Not just a backyard sport
Badminton season kicks off and can be a great workout
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Thursday, October 6, 2016
INUVIK
Badminton is a real workout, not just a backyard sport for family reunions and barbecues, when it's taken seriously.
Tyler Bain lunges for the shuttle during drop-in badminton at East Three School Tuesday, Sept. 27. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo
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That's what coach Taylor Giffin thinks anyway. He heads up the new season of drop-in badminton Tuesday nights at East Three School.
"It's a sport that's not recognized as something that gives you that exercise - it has that backyard kind of connotation to it - but when you get out on the court and play a full game against an opponent, you do build up a sweat," said Giffin.
Beyond being a good recreational opportunity to get in a workout, it's much cheaper than other sports, such as hockey, that require players to buy expensive equipment.
Giffin charges $5 a night to come to the badminton sessions, which, he hopes, will just about cover the $35 per hour gym rental cost. He also has a portion of funding from the Beaufort Delta Recreation Association. Beyond that, all the equipment is free to use, from the shuttles to the rackets.
"(The $5 charge is) not an unreasonable amount and just gives us a little security to make sure the courts are available for the whole year," he said.
The first session this year brought out 18 people, which Giffin hopes to match in future drop-ins.
"Ideally we'd like to get double-digit numbers at the minimum coming in, and if that's the case we're making back some of our money, not all of it, but that's where that funding that we've been approved for comes in. It balances out what we aren't making for attendance."
It can be difficult keeping attendance numbers up when there are so many activities and sports going on in town, he said, but 10 or more people makes for a full gym.
The sessions are as casual as anyone wants to make them. People show up, mix and mingle, play some games.
"It's more of just a drop-in, fun program," said Giffin. "People can come out, be active for a couple hours, play with some friends, meet new people and have an all-around good time on the court."
Giffin comes from a badminton coaching background with junior-aged players, and this year he's opened up the badminton sessions to adults and high school students. As well, students on the school's badminton team will be allowed to play for free to give them some extra court time and practice.
Badminton nights run every Tuesday at 8 p.m. at East Three School. For more information, look for the Inuvik Badminton Facebook page.
