Coming tomorrow..

Tomorrow is the day! The day for the CLWC Badminton Classic! We'll see you on the court at 1 p.m. at Kalorama Park (http://kaloramapark.com).

Badminton Trivia

• The official world smash speed record is 332 km/h (206 mph), set by men's doubles player Fu Haifeng of China, on June 3, 2005 in the Sudirman Cup.
• Badminton is named after the county seat of the duke of Beaufort in Gloucestershire, England, possibly the region where the game was first played.

• The weight of the shuttlecock is about 17-19 ounces. It usually lasts for no more than two games. The heavier the shuttlecock, the faster it flies. They also fly faster in higher temperatures and at higher altitudes.

• The first badminton club in the US was the Badminton Club of New York, formed in 1878.

(From http://www.topendsports.com/sport/badminton/trivia.htm)

Support Your Team

Donate to support your favorite team in the Badminton Classic.

Pretty In Polyester	Smash Brothers	Never say di
Color Me Badd-minton	Doozers	The Magnificents
The More Magnificents

Badminton World Records

Most participants in a rally: http://community.guinnessworldrecords.com/_Most-participants-in-a-badminton-rally/photo/3877759/7691.html?enlarge=true

Longest rallies: http://www.filestube.com/search.html?q=badminton+longest+rally&select=All

From Wikipedia: The most powerful stroke in badminton is the smash, which is hit steeply downwards into the opponents' midcourt. The maximum speed of a smashed shuttlecock exceeds that of any other racquet sport projectile. The recordings of this speed measure the initial speed of the shuttlecock immediately after it has left the player's racquet.

Men's doubles player Fu Haifeng of China set the official world smash record of 332 km/h (206 mph) on June 3, 2005 in the Sudirman Cup. The fastest smash recorded in the singles competition is 305 km/h (189 mph) by Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia.[17]

From Badders.com: Shortest game: Rumour has it that Ben Witham holds the international record for shortest game of mens singles when he beat Paul Butler 15-0 15-0 in the qualifying event at the All England in 11 mins (Needing 32 rallies). I suspect now that the new scoring requires a minimum of 42 rallies this may be a tough act to follow.

Most Wins, From eThink/ http://library.thinkquest.org/27850/library/worldrecords/badminton_records.shtml

-Compiled by Holly J

How to Dress for Badminton

While having the skill and competitive edge in the sport is cool, looking fabulous, while hitting the shuttlecock is far more important, especially when participating in the CLWC Badminton Classic.

Important things to keep in mind:

Comfort is key if you’re good. If you’ve got the skill, comfort should be your priority. You want to be able to move around the court easily. Sneakers, breathable shirt and shorts are all you need when you’ve got the talent to beat any of your opponents.

Distraction plays an important factor for the rest of us. If you are lacking in skill, you might want to invest in an outfit that will distract your opponent, even if this means discomfort on your part. You don’t need to spend a lot of money for the perfect outfit. Search your closet for neon, stripes, tutus, and obnoxious patterns, and you’ll be set.



If participating in the Olympics for Badminton, winning is the only way you can earn a medal. By the way, if you’ve made it to the Olympics, you should probably not be reading this and keep doing what you’re doing.

However, if participating in the CLWC Badminton Classic, style does matter. The winner of the match will win a trophy, but so will the best-dressed team. (The trophy on the left, however, is not how your trophy will look. The trophy will most likely not be related to Badminton and instead be a recreational U-12 girls basketball or soccer trophy. Hey, it’s still a trophy :) )

Once you’re covered head-to-toe in Badminton garb of your style, don’t forget that the most important thing to put on for the tournament is your game face.

-Maria F.

Video Inspiration

Here is some inspiration for your viewing pleasure! Basic How to Play Badminton Rules How to Find Your Ready Position in Badminton Intense Badminton Volley Reminder: Next open session is on Tuesday, September 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park (meet near the park entrance of Chapin and 15th St NW)

Badminton Flow Chart!

It's not too late to sign up to compete! Sign up today - badminton@capitolletters.org

Create a Racquet for Capitol Letters

Do you:

a. Believe in free writing programs for children in DC?

b. Like creating a racquet?

c. Feel that you are bad(minton) to the bone?

If so, you’ve got a place in the Capitol Letters Badminton Classic. Help us raise money by putting your racquet skills to good use. Participants will face off in a day-long tournament on Saturday, September 12.

How it Works

Each tournament team will be required to pay an entry fee of a $10 donation. The classic will be played bracket tournament style. You and your fearless badminton partner will try to swing financial support from family, friends, coworkers and shuttlecock fans all to benefit the free programming of Capitol Letters Writing Center. They can sponsor you by the game or in one lump sum (We are always partial to big sums of money!) We challenge each team to raise $163.55.

At the classic, we will be recognizing the following very prestigious categories: Best Team Uniform, Best Team Name, Most Money Raised, Most Spirited, and Overall Winner of the Classic.

We’ll have a kickoff party on Wednesday, August 19 at 6:30 at Asylum (2471 18th St NW) for team registration, team pictures and fundraising supplies.

Questions? We've got the answers. See the "About Me" section or email us for more at badminton@capitolletters.org.

How to Become a Racquet-ter

When you're ready to pick up your racquet with the big boys and girls, sign up by emailing mailto:%20badminton@capitolletters.org and come to the kick-off party on Wednesday, August 19.

Do it for the kids. Seriously.