Hi there, Thought my first post would be here after hanging out and viewing posts for a month. OCCUPATION: Family business, badminton and volleyball administrator/promter, and karakal and domino racquet rep. BADMINTON SKILL: Mid A level competitive player with best panhandle technique...beating most trained players who play 'correctly' (as the masses suggest). HISTORY Let me tell you how I started as a ‘panhandle’. I first picked up a badminton racquet when I was in grade 6 and have been playing since. No one told me how to hold it, so I picked it up ‘panhandle’ style and it seemed to feel right. My game seemed to be pretty good throughout my school years. All my school coaches didn’t say anything, but I guess they didn’t notice or didn’t know much. When I was finished my schooling, I went on to play drop-in at Henderson Recreation Centre. That is where I really learned how to play. I learned most of my shots from the stronger players that I played against…trying to imitate their shots. I didn’t really know about feather birds until I was a line judge volunteer at the Commonwealth Games here in ’94. I found out where to play feather birds a few years later and gave that a try. I think the first thing my partner said when we were warming up was, ‘Why are holding the racquet like that?’ I said, ‘What do you mean? Don’t you hold it like that?’ He showed me how to hold it ‘properly’ and I tried it and it sure felt weird. When we started to play, I went back to my usual grip. At the end of the night, he said I played pretty good with a ‘panhandle’ grip, but I could be better if I changed my grip. I kept on alternating play with feather and nylon birds. Every time I went to play feather birds against someone new, they always said something about my grip and that I could be better, but when I played nylon, no one said anything. Then I became conscious about my grip and asked pretty much everyone how they hold their racquet…to my amazement, they didn’t have a ‘panhandle’ grip. I was wondering if I was the only person that played ‘panhandle.’ I found out there were a few out there over the past year and that made me happy!! Someone convinced me to try smashing the proper way, it felt weird and I couldn’t hit it hard. He said it would take quite a while to get used to. I didn’t want to wait and went back to my ‘panhandle’ grip. Another person told me to try a proper grip for a night. I did, but the next day my whole arm was screwed up and I had to see my doctor!! My doctor said the biomechanics of how I played didn’t work with the new grip and I was out of play for a month. Since I missed playing, guess what I did? I went and played with my left hand…and guess how I held the racquet? The proper way!! I played pretty decent, but didn’t have a good backhand. When my arm was better, I went back to play with my ‘panhandle’ grip. I’ve even tried to play with a racquet in both hands since my left hand got strong…it was a lot of fun because I didn’t have a backhand and the opponent didn’t know which racquet I was going to hit with. I tried that because I’ve seen someone play like that. I asked umpires if that was legal, and they said there was nothing in the rulebook that said you couldn’t. I have never trained or been coached properly, just watched and learned from stronger players wherever I played. I don’t know if changing my grip will make me a stronger player or not…I just enjoy playing the game. Most people have told me that the ‘panhandle’ is not the way to go, but I’m pretty good with it and have a unique way of playing. There are some advantages and disadvantages to my grip, but you’ll have to play against me to find out!! BC/BF/BR Heard about this site, but never really did check it out. Now after viewing posts for a month and seeing one of my competitors on this forum, Winex West Can, who I play against quite often here, I decided to take part. Very informative site and good discussions. Other Stuff I coach kids badminton through PacificSport Regional Badminton Centre and run recreational tourneys for Badminton Victoria (www.badmintonvictoria.com) every month. Also involved in organizing volleyball leagues with Topspin Volleyball Association (topspinvball.com) and playing competitively for a men's team. I'm also here to collect my money form Winex West Can for hitting him with the shuttle numerous times!!!
Hey Panhandle man, About time you post instead of lurking! Hahahah, that's a great story! Never seen you play lefty.
Welcome! Nice little bio you got going there. Always fun to read stuff that has nothing to do with having to study for cell biology right now (trying to put it off even though it's 2 am).
A friend of mine who's going to marry my predecessor at the PacificSport Regional Badminton Centre. He was assistant coach at Hollyburn for 6 months until he moved to Calgary.
Here's two aerobics instructors...the one in the middle was my third mixed partner...plus she plays volleyball with me.
The next time you come over to Vancouver to play, you gotta bring the girls! Or maybe, that's our motivation to go over & play in your May tourny?!
There's quite a few more...will post them up when I have the time. The ones I haven't posted play in the rec tourneys quite often.
I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes It was pretty confusing for the folks playing against Panhandle with two racquets as you are kind of just watching the twirling racquets instead of focusing on the shuttles Must be pretty bad for the partner wondering whether s/he should take the shot.
