Suppose I should write one of these really!

Hi everyone. My name is Mike; I'm a final-year undergraduate at Oxford university (England), studying maths and philosophy. 23 years old. Born in England, I moved to Japan at the age of 6 and lived in Tokyo for 4 years. I then lived in the Netherlands for two years before returning to England.

I've been playing badminton for about 7 years, not including occasional messing about in the garden when I was younger. I never enjoyed sports at school, and I was never very good at them. During my A-levels (final 2 years of school) I was given a wider choice of sports; once I started badminton I knew that I would never feel the same way about sports again. I was fortunate enough to have a skilled and enthusiastic coach at the time.

Since leaving school I've played at a number of clubs; my game has progressed more slowly without a coach and with the additional pressures of academia. My playing standard is intermediate; I've played men's doubles in the Oxford and district league at a reasonable level. Since it is notoriously difficult to describe playing standards (one man's "beginner" is another man's "intermediate"), perhaps I should give some details. I can perform every basic shot to a competent standard (including a full-court backhand clear), and I can execute some "fancier" shots (e.g. various slices) but not with consistency.

My major weakness is fitness. The academic environment here can be pretty stressful; combined with the (unusual) stresses of my home life, I have difficulty finding the time or the state of mind to exercise. Badminton is almost the only thing that keeps me fit. Oh yes, and my footwork is pretty awful too And come to think of it, quite a lot of other things about my game are dodgy. But that's the nature of the sport - there's always room to improve, and opportunities to learn. It can be played for a whole lifetime, all the while discovering something new

I've been coaching informally for a few years - I go back to my old school and help out at the school club I used to play in. It's also fun for me to give my old coach a game of singles (he always wins). I decided to learn more about coaching, so I got trained by the BAofE to a basic level.

Other hobbies and interests are numerous, but the main ones at the moment are caving and scuba-diving. In July I'm going on expedition to Spain with my university's cave club; I will also be the medical officer for this trip. After this holiday, I intend to try my hand at writing a novel. If successful, I may become a professional author.

I have a special interest in the positive role that badminton can play in the lives of disabled people. My mother, following a massive brain haemorrhage over 4 years ago, has been slowly recovering from the brink of death and subsequent severe disability. She is now, gradually, learning to walk again. Recently I fulfilled a long-term dream, by playing badminton with her once more. We used to have enormous fun playing a casual game as a family. Now, although she is confined to a wheelchair during the game, we can do that once more.

Following her imminent return to active rehabilitation at her old hospital, I would like to try organising a badminton club for patients of the hospital. The idea occured to me when I saw a physiotherapist and a patient "playing" badminton in the physio room - they were just "pattycaking" the shuttle to each other from a few feet away. They were both having a lot of fun, and it seemed a welcome change for the patient. With the assistance of physio- and occupational therapists, I believe that we can overcome the practical difficulties of a badminton club for disabled people. The therapeutic and motivational benefits could be huge, not to mention the increase in self-worth that a disabled person can feel from being able to take part in an activity that is normally thought to be beyond his limitations.

Phew, that's a lot! Hope some of it is slightly interesting

Oh yes - why "Gollum"? The name comes from my alias in computer games, where it describes my style of play (i.e. sneak up behind you and throttle). If you're curious, check out my Half-Life maps here.

 

Lao - division 3. Didn't get to play many matches unfortunately, since I'm not permanently resident in Oxford Played for Gosford Hill BC last season.

Timeless - no, afraid not. I started gaming during the heyday of Quake 2.

Loh - my Japanese is *terrible*! One day I intend to refresh it, but not just yet. It's a beautiful language.

Everyone - thanks for the warm welcome Your "get well" wishes are really appreciated; my mum is making huge progress at the moment.

This must be the friendliest forum I know. Maybe that's because it's populated by badminton players.

 

I went to one of the obscure colleges with less money - Somerville college. Used to be a women-only college