I personally feel that besides knowing the technical and tactical aspects of badminton (mix, singles and doubles), an average player can derived much pleasure from getting new friends from badminton. Not only do you get to make new friends (for those loners out there pls disregard this aspect), you get to learn and spar with new players to improve (if the new players are better than you) or you get to impress them (if you are better than them). Oh common admit it you guys, you do feel good impressing other junior players, don't you? Even more so if the lady is a better player than the guy! I really dislike those who are so coup up in their own world like if you're playing in a group of 6 or 8 players, and that's all the players they ever play with! Period. I mean walk around the arena of courts and mix around and share. I absolutely don't think much of players who think they are better than anyone else on the arena (even if they are indeed) and acts snobbishly to those who want to mix with them. REally takes the fun out of badminton. Also, when you play with the same batch of players day in and day out, you already know where they are going to hit the shuttle before they hit it. After a while it's less exciting. Of course, the one who benefits most is when a player spars with someone better than himself/herself. Spar 1 or 2 times a week and improvement will definitely come. Look at the camaraderie between Taufik and LCW. I see players who apologise to their opponents when their shots tip and then tumble over the net (happy net shot). These are really professional players in terms of sportsmanship. So i personally believe if you have played with not more than 5 players, double it and make them 10. Otherwise badminton will be no different from swimming by yourself in a big olympic pool (no offense to swimmers out there, haha).
