Badminton Diva

This week we are introducing badminton to our classes. Many students have played before, but we still start with the basics because it's new to enough students and most can use the refresher course. We have a spectrum of students at a variety of ability levels both academically and athletically. Furthermore, a good portion of each class is coming from a non-English language background. Needless to say, even after explanations and demonstrations it's still necessary for us to rotate around the class for some one-on-one instruction.

That said, may I present to you the Badminton Diva. This girl was so funny today. First of all we told the students we weren't keeping score today, but they were to practice proper technique. The badminton court is split into two halves and when you serve you stand in one box and serve it over the net to the box diagonally across from you. If it doesn't land in the proper box, the serve is no good. The exception is if the other team hits it anyway, then it's fair play and the rally begins. So our Diva and her partner were playing their third set of opponents. Her partner served, it went into the wrong box, but their opponent hit it back anyway. Enter Diva mode. "Ahh! I-I just can't do this anymore, I can't play like this." She set her racket on the floor and turned to walk of the court. We were like, "What?!" We tried to explain to her that it was to her benefit that they hit a 'mis-serve.' "I know," she told us, "but it's wrong. They're not supposed to hit it, and I just can't play this way." We talked her back into playing, but she almost had a break down, when the same thing happened a second time. One of the older students looked at us like, "What is going on? " He couldn't grasp her freakoutage. It really was quite hilarious, but you probably had to be there. Some of our students are special. All of them are special, but some of them are special.