As you people of Ontario know, OFSSA is an event for high school that is approaching very quickly and as you can see I have a problem that I have to face. I'd like some help from you pros out there to help me find a way to teach a girl to play mixed with me that could help me on the way to OFSSA or just even get through a few rounds of hard battling with other high schools in my area.

I have some information about this girl that would like to share with you. She's a beginner as I have stated in my subject, she does not like to be hardcore badminton player and do drills, she can smash pretty good for a girl in beginner level, net shots are so-so, do drops well, but with an incorrect technique, can't really net kill, encourages me not to get mad and is very friendly and... is hot :cool: (to anyone that's interested in this).

I'm looking forward to you pros' replies. Thanks

Wildstyler

wow wildstyler, u seem to me as a very hardcore player, why are u pairing up with a newbie? frankly your first tournament is coming very soon, and 2 weeks is very hard to become good at mixed. i guess you'd have to start with formations... since she won't do drills.. doing drills is the best way though lol... i think formations are key in this thing though...

btw.. how hot?? =P

yes, i agree that drills are the best for beginners, once you have the basics down, try playing some games, to get some experience and to get to know each other =P

and remember wildstyler, when shes serving keep your eyes on the shuttle =D

Originally posted by TOmike
wow wildstyler, u seem to me as a very hardcore player, why are u pairing up with a newbie?



I thought the answer to this was self evident, I mean she's hot ;P Luckily the only seriously hot girl I've paired up with (badminton wise) was at the time better than me ;)

Hmm, mental note, if any of my other mixed partners get onto this site and figure out this is me, must deny everything :P


frankly your first tournament is coming very soon, and 2 weeks is very hard to become good at mixed. i guess you'd have to start with formations... since she won't do drills.. doing drills is the best way though lol... i think formations are key in this thing though...

btw.. how hot?? =P

I agree, get her into the habit of staying at the front, even if she's only going to have to move a little bit backwards :P Work out a zone for her to hit in. Also drill her on returning to base. If you have time, teach her to move cross court from the smasher, though of course you'd never, ever lift in mixed would you? ;)

To be frank, I'd say forget it.

It's like saying teach me how to play singles in two weeks.

You just hope the the best and do not take it seriously. After all, if you were serious, you wouldn't be teaming up with a person for two weeks and posing this question.

Sorry wildstyler, we can't give you good advice without seeing some pics. Grab your digicam now! j/k :p

Seriously how newb is she? I've partnered with people who were very newb (misses bird half the time, and if they do hit, it's a high lob to the middle court.) With those people, it's basically large-court singles.

If she's an experienced player who knows the basics, i would have her stand at the T (even as defensive stance.) Have her concentrate on netshots, with some drives, clears and footwork. You'll be basically covering 80% of the court. When in doubt, it's your bird. Major weakness would be you'll be very vulnerable to a smasher with good aim. I think this should give some decent results.

i too say forget it. i have been trying to teach my gf for the last 2 yrs..... erm... never mind... let's not going into that.... ;)

tell her to read jack downey's book on doubles?
and tell her to watch mixed doubles tapes while giving her love and encouragement... =P

tip: there's one good mixed doubles video on www.playbadminton.com tell her she can be tantri and u can be.... tony? =P

Oh yeah, forgot to mention earlier, if anybody is interested in Wildstyler's partner on a more 'personal' basis, I suggest you PM him.;) ;)

Does she have good clear and drive? If she can do deep clear and flat drive, then, maybe things won't be too bad in early round.

Pull her back behind "T", since she has ok smashes. However, try to avoid net tactic, and try not let her to be "over excited" when see a high fly clear right above the net. Since her net game is so-so, maybe a little bit distance away from the net will do it. However, u night lose net control on later round.

2 weeks is just way too short, however, if u feel like to stay with this partner (for whatever reason, :D ), just don't take it too serious, and try to dig out whatever she has, and enjoy the games.

2 weeks is a short time. Try not to feed her too much information. Leave
out advanced details and just have her remember a few key points,
otherwise she's going to feel pressured, think too much, become too
tense, try too hard, miss more shots, etc... Playing a game at the speed
of real badminton demands that certain actions be part of 'muscle
memory' or natural reflexes. To have to remind oneself of too many things
will slow the person down. That would apply to you too.

Ask her to practise the few key points with you for a few mins... not so
long that they seem like drills if she's really not that interested. It's just
to make sure that she's got the idea and seeing that she can make the
shots will give both of you more confidence.

Another thing is that if you feel you have the footwork to cover the court
and racquet control to back her up, there are certain shots that at her
level, she should just leave alone and let you take them instead. Better
you running for it than she setting up your opponents to smash. Try to
use more shots that slow the play down to allow yourself more time to
reposition yourself and try your hardest not to lift!

Originally posted by nSmash

Another thing is that if you feel you have the footwork to cover the court
and racquet control to back her up, there are certain shots that at her
level, she should just leave alone and let you take them instead. Better
you running for it than she setting up your opponents to smash. Try to
use more shots that slow the play down to allow yourself more time to
reposition yourself and try your hardest not to lift!

Very good point. Sometimes (if u can get to position in time), she should just clean the path for u to return certain shots, no matter defensive move or offensive kills. Colliding between 2 partners are the worst part in doubles.

However, hmmm... maybe "wildstyler" prefer certain collisions??? ;) :D

Sorry... sorry... Don't delete my post... :o

Originally posted by LazyBuddy
However, hmmm... maybe "wildstyler" prefer certain collisions??? ;) :D

Do I hear "LET!!!"??? Oopss, this isn't squash... :D :D

two weeks is a short time but good luck anyway

Another thing to add - serve.

During rallies, u might be able to "push" her to a corner, and take over 85% of the court. However, there's no "sub" for serve. Make sure train her to serve in these 2 wks. As long as she can serve the bird deep and high, u 2 will get a chance to put on a fight.

well, if you want to make it to OFSAA, uhh...sorry to say that your chances are slim...even though 2 weeks is a long time compared to my OFSAA qualifier which is on Tuesday...

Anyways, uhhh, well, if she doesn't like footwork (well, nobody does) and she doesn't want to do it......well, have fun

Good thing it's mixed though so you can just get her to play the net but be prepared to run...

wow i feel bad for the guy now, u're all putting him down...

dont' worry wildstyler, i'm sure u could get through the first round... seeing as your'e from Belleville was it? is there even any competition out there? my area is relatively ok, but i hear some other places in toronto have really hard competition. i guess you're going to score a few points, but even if u lose, MAKE SURE YOU LOOK GOOD AS YOU LOSE! as she is hot and you are her partner there are only two certain possibilities. You can lose and score with her, or u can lose and lose. hahah jk

goodluck

well, if you're from bellville, u'll stand a chance. i thought you were going to play in TDSSAA or somthing cause then you're screwed.

TOmike: loved the way u gave out the possibilities. hahaha

If it is high school tournament.
Isnt it TCDSB Tournament that is held on April 8th and 9th..
I am playing mixed too..

Just tell your girl to stay up front and tell her to smash the birdie down
when the other team are doing net plays.
So once she is up there now you are at the back taking the
charge of the whole court..
Then it is your game...

Good Luck..

If you are in TCDSB tournament than I might meet you in Humber College..

By the way what High School do you go to?

when you say TDCSB, is it the Catholic league?
if it is, i thought it was at JPII

Originally posted by Jus_anothr_grl
when you say TDCSB, is it the Catholic league?
if it is, i thought it was at JPII

anyone playing tdsb???

I know wildstyler personally as a friend and I know his partner from school, and first, I have to say about his partner is: DAAAAMNNN!! :D :D :D

DON'T DELETE/BAN, I'LL BE GOOD NOW!!

Anyways, we're in the COSSA region. We have two stages to get to OFSAA. First is "Bay of Quinte," regionals, top 4 make COSSA districts. Top 2 at COSSA qualify for OFSAA.

Personally, I think that his partner will have to learn to receive smashes, since some players will just pound the bird at her and avoid hitting it to him. She is a naturally athletic person, so she can hit the bird all the time and is decent at the net, but will have to do many drills to improve by the time qualifiers come up. (week and a half for the first one, another week after that is COSSA) If he can get her to be good at net kills/putaways, then he can smash and force weak returns that can be killed. I've heard somewhere before that in mixed, if both males are equal/balanced, it comes down to the skill of the lady.

Oh, Tomike, there are only two possibilities for him:

a. win and don't score
b. lose and don't score

Phil

TDCAA has a Badminton finals at Humber College on April 7th and 8th
Yeah.. This thing is a Divisional TDCAA Finals..
And I believe the League TDCAA Final is at Pope John Paul Second High School..

P.S: Anyone plays in TDCAA?
We might meet at the tournament..
I am in Brebeuf.. Any of you in TDCAA??

haha yeah.
i wish i played bantams though...so easy

Originally posted by Phil
Oh, Tomike, there are only two possibilities for him:
a. win and don't score
b. lose and don't score

Awww... man, that's depressing... :p
Are you sure you want to remind wildstyler of that while he's preparing
to take some badminton heat?

Hey, it just came to mind that it might be part of some new advanced
strategy... using a super-hot partner to distract the male opponent
(also the female too, in some cases, you'd never know) and work on
his soft spot, plus get him to think with something other than his brain...
hahah... :D

Make sure she gets a lot of practice on nets and net kills, so that there's a decent quality and consistency; and make sure she recognized any opportunities you set up for her. Get your positioning down, because that's prolly the hardest in mixed, so that she won't be getting in your way, and so you don't have to do too much running back and forth on the court, just across, like you should be. It'd prolly be good to inform her that if you realli make a desperate clear, to cover the cross court offensive shot. Basically, you're goin to be covering a ton more of the court than usually in mixed, so get ready to run.

Phil: why not pack up and go home hahaha