Mar 24, 2011


Photo:  Lloyd Arnold and Carol Belanger

Every Thursday evening between 7 and 9PM the gym at Sharbot Lake high school comes alive with the sound of squeaking rubber-soled shoes and the whoosh of high-speed birdies.

That is the time that anyone seeking a bit of good, clean, social fun and fitness can meet on the badminton courts in the gym and enjoy two hours of non-stop play.

Ron Abbott of Godfrey is almost always there. He mans “the box” and will happily supply racquets and birdies (a.k.a. shuttlecocks) to those in need. Ron has been heading up the weekly sessions ever since retired SLHS teacher Gary Giller started the tradition close to 30 years ago. When Ron is not manning the box he is on the court enjoying a game. “It's such a great way to keep in shape and they say that in badminton you actually use more muscles than in any other kind of sport.” That being said, Ron adds that it is also not a particularly strenuous sport. He can count the number of injuries he's witnessed in his decades of play on one hand. He stressed the fact that it is also a relatively easy game that almost anyone can play and quickly become good at.

The two courts in the gym can hold eight players at a time and usually anywhere from 8-15 players will show up on any given Thursday night. Many of the regulars have been coming for years and to keep games interesting it is pretty common to see teams regularly switch up partners. Ron informed me that a good team is one where “the two players can anticipate their teammates’ moves and who cover each other on the court.” Because the game tends to be one of strategy, two partners who work together will tend to go a long way.”

The more competitive players will tend to seek each other out but competitive play on the whole tends to be a secondary consideration for most. Instead it is a friendly feeling of camaraderie that prevails in the gym.

Ann Temple is the newest player to the sessions and she travels 25 minutes to come every Thursday night to play. “I heard about it from a friend and started coming and found the environment very welcoming, helpful and easy going. Though I wasn't very good when I started I feel I've come along way.”

Lloyd Arnold of Crow Lake, who will be turning 80 in June, has been attending the sessions since moving to the area. He is an experienced player and played in an industrial league in Montreal back in the 1950s. “I have always loved the game and when I moved out this way thought I should get back at it. I have always enjoyed playing the game and it definitely helps keep me nimble.”

The sessions are held throughout the regular school year with breaks for Christmas and in March.

Anyone is welcome to play and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Normally the fee is $5 per semester, though this year the fees were waived due to a surplus in the coffers.

Ron encourages anyone interested to come and try it out. “It’s a lot of fun and usually after a few tries people tend to pick it up pretty quick.”

Players just need to wear rubber-soled shoes and Ron will be happy to get them every thing else they need.

 

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