Development

(Photo: Badminton Europe)
-I think badminton is not just a sport, it is a lifestyle
Date: 8/5/2020 10:27 AM
Published by : Alan Raftery
In 2012, BWF launched Shuttle Time to the world. A school’s badminton programme supporting the principle that children should lead a healthy and active life, both in and out of school.

Ukraine is very much looking forward to the 2021 European Championships and BEC Congress due to take place in Kyiv. The Ukrainian Badminton Federation has been doing some great work over the past few years working towards the goal of making badminton one of Ukraine’s most popular and accessible school sports.

Alina Flint, the Shuttle Time National Coordinator of Ukraine, describes her personal journey on this quest. 

Background
I was born and raised in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. My father and younger brother played football. I was passionate about handball.

I was five or six years old the first time I saw badminton in the garden of our house. I was struck by the shuttlecock! I remember I liked it because it was colorful. We had wooden badminton rackets at home, and I ran around with the other children chasing after the shuttlecock. I felt so happy when I first hit the shuttlecock with my racket. 

A new side to Badminton
Until 2018, I sometimes played badminton with my daughter and friends. When in 2018 I came to work in the Badminton Federation of Ukraine with a new team of directors, I saw a completely different side of badminton - professional and very interesting!

Over these two-and-a-half years, I participated in and organised seminars. We held the 2019 BEC Congress in Kyiv. I met interesting people from many countries. I was also sent to South Korea as the manager of the U15 and U17 teams. On this trip, I discovered yet again a completely different side to badminton. 

When I was appointed the coordinator of Shuttle Time Ukraine, I was worried if I could handle it, because it was a new direction for me. But my curator, BEC Development Officer Luca Crippa, helps me on all issues. I have also received great support from my colleagues and Badminton Europe.

What badminton means to me
I am very grateful to all the people I’ve met and worked with. They became my teachers or partners.

I feel that I don’t have the right to disappoint anyone who learns badminton from us. I want all of Ukraine to play badminton in the next two years!

I think badminton is not just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. 

During the game, the personality of the player manifests itself, and you can understand what kind of person he or she is. Badminton players are intelligent and at the same time very cheerful!

Developing badminton in Ukraine
Since 2018, we’ve connected teachers from different regions and conducted training for them. At that time, we had little training material and we used the main resource – the experience of our trainers! Our federation started taking part in all sports events and festivals where we could integrate badminton. For two-and-a-half years, we took part in more than 20 sports events to popularise and develop badminton. We noticed people getting interested and in October 2019 we started the Shuttle Time programme. Since then we have been holding Shuttle Time training seminars.

How has Shuttle Time made a difference?
Over four months we held 20 Shuttle Time seminars for teachers and two seminars for tutors. Teachers became interested in training badminton in PE classes. Children enjoy playing badminton. We try to open badminton sections in schools so that children can practice professionally.

Lessons from Shuttle Time 
It’s very important to look for and train professional coaches for the Shuttle Time programme, so they’re responsible for their students and teachers and establish communication with them. It is very important to learn further so that interest in promoting Shuttle Time grows.

For more information about Shuttle Time and how to get involved, click here

©badmintoneurope.com. All rights reserved.

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