Badminton is a beautiful game that can be played as a casual outdoor activity or a formal indoor sport in a courtyard. It is played using a racket to hit a shuttlecock across a net.
The most common forms of the game are singles with 2 opposing players and doubles with 2 opposing pairs of players, although it could be played with larger teams. It is important to note that it is named Badminton after the country estate of the Dukes of Beaufort in Gloucestershire, England, where it was first played, in 1873.
Badminton players include both male and female players. Before or after a game of badminton, fans or spectators can ask the players questions. Questions can also come from an amateur or dilettante who dabbles in the sport out of casual interest. It can also be from content creators, reporters, or sportscasters.
These questions can range from their personal life and family, beliefs, ethnicity, training routines, history, interests, and stress management activities, to how they handle wins and losses, etc.
In this article, I’m going to help you with 120 questions you can ask a badminton player. It will also help you to phrase your curiosity and intended questions properly.
120 Questions to Ask Badminton Players
- What made you decide to play professionally? Is it naturally the endgame for every athlete or did something inspire you?
- How close are you to your teammates? Does your relationship extend outside the game?
- Of all the teams you have worked with, which of them do you still miss? What is stopping you all from linking up?
- When was the first time you ever played badminton? Was it love at first sight or you continued because you realised you were good at it?
- In football, if you play with the high school team, you get scouted by a college team and then proceed to a pro team. In badminton, what steps can a rookie take to get to pro? What’s the competition like?
- How many hours a day and days a week do you dedicate to your training? Is it mandatory to show up no matter what? Is it self-discipline or does your coach make that call?
- How important is mental training to you and how do you integrate it into your routine? Can you please share some of that training?
- Is there any particular day of the week you don’t like to miss your training? Is it the routine for that day or are there special events that happen?
- Do you incorporate diet and fitness into your training and how important is it to you? What are food items you don’t eat and what food items have you cut down on?
- What are your active approaches to rebounding from a defeat and how effective have they been over the years? Is how you react to a loss presently different from your early career days?
- How do you recover after a physically and mentally exhausting game? What are the things at the top of your to-do list?
- Do you particularly like the attention being a famous athlete gives you or would you prefer a more private lifestyle? How has it been navigating fame being an introvert?
- Do you have a private gym? If not, how do you maintain focus at the gym, being a famous athlete? Is a private gym something you look forward to owning?
- Do you have a personal trainer? If yes, how often do you work with them? How important are your sections with them? What do you advise someone who can’t afford a personal trainer or just doesn’t want to work with anyone?
- Where did your love for badminton stem from? Has it continued to be the source of your motivation?
- How much do you earn as a badminton player?
- Can you consider playing in the Olympics?
- If you weren’t playing professional badminton, what other career would you have considered? Do you think you would have been successful in that career?
- Do you have a hobby outside of badminton? Do you ever find time for your hobby?
- What or to whom do you attribute your success? In what instances have they come through for you?
- What advice do you have for a young person who is interested in professional badminton? What are the do’s and don’ts rookies should be aware of?
- How do you balance your personal and professional life? Which of them currently takes the position as the most important?
- What have you learned about badminton that the younger ones might not know? In what other way should they prepare as they start their career journey in badminton?
- Do you believe in God? If yes, how has your belief shaped or helped your career? Are there circumstances that challenge your faith as a famous athlete?
- Do you think badminton as a sport is better today than when you started? What has changed and what still needs to change?
- Who do you love to celebrate your wins with and how do you like to celebrate? Do you guys have a ritual you observe after a win?
- In terms of finances, do you think badminton as a career is better now than before? How about in terms of ease, rules and regulations, recruitment, etc?
- Have you accomplished any of the goals and dreams you had when you started? Which one of those goals and dreams made you the most fulfilled when you accomplished it?
- How do you manage the stress that comes with the game of badminton? Do you have a ritual for unwinding after a stressful tournament?
- What is your training schedule like? Which of the drills do you enjoy the most?
- Is your schedule on a weekday different from that of the weekend? If yes, do you have more free time or do you have a stricter schedule on the weekends?
- What other careers are available for a badminton enthusiast who is not good at playing? Which of them is more financially gaining?
- Who made you love badminton for the first time? Are they still a part of your journey?
- What age were you when badminton was introduced to you? Did starting at that young age contribute to your overall performance?
- When did you decide to play badminton professionally? What prompted the decision? Do you feel that decision was timely?
- What is the highest level you have played badminton at? What is the next level you are aiming for? What is the highest level one can play in badminton?
- When do you think you will be ready physically and mentally to attempt playing at the next level in your career? Are you excited about the prospect?
- Do you ever want to retire from playing badminton? At what age or under what circumstances? What are your plans for post-retirement?
- What rule(s) of badminton do you dislike and why? How do you think it should be modified to become better?
- How many shuttlecocks are needed for a badminton match? Can you change your racquet mid-game?
- What are your goals and aspirations for the next 5 to 10 years? What have you set in place now targeted towards achieving your goals?
- Of all your wins this season, which one has been the most rewarding and why? Which of your previous wins from all season gave you the most sleepless nights pre-game?
- What makes one a good and successful badminton player? If you were to focus on one reward, what would you choose, financial gain or worldwide fame?
- What’s the most beautiful part of the game of badminton? What makes the game different from every other?
- Who was your most challenging opponent? Will you be willing to face them in another competition?
- What is the most challenging part about a badminton career? Will you give it up for a more straightforward and profitable career?
- What does your daily routine look like? Does this apply to every day of the week?
- What do you love most about a badminton career? Do you encourage the younger sports fans to pursue a badminton career?
- Have you faced any challenges based on the color of your skin during training or the tournament? Have you faced any challenges based on your sexuality during training or the tournament?
- How has your background shaped your career success? Do you think your background made you unique? Would you have turned out differently otherwise?
- Which other sport can you play very well or would like to know how to play? Can you make a successful career out of it?
- How many points does it take to win a badminton match and is it the same for both singles and doubles? Does a game end when a set time is up or when a particular point is earned by an individual or team?
- How do you score a point in badminton and how many points is each of those moves worth?
- How do you lose a point in badminton? Is there anything like a red card or a yellow card like in football?
- What is your motivation to keep at it when you are at your lowest or when you are feeling down? How can you encourage rookies to keep at it no matter what?
- You have had a remarkable season with two circuit victories as opposed to last year’s runners-up spots. What has been the secret of your success this year?
- Of all your wins this season, which was the most tasking? Would you love the opportunity to face the same opponent again?
- Have you ever learned a new skill while playing on the court, probably from an opponent? Have you ever used a person’s weak point against them in court?
- Is there any opponent you would like to face on the court someday? Who and why? What do you imagine will be the outcome?
- Which famous badminton player did you look up to growing up? Are they still your idol? If not, what changed?
- What can you say to the young ones who look up to you and want to be like you in the future? Do you think that if they get to know you more they will still see you as their idol?
- When was your first competitive play in badminton and did you win? Was it a good boost of confidence or did it make you overconfident?
- In what way did your first win and loss change your perception of the sport? Did it push you to do more or make you confident that you were on the right track?
- Can you describe what your first experience on a professional court was like? Do you still feel as excited whenever you step on the court?
- Can you describe what you felt the first time you won in a major tournament? Do you still feel the same way whenever you win a major hurdle or whenever you win against a major opponent?
- Who has been the most supportive person in your career journey? Would you have come this far without their support? Can you describe one instance where their support has made a difference?
- Have you given any thought to coaching after retiring from your playing career? If you were to, at which level of badminton would you start and are sure to impart a better chance as a coach?
- What’s your pre-game warm-up ritual and mantra? How long have you done that?
- What do you intend to be your greatest contribution to the game of badminton? How are you working towards making that impart?
- Is there any misconception about you out there and how do you feel about it? Where do you believe such falsehood arose from?
- Is there any unfulfilled ambition or desire you have and what has been your greatest hindrance to fulfilling them?
- What’s a common mistake one can make as a beginner in badminton? Is it avoidable? What advice do you have for beginners on how to avoid repeating some of the mistakes of their predecessors?
- What drills have helped you with speed and agility? Does consistency pay off in this game?
- How important is speed to the badminton sport? What other qualities can one have if their speed is not enough to get them a win?
- How is the whole community of badminton better or different from other sports? Is the competition healthy and does it end on the court?
- Do you think badminton has enough PR or it is genuinely underrated? In what ways do you think people can be made to love and support the game?
- What are the things that can be done to increase the awareness of badminton, especially in areas where it has low visibility?
- How important is good sportsmanship amongst teammates? What impact does good sportsmanship have on a player’s mental health?
- How important is good sportsmanship to the success of a tournament? How can you recognize a player who is showing bad sportsmanship during a tournament?
- What act might not be a big deal to some, but you consider it bad sportsmanship? How can one make a turn from being a bad sportsman?
- Is being good at badminton, a racquet sport equal to being good at other racquet sports? Do they have any other thing in common aside from the tool racquet used in playing them?
- Which other racquet sport can you do well in? Can you excel playing them as a career as much as you have in badminton?
- What change in the badminton sport over your career years has been the hardest to adapt to? Why is that?
- As a fan, in what ways can I support the badminton sport? Do I need to learn everything about the sport to truly enjoy it? How can I learn more about the game?
- How financially rewarding is this sport and are there possibilities for improvement?
- How many brands of racquets have you used through your professional years?
- What brand of racquet is your favorite and why? Can a bad racquet affect a player’s game?
- What is the basic badminton kit? Do you believe that the availability of badminton kits and a good court in schools will spark interest in badminton among the young ones?
- Are there any guidelines or rules concerning the type, size and weight of a shuttlecock and a racquet?
- Do you have any object you always carry with you that you believe gives you luck? Who gave you the item?
- Is your regular training routine different from the ones you do days or a night before a big match? If yes, why is that?
- How many hours of sleep do you need a day to feel refreshed and how do you feel when you get less than you require?
- How important is a proper night’s rest to your performance?
- Do you have the luxury of taking a siesta often? If not, do you wish it’s something that comes easy?
- How do you handle the expectations of your fans and followers, especially after a loss?
- How important are regular medical checks to your overall performance? What tests are part of your regular medical checks? Are there physical and mental health checks available too?
- How has the international exposure that came with this sport changed your life? Was it something you have hoped for or better?
- How have you used your influence to positively impact the world? How do you encourage your colleagues to do the same?
- How have you used your influence to positively promote diversity and inclusion in the sport?
- What is the standard diameter of a badminton court?
- Do you know what type of material is used to make badminton strings?
- Is there any training one can do to improve endurance and focus during a match?
- What is the most important thing you have benefitted from the game of badminton?
- How important is footwork in badminton and how serious are the beginners taking it?
- What is the length and the width of a badminton court?
- When did badminton become an Olympic sport?
- Which teammate have you had the most fun playing a badminton doubles match with?
- Do the badminton sports have referees and what is their specific job description?
- What do you enjoy and what do you dislike about traveling for a tournament?
- What’s your most embarrassing moment on the court? How did you overcome that feeling of embarrassment?
- What junk food do you love too much? Have you had to give it up because of your fitness goals?
- Do you know what 0 points is called in badminton?
- What part of the body exerts most of the power needed in badminton strokes?
- The practice of hitting the shuttlecock back and forth to each other is called what?
- When is a match considered complete? Is there such a thing as a tiebreaker?
- Just like in football, is there anything like a penalty shootout in badminton?
- During an ongoing football match, only a goalkeeper can touch the goalpost, who is allowed to touch the net in badminton?
- Is a singles badminton court different in size from that of a doubles?
- From your experience, is the saying that badminton is the fastest racquet sport true? Which racquet sport comes second?
- What are actions in badminton that should be foul but aren’t? Why do you think it is not considered a foul?
To End With
Most times, before you ask any of the above questions, you can start with compliments, observations, or statements of fact.
This will give the question a specific direction and reduce confusion. For example, ‘You have worked with several teams throughout your career, how important would you say good sportsmanship is to the success of a tournament?’
Along with the main questions, I have added secondary questions to help get them talking some more. Hopefully, this article has all you need to prepare your questionnaire for a badminton player.
