The Humans of Shuttle Time series from the Badminton World Federation shares the viewpoints of those who contribute to grassroots badminton development. Josefa Matasau, shuttle time teacher from Fiji, shares his story of being brought up in Fiji and the experiences that he has gone through in the shuttle time program. I hail from the beautiful village of Mokani, Dravo, Tailevu. I was brought up in a family of seven — my parents and five siblings. I heard about badminton in 2003 during the South Pacific Games which was hosted in Fiji. However, I didn’t get the chance to be involved with it until 2019, when the Fiji National Sports Commission conducted a Train The Trainer OSEP Programme in my village.
First Impression
The first thing that struck me is that badminton is fun! I later learned how inclusive it is, how you can impact the whole community.
I have been involved with it ever since that day. The Shuttle Time programme equipped me with the knowledge and experience of the sport and really got me involved. Badminton is now a huge part of my life.
Inspiration from Para Athletes
Working with the Para Athletes has been the experience of a lifetime. These athletes are an inspiration; just seeing the amount of work that they put in and never giving up is a lesson for all of us. I can say it is my most memorable experience thus far.
Memorable Experiences
It means a lot to know that I can impact a lot of lives positively through the sport. The introduction of AirBadminton made a huge difference because now it can be played anywhere.
Getting to go to places I have never been, meeting new people, and seeing the kids smile as they take part, have been great experiences. I’m inspired knowing that I can make a difference through my role.
Impact of Shuttle Time
It has boosted the development of badminton in the country. Earlier, people in the rural communities didn’t even know the sport; now we are use Shuttle Time to take the sport out there.
The biggest lesson I learned from Shuttle Time is to have an inclusive mindset, making sure that wherever I work I bring people together, leaving no one behind.
