In the first term of 2021, we completed a unit of badminton in order to broaden our curriculum and offer our students the opportunity to experience one of the fastest growing sports in Victoria.
We did this with our years 3, 4, 5 and 6 students and we were told about an annual badminton competition for primary students, run by the Shepparton Badminton Association, which we were encouraged to enter teams into, not only for the great sporting experience on offer, but for the educational benefits for our students as well.
From the outset we had a really good feeling about it and recognised the potential educational and personal development possibilities this could offer our students; even before the heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, announced that he played badminton to improve his fitness and footwork.
Because badminton is a lifelong sport, enhancing fitness and mental well-being, requiring strategic thinking (like chess), has team and individual elements, requires a blending of cooperation and personal flair; it was an obvious choice to add to our curriculum.
When a school competes in a tournament of this type (a day of continuous round-robin competition), it is not all, just fun and games.
We found that there were a number of social/emotional benefits as well. It develops self esteem and teaches leadership skills, as they learn about responsibility, accountability, and the whole concept of sportsmanship.
It improves their ability to work well with others and to be less self-centred as a result.
Their communication skills and teamwork improve, thereby fostering better relationships, in and out of the classroom.
So, sporting contests such as this, don’t just teach skill fundamentals, they also teach rules and respect for those rules.
And of course, they learn the consequences of not following those rules in real time.
They also learn to respect their partner and their opponents, win or lose... and to be able to treat winning and losing, as the same thing, just with a different result.
Thus, it is not the winning they come to value, it is their attitude and effort, that gives the game its value, not its result.
We were not able to compete in 2021 because the tournament was cancelled because of COVID-19, but as this tournament had been given such a glowing recommendation, we decided to forge ahead in 2022.
Although we arrived at the tournament a bit late, we were able to find a court for our two teams to do a bit of pre-match practice, and although we looked and felt a bit rusty, we were very excited and enjoying the atmosphere and experience.
Because we were inexperienced, we were in the lower division, and this turned out to be a godsend because the organisers had taken the trouble to train up umpire/scorers (secondary school students from the Shepparton Christian College), who were able to empathetically guide our students with the scoring, where to stand to serve and receive, who should be serving and receiving and even advice on tactics when required.
So, our nerves gradually faded and as our confidence grew — because of the support from everybody... umpires, opposing team players and John Pettigrew from the Shepparton Badminton Association whose advice was so supportive and affirming... we began to play better and better, better and better.
We could have won a perpetual trophy as the division winner — but we didn’t; we could have won medals if we had placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd — but we didn’t; we could have won a racquet given out as an Encouragement Award for good sportsmanship and improvement in standard of play over the course of the day — but we... oh, that’s right, WE DID!
Eloise Hawke won the Individual Girl’s Encouragement Award for her division, but there were others from ACC Hume who were also in the running to win that award. Congratulations to Eloise Hawke. Well done! Eloise.
Another student who performed extremely well on the day, was Skye Loh, and a post tournament presentation of a racquet was made to Skye as the Encouragement Award runner-up, as you could hardly see any daylight between the improvement/sportsmanship of Skye and Eloise on the day.
So, well done, Skye and Eloise.
The attitude of the students, whether winning or losing, was exemplary; that is to say, they showed outstanding sportsmanship, and if a team was given an encouragement award, then both teams would have won them, as they represented their school with dignity, humility, and the joi de vivre that we should all strive to put in to our daily lives.
As the tournament is open to players from Prep to Year 6, most of this year’s players will be eligible to play next year, and as Charlie Johnson and Caleb Hein were only too keen to point out, they “can’t wait for next year’s tournament, as badminton is such a fun game”.
They did, however, think that they would, “have to do more practice... but that this was hard to do at school, cos the other kids wanted to jump in and play, too”.
Arizona Gazzola wondered why there were not other primary schools from Benalla at the tournament, and she hoped to see some of the kids from the other Benalla primary schools at next year’s tournament.
All of the students agreed that they had a fantastic time at the primary school’s badminton tournament in Shepparton, but they did suggest one improvement — a broader range of options at the canteen.
Fortunately, they brought their own lunches, so they were not greatly put out, but could see that there was room for improvement in that area.
So, we thank the Shepparton Badminton Association for this tremendously supportive and well-put-together tournament.
From our experience, we would have to rate this as one of the best-run tournaments on the primary school calendar, and we will certainly be back next year.