Learning to play badminton

12th December 2024

Get Out Glasgow is a project that utilises physical activity to improve mental wellbeing for the LGBTIQ+ adults in Greater Glasgow. In October 2024 we ran a series of 6 coached badminton sessions with Badminton Central.

Robin grew up in Glasgow and was quite active as a child. She moved away for Uni and enjoyed mixed gender roller derby in her 20s but hadn’t done much sport since then. She moved back to Glasgow in 2018 and was in a queer choir for a while. She got involved with the badminton sessions after playing a few casual tennis and badminton games with friends. She was looking for a way to ‘meet more queer people and community in person’ outside of her usual social circle and ‘be a bit more active’ to improve her mental and physical health.

Robin felt able to attend the sessions and take the risk of trying a new sport due to the course being fully funded: ‘sometimes if you join a sports club it can be quite a financial undertaking […] so it’s nice to be able to try something new without any need to commit financially to a membership fee or equipment so that’s been really good’.

Robin enjoyed the course and found the group very welcoming: ‘I feel like they’ve been really welcoming, including the members as well, not just the leaders. People come and introduce themselves and it’s been really nice in that way and you don’t always have that with sport I don’t think, especially not competitive sport. It feels less competitive and more about learning together which has been nice. Everybody has a shared goal of learning how to do badminton and it’s not about defeating each other. There’s not really a competitive vibe and that’s been nice.’

The group was divided in two, with one group having coaching, whilst the other group played. Robin enjoyed this structure: ‘I quite like the mix of coaching and playing as well. It’s a nice mix. Concentrate for an hour, and then play for an hour.’

Robin also enjoyed the progressive nature of the coaching: ‘Each week has built on the previous week […]So we’ve been doing some drills and then you add a new bit on each week, which has been nice because it’s kind of obvious that you’re progressing which is really nice. It doesn’t feel like separate skills that don’t come together, I feel like it’s obvious that there’s a progression.’

Having previously enjoyed mixed gender roller derby, Robin enjoyed that the club welcomed people of all genders: ‘I was involved in roller derby, that’s very empowering, especially as a woman, because I played in a lot of mixed gender roller derby teams as well. So that was really great to be involved in sport with people of all genders. Sometimes when you’re a woman you can be a bit marginalised in sports so it’s nice to be in a more equal setting in that way. I feel like that’s something that I’ve noticed with this as well because it’s people of all genders and there’s not any distinction. That’s nice. It’s inclusive in that way.’

Robin found that doing something active in the evening increased her energy levels: ‘I feel kind of energised by it. It’s a nice way to end the day and roll out some energy. Probably at a time when you might be quite tired usually in the day but it feels nice to get motivated.’

She also feels a sense of accomplishment that she’s completed the course and is now more active: ‘I think my mood has definitely improved because it’s good to feel it’s a commitment that I’ve taken on board and that I’ve followed through. To do something new, and something more physical and that makes me feel good.

The course helped her to build new social connections: ‘I suppose the nature of queer communities is that you bump into people and it’s a nice way to make new connections or cement connections. There were a few people I’d met in passing before, and now I’ve got to know them a bit better.’

Robin thinks she will continue attending the group and is also interested in playing netball, which she used to play at school, and trying curling. 

If you’re interested in joining Badminton Central contact Bill@leapsports.org

If you’re interested in joining Get Out Glasgow contact Robin@leapsports.org