Badminton

Badminton is a fun racket sport. Two or four players hit a small object called a shuttlecock over a tall net. The shuttlecock is also called a birdie and has real or plastic feathers. Players try to hit it so the other side cannot hit it back. Badminton is played indoors and outdoors.

The Birdie and Racket

A shuttlecock is not like other balls. It has a cork or rubber tip with feathers around it. The feathers slow it down and make it drop fast. Badminton rackets are light with long handles. Players swing them with their wrists to make quick shots.

Two badminton partners swing at the birdie in a doubles final.
Two badminton partners swing at the birdie in a doubles final. (112年全國運動會官方網站 / Wikimedia Commons)

Playing the Game

Badminton is played on a court with a net 5 feet high. Players score a point each time the birdie hits the ground on the other side. They can hit it hard, called a smash, or gently, called a drop shot. A game is usually played to 21 points. Badminton is one of the fastest racket sports.

Fun Facts

  • A badminton smash can travel over 200 miles per hour.
  • Badminton became an Olympic sport in 1992.
  • The sport is named after a place in England called Badminton House.

Did You Know?

Real badminton shuttlecocks have exactly 16 goose feathers glued to a cork base.