BADMINTON
OVERVIEW
Where did it begin? The game was developed primarily in England. The children of the Duke of Beaufort
played the game at Badminton House. A man named John Lorraine was a frequent visitor to Badminton
House, and it is thought that he drew up the first set of rules for the sport. The International Badminton
Federation regulates the game in over sixty countries, and organizes major events like the World
Championships. Badminton is also an Olympic sport.
Objective: Two players or teams of pairs, hit the shuttlecock (also known as the birdie) across the net
into the opponents half of the court without them being able to return it. Most matches are made up of
best-of-three games. A game is won by the first player or pair to reach 15 points (11 points for singles).
It is only the server who can win points. If the receiving (non-serving) player wins a rally, they then
become the server. The first server is determined by a coin toss or a spin of the racket.
Serving
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Serving is done diagonally and the first serve is made from the right hand service court.
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The serve must be made underarm, and the racket must hit the shuttle while it is below the
server's waist.
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The server must be standing within the correct service court, with both feet on the ground.
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The server gets one chance to serve correctly. If they miss the shuttle or do anything wrong
during the serve, it is a fault, and the serve goes to the opponent.
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In singles, the first serve on a side is taken on the right if the score is even and on the left side if
the score is odd.
Serving rules for doubles
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Each side has two chances to serve. If they lose the rally on the first serve, they do not pass the
serve to the opposing side. Instead, the other person in the pair serves.
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If they lose the rally on the second serve, then the serve goes to the opposing pair. When a pair
regains the serve from opponents, they serve from the right hand service court.
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For the first service of the game, the serving pair is allowed only one chance to serve.
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In doubles, it is the pair who is serving who changes sides on the court, not the receiving pair.
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Each pair of players does not have to alternate hitting the shuttle between them. One player can
return two or more consecutive hits in a rally if they wish.
Scoring
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When the serving side wins a rally, they add a point to their score.
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When the receiving side wins a rally, they do not get a point, but they get the right to serve.
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The score of the serving side is always put first.
Equipment
The shuttlecock (or birdie) weighs about 4.8 grams (one sixth of an ounce). The skirt is made of feathers
or synthetic (usually plastic) materials.
The racket weighs 100 grams (3 and a half ounces). It is made of either metal, fiberglass, graphite, with a
metal, fiberglass or wooden head with the strings made of natural or synthetic gut. There is also
toweling or leather wound around the handle to help grip.
Badminton court dimensions
Faults – any violation of the rules
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Missing the shuttle
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Not hitting it over the net, or hitting it into the net
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Hitting it outside the court boundaries
(if the shuttle lands on a line, it is in, but if a player steps on a line when serving or
are out)
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Touching the net with body or racket during play
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Hitting the shuttle twice in a row
receiving, they
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Hitting the before it has come across the net line to the hitting player's side of the court. They
can follow through across the net as long as they have hit the shuttle on their own side of the net.
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If a player is hit by the shuttle, it is a fault against them, whether they were in or out of the
court lines when they were hit.
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Similarly, if the shuttle brushes a player's clothing, racket, and so on before their team-mate hits
it, which counts as a 'touch' and is a fault.
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Players can jump to play shots, or play them while lying down, or with one foot on the ground,
as long as both feet are on the ground when serving and receiving.
Types of badminton strokes
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Clear – high shot that goes over an opponent’s head and lands close to the baseline
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Smash – a hard hit shot which angles sharply downward into the opponent’s court
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Drive – hard shot that is hit parallel to the ground and is too low for the opponent to smash
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High serve - a serve played high, and to the back of the opponent’s court
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Lob - played underhand to return the shuttle when it is low, and to hit it to the opponent’s
baseline
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Low serve - dips before crossing the net
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Overhead drop shot - looks like a smash, but the shuttle is just dropped gently across the net
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Ace – a un returnable serve
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Kill – A hard hit bird that is impossible to return
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Volley – Hitting the bird while it is in the air
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Rally – Continuous stroking of the bird back and forth across the net
Tennis
History
Historians speculate that the origins of tennis date back to the Stone Age, when humans first used
clubs to hit rocks back and forth over barricades of dirt and stone. They next trace the development of
tennis to the variant of handball played in Greece, Rome, Egypt and elsewhere throughout the ancient
world. But it was the French who first gave the game its modern shape, as well as its name: the word
“tennis” derives from the French tenez, meaning, “take it” or “play.”
Mary Outerbridge introduced tennis, as the game we know today, in Staten, Poland after a vacation
trip to Bermuda in 1874. The United States Lawn Tennis Association was organized in 1881, and is still
the governing body of amateur tennis.
Rules
1. DELIVERY OF SERVICE – The server delivers the ball from behind the baseline. Two tries are
permitted for each service. If the ball strikes any part of the opponent’s court except the service box, a
“fault” is called. A fault is also called if the ball is served into the net, or if it strikes the net before hitting
the opponent’s court outside the service box.
2. SERVER AND RECEIVER – The players shall stand on opposite sides of the net; the player who first
delivers the ball shall be called the Server, and the other the Receiver.
3. FROM ALTERNATE COURTS – In delivering the service, the Server shall stand alternately behind the
right and left courts, beginning from the right in every game.
4. FAULTS – The Service is a fault if the Server commits a breach of rules 1 or 4; if he misses the ball in
attempting to strike it; or if the ball served touches a permanent fixture, other than the net, before it
hits the ground.
5. BALL FALLING ON LINE – A ball falling on a line is regarded as falling in the court bounded by that line.
Good ball.
6. GOOD RETURNS – It is a good return (a) if the ball touches the net, posts, cord or metal cable, strap
or band, provided that it passes over any of them and hits the ground within the court. (b) if a player’s
racket passes over the net after he has returned the ball, provided the ball passes he net before being
played and be properly returned. (c) if a player succeeds in returning he ball, served or in play, which
strikes a ball lying in the court.
SCORING
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Scoring is identical in singles and doubles games. A game is played to four points, designated as
15, 30, 40, and Game. A tie at 40 is called “deuce”. A game must be won by two points.
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If each player has won 3 points (40-all) the score is deuce. The next point won by a player gives
him an advantage. However, if he loses the nest point, the score is again deuce. When either player
wins 2 consecutive points following the score of deuce, the game is scored for that player. The server’s
score is always given first. The score should be called loudly and clearly after every point.
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A player must win six games to win a set, but must win by at least 2 games. A tiebreaker is often
used if a set is tied 6-6. Tiebreakers are generally played to 7 points, and the winner must win the
tiebreaker by at least two points.
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Tennis matches are usually two sets out of three (women) or three sets out of five (men).
EQUIPMENT
TENNIS COURT – The tennis court is 78 feet long, divided into two equal sides by a net standing 3 feet
high at the center of the court. For singles, the court is 27 feet, for doubles the width is increased to 36
feet. Courts may be made of asphalt, clay, grass, concrete, wood, artificial grass or other synthetic
materials.
TENNIS BALLS – A tennis ball is hollow and composed of inflated rubber covered with a fabric. Yellow
and white balls are used in competition.
RACKETS – Racket length varies, but the maximum length for tournament play is 32 inches. There are
also restrictions on the width of the racket and the length of the racket head. There is no restriction on
the weight of a racket. Most rackets are strung with resilient gut or nylon. The racket handle is usually
covered with a rubber or leather grip.
DEFINITIONS
ACE: A valid serve that is not reached by the opponent.
BACKHAND: Player turns so that the shoulder of the racket-bearing arm faces the net before bringing
the racket forward and across the body to meet the ball.
BASELINE: The lines on either end of the court representing the outer limits of the length of the court.
DEUCE: A tie at 40 is called deuce. Because a game must be won by two pointes, play continues from
deuce until one player leads by a margin of two points.
DOUBLE FAULT: If both serve attempts fail. The opponent wins the point.
DROP SHOT: A lightly hit, spinning return that drops softly over the net, forcing the opponent to
approach the net.
FAULT: Called if the ball is served into the net, or if it strikes the net before hitting the opponent’s court
outside the service box or before exiting the court altogether.
FOOT FAULT: If the server’s foot enters the court before service is completed.
FOREHAND: Player pivots the body so that the shoulder of the nonracket-bearing arm faces the net. The
player then swings the racket forward to meet the ball.
LET: If the ball touches the net and then falls into the diagonally opposite service box, a let is called, and
the server is permitted to serve again.
LOB: A high, soft return behind an opponent who has approached the net. It is frequently used to force
the opponent to retreat to the back of the court to play the ball. The lob can also be used as a defensive
stroke, providing time for the hitter to regain court position.
LOVE: Term meaning zero points.
OVERHEAD SMASH: Powerful shot often used to return a lob that has not been hit high or deep enough.
The shot is hit in a similar manner to the serve.
RECEIVER: The play who receives the ball from the server.
SERVE: Begins every point of a tennis match. The player who initiates the point.
TOPSPIN: When a player strikes the ball so that it spins from low to high as it travels forward.
UNDERSPIN: Occurs when a player strikes the ball so that it spins from high to low as it travels forward.
This shot is called a slice.
VOLLEY: Occurs when a player strikes the ball before it bounces. The volley is most often employed
when a player is playing close to the net.
SCHS
SOFTBALL
STUDY GUIDE
HISTORY
Softball evolved from baseball in the United States. The first version of the game developed by
George W. Hancock, was played indoors in Chicago in 1887. Different variations were played under the
names of “Diamond Ball”, “Kitten Ball”, “Mush Ball”, “Pumpkin Ball”, and “Recreation Ball”. The first
softball league was organized in Minnesota in 1900. In 1926 the game was officially called “Softball”.
Softball was introduced as an Olympic sport in 1996 and the U.S. Women’s team brought home
the GOLD.
THE GAME
A game is allotted time or 7 inning for both teams.
A point is scored for a team when one runner goes all the way around the four bases, staring
and finishing at the home base and touching all bases.
A team consists of 9 players – in some cases of “SLOW” pitch softball an additional player is
allowed and they are referred to as a “rover” or “short fielder”.
An inning ends when the team batting accrues three outs.
The order of the batting remains the same for each inning. The batting order continues where it
left off at the end of the last inning.
BATTING
The batter stands just away from the “homeplate” so that when he/she extends the arms and
bat, the bat will go over the homeplate.
The batter is to take a full swing, starting with the bat at (or near) the shoulder and swing it
through to the other shoulder.
Bunting is NOT allowed in slowpitch softball.
The batter, upon hitting the ball, must run to “first base”.
A batter is “out” if he/she accrues three strikes or is fielded out.
STRIKE
If the batter swing at the ball and misses.
If the ball is “pitched” so that it travels over homeplate and is at a height between the batters
knees and shoulders, even if now swing is attempted.
Three strikes = out
In slowpitch, if you foul the ball off on the third strike you are out.
BALL
A bal “pitched” which is not over the homeplate and/or is outside the knee-shoulder range of
the batter is a “ball”.
Four “balls” = one free base
PITCHING
The pitcher is to pitch underhand, pulling the arm straight back, bringing it forward then
releasing. NO windups! NO windmill pitches! NO overhead!
The ball must make an arc between 6 feet and 12 feet and must land just behind homeplate,
touching the carpet in order to be called a strike.
The pitcher stands 40 feet from home plate.
FIELDING
If the ball is hit in the air and a fielder catches the ball before it touches the ground the batter is
“out”. All other runners must return to the base they started from. If the ball is hit into the “in field”
and is caught before it touches the ground, the batter is out and all runner must return to the bases
from which they started without the threat of getting “out” If the ball is hit into the “outfield” and is
caught before it touches the ground, the batter is “out”.
A runner may over-run first and home bases only. If the runner does not stop on second or third
base, he/she may be caught off based and tagged “out”.
If the batter swings the bat and it “ticks” the ball and the ball continues to travel backwards to
the catcher it is a “foul” ball.
If the batter hits the ball into the air and it is caught by catcher the batter is “out”, but the ball
MUST rise above the height of the batter’s head before it is caught.
The batter can NOT run with the bat. The bat must first be dropped before the batter may run.
To get a person “out”o
The ball must be caught before it touches the ground
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The runner must be tagged with the ball while it is in the hand of the fielder.
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The ball must be securely in the hands of a fielder standing on a base, where the ball has arrived
just before the runner. This only applied if the runner is “forced” to run. In extremely close plays and at
the discretion of the umpire, the decision will be in favor of the runner.
DEFINITIONS
BASE ON BALL: reaching first base after four ball are called.
BATTING ORDER: the official listing of the sequence of the players to bat
BUNT: a ball softly touched by the bat that lands within the infield – illegal in slowpitch
DOUBLE PLAY: a play in which two players are legally out on the same hit pitch
ERROR: a play that fails to cause the out of a runner or that allows advancement of a runner.
INFIELD FLY RULE: the batter shall be declared out when hitting an infield fly with runner on first and
second or first, second, and third with fewer than two outs.
STRIKE ZONE: the area over home plate, between the knees and armpits of the batter
KAPOK: a soft mixture of cork and rubber that fills the inside of a softball.