Practice always makes perfect

By Tommy N

What is one thing that comes to mind when you’re playing sports?

What do you think of soccer? A fast paced game where you must time your kicks correctly to make it into the net? What about basketball? Another fast paced game where you must trick and juke your opponents to get a clear shot into the hoop? What about baseball? A slow paced game where you gotta make sure you hit a home run if you want to make it to the big leagues?

But what if you combine a fast and slow paced game all together? What do you get? You get badminton, which can be played fast or slow, and is similar to tennis. That’s what Hiey Pham, a junior in YB and a badminton player, says about his favorite sport.

The way Pham got into badminton was from an idea by his family when he was trying out a sport.

Pham: “My dad told me to start playing a sport and I got interested in badminton because some of my other friends were in it.”

Not only because his friends got him into the sport, he also had a member from another family who helped train him and became his personal coach, which also grew his passion for badminton.

Pham: “This guy is a coach for our badminton team, and he’s actually my personal coach and helped me get into badminton.”

Pham also made a lot of fond memories over the course of playing badminton.

Pham: “Playing against my friends and participating in tryouts, which were fun because I got a chance to play with really good people.”

Pham has only played badminton for a year now; he started playing it midway last year. Badminton can also define how he's feeling, depending on how well he’s playing.

Pham: “It could make me both happy or bored. When I do bad, I’m kinda sad. But most of the time, I should be happy, unless I can’t hit.”

Though Pham has only played badminton for a year, he hasn’t participated in any tournaments at all, simply because Pham still needs more time to improve if he wants to get better and improve in his tryouts.

Pham has tried other sports, but dropped them in favor for trying out badminton.

Pham: “I used to play basketball. I have tried football, but I stopped playing those and did other stuff.”

Pham described badminton as a sort of fast and slow paced game depending on your skill level and how well you can play.

Pham: “Badminton can be fast or slow paced depending how well you play. I prefer fast plays because you can get smashes, drives, and repeated hits in.”

He still has a lot more to learn in badminton, but so far, Pham is building up his confidence and skills in badminton as time passes on. Though he’s not ready to teach newcomers how to play the sport yet, he’s still growing into that idea, and one day, will consider becoming a tutor for them.

Pham also plays badminton in other places as well at YB. He usually goes to other places to hone his skills so he can get better.

Pham: “Sometimes I play at a badminton gym during the weekends to practice.”

Like any other sports, practicing is what makes you better at a sport, like what Pham did when he practiced. Like they always say in the books, practice makes perfect, and that’s what Pham has aimed for.

Pham also had a rough time starting off in a new sport he’s never played before, but who hasn't?

Pham: “My form was really off, so I would swing it and that’s not how it was supposed to be played.”

In the future, once Pham gets out of high school, he has an idea for the sport he loves.

Pham: “I wanna see where badminton takes me. I wanna see if I can improve and I

might take some badminton classes.”

Of course, everything's better with friends, including sports. Pham has made new friends from the sport.

Pham: “I know half of the badminton club and actually made friends or friends from friends.”