HUMAN OF SHUTTLE TIME – PATRICK HII – AUSTRALIA

𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

I may not recall where I first saw badminton played, but my earliest memory is seeing my father playing in a social session. It was in a multipurpose hall with timber flooring which was mainly used for futsal. I vividly recall seeing some of the players smashing hard and looking quite intense, making me ask my mother: “How come they are they so angry at each other?”

I was enthralled by the amount of emotion and energy from the players. Seeing their full commitment during the rallies must have left an impression on me back then. My dad tells me that I was eager to begin training, however the small club I started at didn’t accept players until they were at least 10 years old. As a result, I first played with family and friends.

𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧

Badminton has always in and around my life from primary years until now in various forms. My journey in the sport started with competing in interclub tournaments, national events and even a mother-son tournament in Taiwan — that was lots of fun! Working as a high school teacher now, I have able to promote the sport in all the schools I have worked at and grew to enjoy working with young students through Shuttle Time.

I find that the more I learn about it, the more I appreciate it. The experiences from the people within the badminton community are diverse and insightful — it’s always fun when I find a new way of explaining and demonstrating a particular skill. I see a shared love for the sport especially when speaking to the coaches, parents, players and technical officials.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬

For me personally, badminton is an avenue where I can contribute and give back to the community that I have been a part of for much of my life. Being able to introduce and develop the sport as the Head Coach at Meriden is fantastic — and humbling! I enjoy hearing the positive reports about students socialising and how they can continue to be active especially in their HSC year. Teaching and coaching badminton constantly keeps me curious and engaged as there is always something different to master and new to learn which makes it so interesting!

I find there is always something new to master and become better at which makes the sport just so exciting — and even frustrating at times! Any match can be unpredictable! Tactically, badminton requires elements of planning and preparation while still being able to adapt and be flexible. It keeps you on your toes — literally.

𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲

It has been great to have the Shuttle Time resources and programme in effect here in New South Wales schools. I’m fortunate to be part of this and have heard of the positive reports from the PE teachers themselves about the quality of the resources.

I would love to see a greater participation and representation from schools in state, local and international events. The development of badminton through New South Wales schools is fairly new and it is excellent to see that Meriden can be integral to facilitating this.

𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞

Shuttle Time has been implemented in a number of schools, both in the public and independent sector. It is fantastic to see that anyone can introduce the sport through the high-quality Shuttle Time resources and videos. I believe that accessibility and visibility of the sport is pivotal to its future growth.

𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞

I have personally found that the biggest takeaway working with Shuttle Time is the value of the badminton community. I find so much value in meeting the coaches and teachers who enjoy the sport, are generous to share their experiences and love seeing the development of badminton as a whole. I would describe the Shuttle Time community as generous, supportive and fun-filled people!