The average person views badminton as a game devoid of excitement and only played amongst the geeks and elderly.

“We have a badminton team,” sophomore Katie Warech asked. “Isn’t that for old people?”

This common misconception is understandable. Badminton doesn’t compare to basketball or football in terms of marketing and popularity. Because of the success of these major athletic teams, sports like badminton are overlooked and underappreciated.

Despite their consistent, successful efforts at district championships and GMACs, badminton players lack well-earned recognition. Practicing at least three times a week, the team deserves to be noticed.

Often misrepresented as a degraded version of tennis, badminton is more accurately a combination of that sport and volleyball, requiring great coordination.

“Everything involves your wrists. There’s more running in badminton than tennis” senior captain Justin Berger said. “You’ve got to have athleticism and stamina.”

Hand-eye coordination is essential as the shuttlecock, or “birdie,” can travel at speeds up to 100 miles per hour. It is one of the fastest paced sports in the world.

“I played tennis since I was six years old. When I started playing badminton, I wasn’t used to the speed of the birdie at first. It kind of caught me off guard,” senior Adam Sackrin said.

The quickness of the game can be attributed to the velocity of the birdie and the size of the court. A standard badminton court is comparable to half a tennis court. For a double’s match, width increases while the length remains the same.

Matches are comprised of three games. Each game is played until a team/player reaches 15 points. Points can only be scored on serve and, unlike tennis, the birdie can never touch the floor.

The physical demands and competitive nature are misunderstood. Bystanders quickly criticize badminton because it is an easy target. Stereotypes lead students to assume all badminton players possess little talent.

Without playing experience, students don’t understand the aspects of the game that have made badminton an Olympic sport since 1996.

“If you haven’t tried it, then your opinion doesn’t count,” Berger said.