This drop shot trickshot is a way to surprise your opponent on the badminton court. Check the video to see Anders Antonsen demonstrate the drop shit trickshot with a little help from his brother Kasper Antonsen and his friend Oliver Babic.
(P.S. This deceptive drop shot does not have a name yet – if you have a name suggestion, please leave a comment)
Drop shot deception from the backcourt
In badminton, deception shots are difficult to master, and once you do, you should use trick shots sparingly. The Antonsen drop shot trickshot is a deception that could (only) win you 1 or 2 points in an actual game. But if you manage that, the impact will be significant.
Your opponent might get frustrated because they were tricked by your drop shot. And you, of course, will likely feel very good about winning the point and having deceived your opponent with your trickshot.
But make no mistake. Before you use this drop trickshot in a game, you must master the deception shot to perfection. The video on this page will show you how. Make sure you practice it again and again on the practice court and in fun games before you consider applying the trickshot in a competitive badminton match.
Practicing badminton trick shots helps you improve your badminton skills
In the video coach Kasper Antonsen, brother of Anders Antonsen and a former pro player himself, explains that practicing trick shots will help badminton players improve their touch, timing, general badminton skills, and other areas of their game. See the video here
Badminton experts and former pro players often mention that badminton player development has become too structured, planned, and organized in an elitarian way. They say that there isn’t enough time for young players to “goof around” on the court.
As a result, young badminton players no longer pay enough attention to the natural process of experimenting with all sorts of badminton shots. Practicing trick shots with friends, parents, or siblings is a great way to experiment on the badminton court.
P.S. Anders Antonsen is considered to have an exceptional technical badminton technique. As a young player, he spent a lot of time goofing around the courts with his brother and – for example – his childhood friend, Rasmus Gemke, who happened to live on the same street as Anders and his brothers in Aarhus, Denmark.
If the late actor Paul Newman had watched the recent US Open tournament, he would most likely have been very unhappy. He might even have turned in his grave.
Paul Newman was an enthusiastic badminton player. The actor starred in blockbuster classics such as “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Hustler”. Most movie buffs know that Paul Newman was an auto-racing enthusiast, but few know that he was a passionate badminton player.
In his youth, Paul Newman was an intercollegiate badminton player. He then stopped playing regularly until he picked up badminton again when he was in his late 50s and continued to play into his late 70s.
As this article alludes to, he was very competitive on the badminton court. In interviews, he would educate Americans about the benefits of badminton highlighting that it is one of the fastest and most physically demanding sports. As is the case with most badminton enthusiasts, he wanted the sport to develop.
Paul Newman talks badminton with Jay Leno on The Tonight Show – viewed by millions in USA
US Open 2023 didn’t make badminton look good – quite the contrary
One of Paul Newman’s famous movie quotes (from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) was:
“Boy, I got vision and the rest of the world wears bifocals.“
North America represents a huge opportunity for badminton. Yet, BWF chose to place the recent US Open in Iowa, not in New York or Los Angeles. The week before, the infinite wisdom of BWF had Canada Open take place in Calgary, not in Toronto or Vancouver.
While I’m sure that Council Bluff, Iowa, is a nice enough place, it is definitely not a badminton hotspot in the US. The US Open Tournament 2023 was played in Mid-America Center – a massive hall, which can seat around 7.000 spectators.
But it might as well have been played at one of the local high-school gyms. The audience size at US Open was so alarmingly small that one might have thought that the streaming was from a small local tournament in Irkutsk or Pilsen.
We cannot possibly know what makes BWF execute activities the way they do. But I can say – categorically – I for one don’t understand what the vision is if there is one. Hence, my conclusion is that BWF is viewing the world of badminton through bifocals.
In the USA numbers don’t lie and size matters
BWF has wasted so many opportunities to resuscitate and scale badminton in the US. The Iowa US Open was a missed opportunity.
To convince Americans about the “merit” of badminton, they need to see either big numbers (crowds, money, charity impact) or celebrity endorsements. Had the recent US Open been a spectator success, more Americans would get to know about the tournament and likely become curious about badminton.
70-90 years ago, badminton was popular amongst celebrities in California. (see this article). A couple of decades ago, Paul Newman was a firm badminton advocate. Rumour has it that Leonardo Dicaprio is fond of badminton. In other words, there have been, and probably still are, opportunities to get Americans curious about badminton through celebrity endorsements.
Numbers matter because we need critical mass to be able to attract a sizeable audience.
Nowadays, badminton is popular mainly amongst Asians in the US and Canada. In New York, there are nearly 1,9 million Asian American residents. In Los Angeles 1,8 million. In San Francisco over 1 million. In Iowa and Kentucky combined, there are less than 150.000 Asian American residents.
Need I say more?
How to crack the nut of popularizing badminton in America?
At Badmintonspeak we have a few valid suggestions. But we’ll save those for another time and place. To end this piece, let me share a personal observation:
I am old enough to have experienced soccer (football) in the USA in the 1980s when soccer in the USA was struggling to find its feet. As a foreign student, I played soccer in tropical South Florida and I coached a team of 5-7-year-olds.
Since then, people’s behavior and attitudes may have changed, but the enthusiasm and support I experienced from players, parents, volunteers, and sponsors alike were outstanding. Far better than anything I had experienced in Europe.
Sure, the Floridian soccer parents were very competitive. And except for the Latino parents, most parents didn’t really understand the nuances of the game. But they still cheered louder and longer than anything I’d ever experienced before or since. The concession stand was always open for business, even if only to serve hotdogs, drinks, and snacks to some 40-50 folks.
The talented players were extremely serious about improving their game. Try-outs for Regional or State select teams made try-outs in my native country pale in comparison. Players with less talent and ambition quickly came to terms with just doing their best and having fun playing.
If badminton clubs and organizers in the USA can crack the grass-roots code, great things lie ahead for our wonderful sport.
Assuming that Americans and their behavior haven’t changed all that much, it seems clear to me what needs to be done. The term “soccer moms” might give you a clue.
There are many private and independent badminton academies around the world. At the semi-professional and professional levels, these academies typically cater to badminton players who aren’t accepted in the National Elite Training Centers.
Where is the best badminton academy in the world? Is it even possible to determine? Badmintonspeak visited the Yonex Peter Gade Academy in Copenhagen for a talk with head coach Peter Gade and a few of the academy players.
The academy was founded by Peter Gade. He is a former world number 1 in men’s singles and is considered among the badminton legends. Based in Denmark, the academy is supported by Yonex and attracts players from all over the world.
Meet Yonex Peter Gade Academy
Best Badminton Academy facts for YPGA
The YPGA (Yonex Peter Gade Academy) is located in Denmark. Here are some quick facts about the academy
Training takes place 5 days a week from around 8:30 – 11:30
Who are the top badminton countries in 2023 and beyond?
The official BWF country ranking for badminton is a good indication of which countries are doing best overall. Check below to see where your country ranks on the current list. The list includes 118 badminton countries from around the world.
Country team badminton ranking – how it is done by BWF
The ranking done by BWF (Badminton World Federation) takes into account the following:
country team placement at Sudirman Cup
country team placement at Thomas Cup
country team placement at Uber Cup
placement of the top player or double/mixed-doubles from each country in each of the 5 categories. Depending on the placement a certain amount of points is awarded. F.ex. if a country’s highest-placed single player is number 2 on the world ranking, the country is awarded 1.500 points, if the highest-ranked player is number 5 on world ranking list, the country is awarded 1.200 points, and so on.
The World Team Country Ranking is updated every 3 months.
Top 10 badminton countries in the world
Since the first top badminton countries ranking in 2011, the countries included in the top 10 have been more or less the same. China has been dominating the top-of-the-list of the badminton country ranking since 2011.
Here is the top 10 badminton country ranking – updated April 4, 2023 (you may have to scroll to see the full table)
Denmark has been a constant fixture on the list of top 10 countries since 2011. Currently, European countries such as Germany, France, England, and Spain are the countries to watch out for. One or more of them may very well have a shot at becoming the next European number 1.
Top badminton countries outside Asia and Europe
The countries to watch out for are Canada, the United States of America, Egypt, and perhaps even Brazil. But also United Arab Emirates (UAE) where badminton recently has enjoyed renewed focus from the powers that be.
Is this the method to identify the number 1 badminton country?
At Badmintonspeak we believe that BWF’s current country ranking method gives a reasonably accurate picture of the best badminton countries. What is your opinion? Please use the comment section to let us know
Thailand’s next female badminton star in the making is Pitchamon Opatniputh. Born in 2007, she has already achieved remarkable results in senior tournaments.
Similar to Thailand’s former women’s singles former World Champion, Ratchanok Intanon, Pitchamon is showing great results at a very young age. Her recent match against Carolina Marin at Thailand Open 2023 demonstrated why she is someone to watch in the near future. Check Ms. Opatniputh’s profile on BWF here
Who is Pitchamon Opatniputh – Thailand’s rising badminton star?
Born in Chiang Mai on 4 January 2007, Pitchamon began playing badminton at the age of 5. During her formative years, she rapidly improved her badminton skills and won many tournaments as a young player. She was initially trained by her father at the Thai Smile Badminton Club.
Nicknamed “Pink”, Pitchamon’s breakthrough came at the age of just 15 in 2022. She went through qualification to win the Bahrain International Challenge in November. Earlier in 2022 she won the Victor Denmark Masters also going through qualification. In January of 2022 she also won the Victor Swedish Open.
Her rapid rise in 2022 earned her a spot on the Thailand Uber Cup team.
Youngest female player representing Thailand at SEA Games
At the South East Asian Games in 2021, when Pitchamon was 15 years of age, she became the youngest-ever female player to represent her country. This is also the first time the press in Asia experienced her. As a result, she was dubbed the “Badminton Angel”. Apparently because of her looks and demeanor.
Here is one of her Instagram posts about the experience representing Thailand at SEA Games in Hanoi.
Given her impressive results at a very young age, the badminton angel from Thailand has the potential to reach the top of women’s singles badminton. At the time of writing this, she is only 16 years of age. So a lot can happen – good and bad – in the coming years.
Reaching the very top of women’s badminton requires consistency, continuous hard work, focus, and dedication. Not to mention a competent team to take care of the training, coaching, diet, mental strengthening, etc.
The leaders and coaches at Thailand Badminton have proven themselves many times. So we think she is in good hands as far as her support system goes. If she can stay motivated and be patient in terms of how quickly she progresses, she’s got a really good chance of reaching the top 10 on the BWF Ranking.
Are you looking to rent a badminton court in Copenhagen? There are more than 30 pay-and-play locations in the greater Copenhagen area. BadmintonSpeak has tested and selected the best badminton courts for pay and play in Copenhagen and its environs.
Our selection is based on criteria such as court acoustics, cleanliness of the hall, accessibility, parking facilities, and hourly cost of court rental. Players have different preferences. Ours is to play in a hall created specifically for badminton, which is the case for all the badminton halls mentioned here.
Best badminton courts to rent in Copenhagen
Gentofte Badminton Club (GBK), Gentofte (9 courts) perfect for pay and play badminton
Gentofte Badminton Klub is one of the oldest clubs in Denmark. The building is from 1936, which shows, but it has a certain charm. Book the exhibition court (court 5) for a unique experience. The badminton halls get really warm in the summer and tend to be quite cold in the winter months. Kudos to this club for keeping the pay-and-play price at a very reasonable level.
Charlottenlund Badminton Club (5 courts) – the least crowded badminton hall
Charlottenlund Badminton Klub is also one of the oldest clubs in Denmark. The original building is from 1934 and was designed by Arne Jacobsen. The hall does get quite warm in the summer months.
Copenhagen Badminton Club (KBK) – closest to central Copenhagen
Founded in 1928, Københavns Badminton Klub is one of the 5 oldest badminton clubs in Denmark. The close proximity to the city of Copenhagen makes it an ideal place to rent a badminton court for an hour or two.
The cleanliness of the badminton hall is second to none.
Kastrup Magleby Badminton (KMB) – 9 courts – one hall is very unique
On the island of Amager and relatively close to Copenhagen Airport (CPH), you’ll find Kastrup Magleby Badminton Club. They offer 9 courts in two halls. In the second hall (pictured) you’ll find three nice badminton courts. This hall might just be the nicest place to hang out before or after a game.
The Frederiksberg area of Copenhagen offers many opportunities to play badminton. We are currently testing these badminton courts situated in the Frederiksberg neighborhood
Please note that some courts in the greater Copenhagen area can only be booked through Book Byen.
Wanna Sport also serves the rest of Denmark, however, in provincial Denmark many clubs prefer to receive bookings directly on their website. Frustrating, but true.
What does it cost to rent a pay-and-play badminton court in Copenhagen?
Prices range from DKK 80 to DKK 200 per court per hour. Some facilities use differentiated or dynamic pricing, which means that booking a badminton court in the morning is cheaper than late afternoon, for example.
Remember these simple rules when you rent a badminton court
All of the pay and play badminton courts in Copenhagen (and the rest of Denmark) want you to follow these simple guidelines:
Don’t wear outdoor shoes on the court
Bring your own equipment: rackets, shuttlecocks (birdies), and shoes
Clean up after you are done playing
Respect the start and end times of your booking
Arrive early so that you have time to warm up, which will help you prevent injuries
Share your pay and play experience with Badmintonspeak
If you have played on any of the courts mentioned in this article, please share your experience with us. Contact us here
Is it a good idea for parents to coach their children in badminton?
Oliver Shepherd asked sport and performance psychologist Muhammed Deen of MD Performance Psychology. Mr. Deen is originally from the United Kingdom but is now residing in Malaysia. He has helped many badminton players with mental training over the years.
Watch the video and read the video transcript below. The transcript has been edited for clarity. Get more badminton stories
Parent coaching badminton – good or bad, what’s your advice?
Oliver from Badmintonspeak asked: Do you advise a parent to be the main coach for a (badminton) kid that is trying to become a top athlete or an elite athlete? Or would you advise that the parent be the parent and then find external coaches to come in and help that kid, which you spoke about earlier?
You know, if the child is overweight then you need to have that tough conversation. But is that tough conversation going to be better coming from the parent or a coach or someone else that you bring into the picture?
Sportspsychologist Muhammed Dean replied:
Watch out for the parent-child relationship; maturity is key
When the relationship (between parent and child) is deteriorating, conversations are not being held, trust is lost, and feelings of Oppression and suppression appear. Those are just the most obvious signs with parent coaching badminton and it isn’t working out.
So once a child starts ignoring their parents, or parents ignore their child or they’re not friendly with each other, that’s a clear sign that something is going wrong or about to go wrong.
(if this problem arises) It needs to be recognized immediately, okay, and by immediately I don’t mean quickly. I just mean at the first instance. Don’t let it get to a second, third, and fourth stage. Just deal with it either then or as the next thing on your agenda. But it must be dealt it. But again if there is a sufficient level of maturity and there is enough regulation or self-regulation and both parent and child are of reasonable health both mentally and physically, or whatever, then it will go just fine. If not, it will get worse.
So there are loads of great parent-child coaching examples, you know.
If you look at the Popovs (a badminton family from France), you know, I’ve seen them on the BWF World Tour. I’ve seen their father in the halls. Yeah, it’s hard to comment from the outside in, but they look like a very tight family and that’s lovely to see. It is wonderful to see. And the boys look like they’re best friends, truly best friends, and they’ve spoken about this (relationship) openly and honestly as well on podcasts and the like, but they look like they have a very good system.
They know what Daddy Popov expects and he knows how to curse (!) his children. They have a similar approach in mentality, or at least they buy into the same idea and that’s all that’s needed.
The father is well respected around the world and is an amazing human and an amazing coach. I guess that’s where this element of a great athlete and great person comes into play. Because I’ve heard performance directors at other institutes talking about how we don’t need to turn young people into great people, but just to become great athletes.
I was like no no no no no no no no no! We’re in a helping profession and when you’re surrounding a young child who’s in sport or a young teenager involved in sport, your primary goal should be for positive Youth Development so that the kid can become a great individual and, subsequently, become a great athlete.
Because if they can do that, they’re going to surpass those that are merely great athletes by light years.
And that’s the case. Someone like Khabib (a former Russian mixed martial art professional) is a great example of that. He is an absolutely great human and his whole crew is a great example of that.
So I’m struggling to think of many more instances of coaching family members. I’m thinking of Raphael Nadal yeah. I’m not sure how long that lived lasted because they seemed to make it work for the most part of Nadal’s career. He used to warm him up so again it comes down to the maturity level.
I feel that the parents need to really take ownership here. Because they’re the leaders in the role models so if if the young athlete has a bad maturity and it’s got to look at themselves what’s going on here
Oliver Shepherd comments: yes I also think that if I’m a parent coaching my kid there’s an element of ego in that. Right now I’m the coach here I’m the one that’s going to help them become great which means you turn down opportunities for your kid to be coached by someone else who may be even better than you.
Muhammed Deen replies: Yeah that could be the case if it comes down to the child. A lot of parents, you know, they’re happy to stand back and say you know what I’ll just watch (the child play). Even Messi (Argentinian football star) doesn’t coach his kids in football.
But you know he’s happy to just watch the games and let the coaches do their job. That’s the kind of way that could provide a better collaboration because the child could have two parents and someone else (a coach). Why not? You know it’s just about being intentional and understanding what apparently works best. Making decisions about parent coaching badminton, who will coach the children, and which signs to be aware of are important.
Oliver concluded: I think the development of junior players and the role of parents in that development vis-a-vis coaches is fascinating. Parents coaching badminton is surely an important topic for any parent involved with badminton.
Thank you for your sharing your expertise with Badmintonspeak.
How can parents help children be better athletes?
In this video, Muhammed Deen offers his perspective on the parental role in helping children become better athletes.
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