Is the sport supposed to be this hard?

[Nahiarfr]

Hello all, just some background info me and a few friends have been playing for about 1 and a half year, we play varsity in our high-school, currently undefeated there. and this year started going to Junior c tournaments in Ontario U19.

I would say we deffinetly have alot to work on, I take coaching 2 times a week, and train about 4 - 5 hours with friends on the weekends doing drills footwork and all, but man my first junior c tournament was a humbling experience, I don't wanna make excuses but I got put up first round to a guy who's been playing junior A since the age of U13, and really i felt his technique wasn't anything amazing, or so but I still lost by a good 21 - 11 21 - 9, I think mainly it was my shot selection and nerves that reduced my chances of winning.

Not only is the experience a factor but it gave me alot of insight on different types of players, some players have really textbook or choppy form but are still able to just get points, while some have smooth technique, and don't even look like they are loosing when they loose points. Really I just wanted to make this post to ask how is the level of badminton in your area, over here we are playin low junior c while being obsessed with the sport, sadly we don't have much oppurtunity to get crazy good since we started very late and can't commute to clubs to get structured training.

But just seeing these players amaze me some of them are young and play so well, it makes me wonder how hard is it to reach Junior A/National level here in canada and if it feels this hard here what is the level of junior badminton in the east in countries like japan, China, Malay and indo, it I feel like watching pros is one thing and seeing someone your age pull off the same is a very different type of perspective.

 

[Cheung]

If it were that easy, we would all be going to the Olympics

What you experienced is what everyone goes through. Don't worry. As you said, it's a good learning experience and although you can't get to the clubs so easily, you're still improving and enjoying the process. You really hit the point when you write about how young some of these players are. Well they have the support of parents who are willing to help them get regular practice earlier in life. But don't worry about them. Keep improving and challenging yourself. Remember for junior A, you're only seeing a small number of the really successful players but also committed players. There are many more who started the journey and developed other interests veering away from badminton or who just don't want to be hitting a shuttle more than three days a week.

In Hong Kong, the coaches generally say they they can take kids on at 6years old. That's because a kid can start to listen and pay attention better.

 

[Budi]

Skill matter, but experience is different matter.
Did you watch the daddies games? Hendra & Ahsan.
2 criple old player suffer many past injurt but own the games. They are not the fastest, not the fittest physical, not the most powerfull. But. Their game reading was flawless, their tempo was so unpredictable.
And well you played on close environment. When you play for so long, you could read all your friend habbit, pattern, and tempo. What your trick normally works, turn out didnt works with others. A lift that usually safe suddenly become lack facing others.
But, thats the fun. You struggle and grow. It mean you face your wall now and its just matter you break those wall and improve.

So enjoy the fun and ... The frustation. Its part of badminton