Rules for Badminton in PE

Dating back to ancient times in Asia and Europe -- it is believed that badminton began nearly 2000 years where it was known as battledore. In modern times it gained popularity in the mid-19th century in British India. It became an Olympic sport in the Munich Olympics in 1972 and continues to be a popular sport worldwide. Many US schools enjoy badminton as part of the physical education curriculum, and the instructors follow a defined set of rules for this two player or doubles court game.

  1. Badminton Basics

    • The game of badminton is played on a court with two players on opposite sides of the court facing each other. Sometimes teams may develop and much like tennis they can play in doubles with two players on each team facing off against opposing players. The court size for single players is 44-feet long and 17-feet wide. If it's a doubles match, then the court size is 44-feet long and 20-feet wide. The net is set at a height of five feet and each player has a racket made of lightweight material such as aluminum or plastic. The birdie--also known as a shuttle--is the main piece of the game. This light piece has a rubber base and feathers or a plastic imitation to assist in its flight over the net. The birdie is hit on the rubber side.

    The Objective

    • Games are played to 15 points and each match has three to five games depending on the individual class and allowance for time. The first team to reach 15 points wins. The object is to volley the birdie over the net and prevent it from hitting the ground. When a team misses the birdie and lets it hit the ground, the opposing team gets a point if the opposing team served the birdie. Play begins when the birdie is served over the net. The server must hit the birdie below the waist and the head of the racket must be below the server's hand. If the shuttle hits the net on the way over and lands within the boundary lines of the opposing team, then the serve is good. The players must not allow the birdie to rest on their racket or to carry it on their racket.

    Additional Rules and Boundaries

    • If a shuttle lands on the boundary line it is consider fair-- if it hits the ceiling of the venue, then it is considered out of play. A player is not allowed to reach over the net to hit the birdie, and his racket is not allowed to touch the net. However, if you're racket, but not your body, crosses over the net that is fair play. There are different types of shots which include the drop shot, the lob, drive and smash. Additionally 90-second intervals are allowed between each game.