never judge a book by...............

[gerry]

Anyone had a similar experience.

I visit a club in a neighbouring county once or twice a season as I have a friend there, I've played for them a couple of times in their league when they've been short, I was asked to play for them last night in their second last game of the season, if they win this match they win their league.
While I'm getting warmed up, the opposition walk in, 6 very fit looking young players in their 20's, all wearing the same light blue track suits and all carrying thick racket bags with what looked like 10 rackets in each....I thought to myself they look quite professional and mean business, I will have to work hard here tonight....then my partner for the evening walks in, (I've never seen him play) wearing a rugby shirt, black shorts and long football type socks with his one racket in his hand.....as I'm from the old school and always play in all white.....I thought it looks like I'm going to struggle tonight.
Anyway as you can probably guess my partner turned out to be a terrific player, very fast with all round good shots and especially a real killer jumping smash, which really suits me these days as I'm better at setting up and killing shots at the net if my partner is fast with a strong smash.

The opposition weren't as good as they looked and we won the match very easily.

Turned out my partner had recently moved to the area but plays for his home county.

Didn't have the gall to ask him why he dressed like that but as he played so well...who cares.

Moral of the story....as I should know at my age...is never judge a book by it's cover !!

[Californian]

Maybe he just couldn't afford top line equipment and apparel.

He was probably one of those all-around good athletes who plays badminton among other sports.

[gerry]

Originally posted by Californian
Maybe he just couldn't afford top line equipment and apparel.

He was probably one of those all-around good athletes who plays badminton among other sports.


Possibly but I've never seen any other county player dress like that. Most county players take the game very seriously and that usually includes having a few rackets and some sort of dress code....meaning that they play in some type of badminton gear.

[Yodums]

Originally posted by gerry
Possibly but I've never seen any other county player dress like that. Most county players take the game very seriously and that usually includes having a few rackets and some sort of dress code....meaning that they play in some type of badminton gear.

I don't see that too often here. I usually play in whatever. Basketball nylon nike shorts which are baby blue or silver (I will get white soon). My t-shirts are like any colour (Of course I prefer white since it's my favourite colour - Yes I realize I'm very original!) but I don't dress up in yonex badminton shorts, yonex polo shirt and have it all white or matching. Even if I had Yonex apprarels, I think opponents will laugh at you because you're wearing all Yonex clothing to think you're good but then you get beat. I'd rather spend my money on racquets or training to improve then look good on the court! Besides, I hate short shorts! I wear shorts up to my knees LOL.

[Cheung]

Originally posted by gerry
Possibly but I've never seen any other county player dress like that. Most county players take the game very seriously and that usually includes having a few rackets and some sort of dress code....meaning that they play in some type of badminton gear.

Is he a student?:)

The dress code doesn't surprise me but you didn't mention the shoes he wore. I always look at the shoes first. If they are badminton-type shoes, there's a good chance that person has reached a certain level of expertise. Otherwise, I dont look at the clothes too much. Also the type of physique, do the muscles look toned? Even overweight people with regular exercise can still look toned so this is pretty useful.

But one racquet? He must have been very confident he could borrow somebody else's racquet and still play well to win the game. OR, it didn't matter to him wether he won or lost, hence not worrying about a broken string.

[Phil]

Originally posted by Cheung
. I always look at the shoes first. If they are badminton-type shoes, there's a good chance that person has reached a certain level of expertise.

Yes! Someone else who does! I was talking with some people at a tournament about how people are judged, and I said I look at the shoes, and they thought it was...different.

On average, this is the order of shoe relative to the skill from worst to best that I have observed. (there are exceptions of course, such as rich people who aren't as good and good people who don't care as much about the equipment)

Casual walking shoes - no athletic functions in the shoe construction whatsoever, better than clogs though :)
Sneakers of any sort - more suited to physical activity, but still novice
Basketball shoes - getting into more athletic people now, but still don't have as good skills/footwork
Basic all-around court shoes - this is what the majority of people wear, usually indicates some amount of skill/playing experience
Badminton-only shoes - the highest levels of play

Amazing what you can get from a shoe. :) (well, at least what I can get from a shoe)

Phil

[Joseph]

On our team, our coach recommends us to buy badminton shoes. So a lot of the novice players have the shoes.

[zero]

Hmm, the guess it's time for me to be the hidden dragon!!...:rolleyes:
Casual/walking shoes with some khaki's....:D
And most of all, a dress shirt!!....
They will never know wut hit them...hehe...

But I'd still probally carry my expensive racquets...haha

[cooler]

two weeks ago, a new guy shows up in our club. He was all deck out with blue nike tee and shorts, and a pair of ~200 dollar high tech looking blue nike shoes. He has a steel racket so i thot he was a newbie. He has tanned quad and calves too so i thot he could at least move around ok. The combination all indicated he was a newbie so no one else want to approach him so i ask him to play MD wif me with another MD pair. Man, what a disappointment, he can't run at all, he can't hit the shuttle at all. That is ok too wif me but what got me off was his attitude. When i made deceptional winning shots against opponent he laughed at them. What a shameful attitude i said to myself. Also, he clashed my new winex and chip it at 12 o'clock. The moral of this story is no exterior can tell me about a guy's attitude.

[gerry]

Originally posted by Cheung

Is he a student?:)

Possibly although he was in his middle to late 20's.


The dress code doesn't surprise me but you didn't mention the shoes he wore. I always look at the shoes first.

I don't mean an official dress code but a self imposed one, normally most good players wear something that makes them look like a badminton player, i.e T shirt whether it be white or coloured and white short socks, didn't notice the shoes too much it was just the overall appearance that caught me out.
Most players that I see just wear all round branded court shoes, don't see so many "badminton" shoes around, normal sports shops don't stock them and even the one so called specialist shop that I used doesn't either, branded court shoes are taking over the world, if they're not Nike etc the kids just don't buy them.
Maybe someone knows different, if they can tell me where to buy "badminton" shoes, I'd be interested.




Also the type of physique, do the muscles look toned? Even overweight people with regular exercise can still look toned so this is pretty useful.

Yes he was very physically strong and fit and definetly county standard.



But one racquet? He must have been very confident he could borrow somebody else's racquet and still play well to win the game. OR, it didn't matter to him wether he won or lost, hence not worrying about a broken string.

Tricky one....I suppose it could have been for any reason, we have eccentrics in society so I suppose why not in badminton. He was a very quiet, kept himself to himself sort of guy.
For curiostys sake, I'll try and find out more.

[edwin]

Originally posted by Joseph
On our team, our coach recommends us to buy badminton shoes. So a lot of the novice players have the shoes.
Eventhough they're novice players, they still have a coach and they're on a team. Therefore, they aren't that completely novice, right?

[Loh]

Gerry

Despite all the "odds" you and your "eccentric" partner still managed to beat the opposition convincingly. A tribute to your experience in the men's doubles. And you achieved this with a total stranger, one whom you have not even played with before. I don't suppose your rackets clashed at any one time? Amazing indeed!

I have to confess that nowadays, apart from a comfortable pair of shoes, I am not too particular about my dressing. It used to be collared Ts and white shorts!

[gerry]

Originally posted by Loh
Gerry

Despite all the "odds" you and your "eccentric" partner still managed to beat the opposition convincingly. A tribute to your experience in the men's doubles. And you achieved this with a total stranger, one whom you have not even played with before.
Thanks Loh, I play very orthodox mens doubles so can usually play with anyone that does too, of course after the first couple of games with a new partner, you find out which replies that he tends to prefer to play in certain situations then I can adjust my game accordingly. In fact I was always a better mxd player than MD, not these days of course as I'm too slow, in the games with this young player, I changed my game to playing more of a mxd game...me playing as the lady !! There was more advantage to be gained with him smashing and me picking off at the tape than the other way around.



I don't suppose your rackets clashed at any one time?
No, I can't remember the last time that happened, usually the only time that it gets close is when in defence the opposition may play a fast drop/smash to the centre and both of us go for it, I'd rather that than both of us leaving it for the other.


It used to be collared Ts and white shorts!
As I'm from the old school I still play in the above, I'd just feel uncomfortable in anything else.....old habits die hard. ;-))

[Loh]

Hi Gerry old boy, are you from the 'Roaring Fifties'! You can't be more than 50, I'm sure ... but you certainly behave like one ...ha,ha,ha!!!

But not so in your baddy game! You may have to wear a WHITE skirt if you continue to stay up front for all the shots, he, he, he. Of course, I've forgotten, nowadays, they allow gals to wear shorts as well.

As you said, appearance is sure deceptive!

[gerry]

Originally posted by Loh
Hi Gerry old boy, are you from the 'Roaring Fifties'! You can't be more than 50, I'm sure No I'm not quite there yet but it isn't so far off as I would like !!


You may have to wear a WHITE skirt if you continue to stay up front for all the shots, he, he, he. Well loh I don't stay up front for all shots but if wearing a white skirt could bring back the speed in my movement I would gladly do so, I'd even wear a pink leotard if it worked......Mmmm.....that's a thought, that could put off the opposition enough for me to get a few of my smashes through their defence.....!! ;-))


As you said, appearance is sure deceptive! That appearance certainly would be !!!!!