Are you ready to find a community around your passion for badminton? Or are you moving up the ranks in expertise and want to play with some more advanced players? If either of these scenarios sounds familiar, you may be wondering how to join a badminton club.
In this post, find six tips for joining a badminton club, from locating a good club to etiquette tips, and everything in between.
How to Join a Badminton Club: Where Should You Start?
There are tons of factors to consider when joining a badminton club — and starting is the hardest part. Here are some of the best tips to help you along the way.
1. Finding a Badminton Club
So, how can you find a club to join?
The best first step is to run a quick Google search for “badminton club” in your area. In most cases, this should yield the results you are looking for. Beyond that, you can explore sites like Badminton Clubs and Sports Engine.
If you aren’t having any luck with your search, you can try:
- The bulletin board at your local health club or community center.
- Your city’s newsletter or activities booklet for residents. You can also check out their official website for sports clubs.
- Talk to your in-person friends about local badminton clubs. And if all else fails, you can even ask about clubs through a local Facebook group.
2. Pay Your Fees
Before choosing your club, be sure to learn about their fees. Some clubs have fees, and some don’t. If they do, be sure you understand when and how payments are made so you can stay in good standing with the group.
3. Find Your Skill Level
Most clubs accept players of all experience levels. However, some badminton clubs only accept more advanced players. In any case, check whether the club you’ve been eyeing has openings at your skill level.
4. Check for Court Availability
Badminton clubs can sometimes limit your playing time. This can happen when there are too many players waiting for a court at any given time.
To ensure you get the most out of your membership, think about:
- Whether your potential club is already jam-packed with players
- Whether or not they have court times that fit your schedule
Signing Up for Court Times
When choosing court times, make sure you sign up to play as soon as possible. Clubs typically allow you to do this online, in person, or by phone.
Etiquette tip: If something comes up and you can’t make it to your court time, don’t forget to remove your name from the list. People might wait to play if they think you’re still on your way.
5. Participate and Socialize
Now that you’ve joined a badminton club, socializing is key! This can be nerve-racking at first, especially if you’ve never been part of a club before. But after some time, you can form some real friendships with your fellow club members.
Here are some tips to help you stay active in your club’s community:
- Offer to warm up and practice with the people you want to play with when you see an opportunity. You can do this if one of their members hasn’t arrived yet, or if someone is a no-show for the day.
- Use any opening you have to make friends with other players.
- Participate online if the club has a social media page or chat group.
- If you aren’t sure how to start socializing, ask people questions about themselves! This is a great icebreaker because it creates an opportunity for them to open up and for you to learn more about them.
6. Be Polite and Positive
Being polite is what will win you over friends to play with at the club. Here are some tips that can help you bring positivity and build friendships with your fellow badminton enthusiasts:
- Make sure you buy shuttles from time to time.
- Bring some snacks and water for everyone occasionally.
- Pick up the shuttle when it is on your side of the court or near you.
- When your partner makes a mistake, put a positive spin on it. Let them know it’s no big deal, and they will get it next time.
- Offer people a little praise for awesome shots, but don’t go overboard. Some people like to hear “Nice!” or other short, encouraging statements.
Ready to Find Your Badminton Club?
Figuring out how to join a badminton club (and what to do once you’re in) can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. Once you’ve located your club of choice, be sure to follow the tips in this post to make the most of your experience.
You can only get so much better at something without a little competition. Good luck — and have fun!
To see more tips and strategies for badminton, check out BadmintonJustin.com today. Or, for training highlights, badminton drills, and actionable tutorials, be sure to subscribe to the Badminton Justin YouTube channel.
Justin Ma
Author
