The Badminton World Federation’s Humans of Shuttle Time series presents the perspectives of those who work in badminton development at the grassroots level. Janelle Pangilinan, Northern Marianas Badminton Association Shuttle Time Coordinator (and Pacific Mini Games bronze medalist), talks about her journey into badminton and experiences of enhancing badminton opportunities for communities across the country.
“I was born and raised in the Northern Marianas Islands on the island of Saipan. My childhood was always about being active, playing tag, dodge ball, etc., with my neighbour. My interest in badminton started in 2011 when I was eleven. Badminton Oceania came to do a summer programme for two weeks at the TSL Sports Complex, Gualo Rai. I didn’t know badminton could be played competitively. I’d always played it as a kid with my neighbours. Once I joined the camp, I realised how much I enjoyed playing it.”
𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 w𝗶𝘁𝗵 b𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻
After the camp ended, I started to play badminton almost every day during the summer. I never played tournaments until a year after starting the sport. My first tournament is very memorable to me because I won the Women’s C Singles Division. That was when I realised I wanted to get to the A level, and nothing was going to stop me from growing.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 b𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻 m𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀
Badminton now is a big part of my life. I see how much badminton has grown over the past year and I want to use my knowledge to teach kids. Growing up playing badminton, there weren’t many young people; it was all adults. As I get older I want to see more youth playing the sport because they are the future.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 m𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 b𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻 d𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁
It is a non-contact sport, so you do not have to physically engage with your opponent. It’s also a fast game that helps you build reflexes.
𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 b𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 c𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆
Going to schools and teaching Shuttle Time, the first question I always ask is; “have you ever played badminton or even heard of badminton?” Usually, 70 per cent don’t know what badminton is. Thus, teaching a new sport to students will grow the knowledge of badminton.
After the interscholastic sports season finished, many schools have been asking us to deliver in their summer school programmes, which shows an increase in its popularity and that schools are enjoying the Shuttle Time programme.
𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲
Shuttle Time has made teaching badminton easier for students to understand. It has influenced public schools into making it an interscholastic sport as it’s the first time badminton is being played. Five middle schools and five high schools have joined the sport in the interscholastic program; more than 100 participants.
𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲
The biggest lesson from Shuttle Time is being patient. Not many students can get it right away, and they are the ones that who need the most attention. For those that do get it, you’ve got to work with positive reinforcement so that they know they are doing well and making progress.
Article adapted from the Badminton Oceania website.