the Netherlands and also played with the first team in the fourth division here in Apeldoorn.”
Where there is association life, there must also be meetings. Hugo: “Yes, we meet every month. There is always something to prepare. General Members Meeting (ALV) is held twice a year. Of course, the finances have to be discussed and all the other things that are going on. We have about 200 members approximately. Usually about 30 people show up at the AGM, but everyone is welcome. We are always happy with the input we receive.”
The roots of badminton
Where does the sport of badminton actually come from, and where does the shuttle come from? Nardi: “That has been investigated. There are roots in India that go back to ancient times. They discovered that feather games were played there in various forms. The first shuttlecocks were found in Pune, India. There, archaeologists found something reminiscent of a modern-day shuttle. The British, who maintained contacts with India during colonial times, picked it up. At the end of the nineteenth century they brought the game to England and attached the rules that form the basis of modern-day badminton. It was played at the time at the Badminton estate of the Duke of Beaufort, in Gloustershire. So that’s where the name of the sport comes from. The young badminton was an elite sport. Later, the military, who were stationed worldwide, spread it around the world. Ultimately it became an Olympic sport!”
Friendly atmosphere
The atmosphere at BC Appoldro is friendly and fanatical at the same time, as can be seen on this Monday evening in the Zuidbroek sports hall, just one of the locations where the games are taking place. Hugo has some nice words for the club, and emphasizes that interested parties can register to get acquainted with the sport without obligation. “I think the great thing about this club, which we also stand for as a board, is that we play safely; how do we play and move safely? But also: how do we ensure that everyone feels at home? I am a very average recreational player myself. I also play with people who are much better, and you see them switch back on their own to a level where I also have fun. They also challenge me to progress. And if I get a little too magnanimous, they help me get back into my place. That makes it a very nice club for me and many others to play badminton.”
For more information: bcappoldro.nl
