The unofficial website of the Northern Marianas Badminton Federation in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
http://nmbf.blogspot.com, www.nmbf.cjb.net

BADMINTON PLAY SCHEDULE:

Tuesdays to Thursdays 8:30am-10:30am
Saturday: 6:30pm-9:30pm
Sunday: 2pm-6pm


NMBF members and non-members, we can chat now! just leave your messages at the Chat Box located on your right. Scroll down and look for the black chat box and chat! Click on Name (type in your name then message)!

BADMINTON TIPS: TOP TIPS FOR A KILLER BADMINTON SERVE


-Start by serving from the right-hand court, diagonally from one service box to another, and alternate sides as points are won.
-Both feet must be motionless and in contact with the floor
-The whole of the racket head must be clearly below your wrist, with the racket shaft pointing downwards (in other words, the serve must be underarm
-Contact with the shuttle must be made from below the waist
-The shuttle must be hit with a smooth continuous movement forwards.

THE LOW SERVE

Try to play shuttle low over the net and on to the front service line of the court. The idea is to make your opponent hit the shuttle from below the net, so they have to hit upwards (“lifting” the shuttle) which gives you the chance to attack with a smash. A short serve should come from your elbow, but you can use your wrist to produce a surprise “flick” serve.

If your opponent is rushing in and attacking, try changing the length and power of your serve, and the length of time before you hit it. This will keep them guessing, and might rush them into a mistake. Try aiming for your opponent’s left shoulder (right, if they’re left handed). It’s more difficult to attack a serve coming across you.

THE HIGH SERVE

This service is often used in the singles game... but don’t use it in doubles unless you have to! It gives your opponents plenty of time to smash, so you’ll be on the defense straight away. Use your normal racquet grip and take a larger swing, but make sure you hit the shuttlecock from below your waste
This service will move the opponent to the back of the court and will therefore create a lot of "free" on court. BUT, it will provide the opponent with plenty of time to attack with a smash or a drop-shot if you get it wrong.

PRACTICE

In singles, you can put pressure on your opponent by consistently serving high and long. But, you need to be able to rely on your accuracy, and that means practice. Get hold of 20 old shuttles and try to get at least 15 out of 20 to land between the two back tramlines, using the high serve. Then try to land them all on the front service line with a low serve.
(www.activenorfolk.org)

TEACHING BADMINTON TO CHILDREN

Teaching badminton to children in a fun and proper way will help produce more quality players in the future. Badminton can be played by everyone, despite their age or gender. Even Paralympics have badminton too. But, to play badminton at the highest level, one has to start from a young age. That is why children are the best candidates to start with.

Teaching badminton to children can never be too easy, the mindset of badminton we have to put in, the techniques, the stroke play and the list goes on. However, children can be disciplined and taught easily. With good guidance and proper training, children will definitely excel in it.

When teaching badminton to children, it’s good to let them have a little fun because they wouldn’t feel pressured and stressed out by the training regime. Badminton is suppose to be fun to learn and enjoyable to play. Children always turn away when something is hard or being forced to learn and practice something that they have no idea what it’s all about.

It is also important that the coaches are able to get along with the children. This will definitely lead them to better understand the game and listen to their coaches more and attentively.

Nowadays, more people are attracted to play this sport because of its increasing popularity and health benefits awareness. With this current trend, more and more children are enrolled with training classes and coaches will find it hard to teach everyone the basics they all need.

Teaching badminton to children can be really challenging and not easy. However, if the coaches are more professional in their approach, they will definitely bring this sport up to the next level and these children will be our future badminton stars.
(www.badminton-information.com)

NMBF holds free Youth Summer Clinic


Northern Marianas Badminton Federation held its first Youth Summer Clinic for enthusiasts 7 to 18 years of age to learn the proper way of playing badminton, which started on June 23 and will end on July 11 at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
The summer badminton clinic was a three-week session for MWF morning classes from 8:30 am to 10:30 am. The youth training was free of charge as a service to the community of the federation.
According to Montoya, NMBF held its free clinic to introduce the sport of badminton in the CNMI especially to the youth and to promote a healthy lifestyle of living through physical activities and sports development.
“NMBF’s main goal is to send one or two players from the CNMI as a representative to an international badminton competition and one way that we can see in fulfilling our goal is to get athletic youngsters and train them to become a competitive player,” he added.
The lists of impressive trainors were led by Community Project and Development head Edwin Montoya, NMBF President Marconi Calindas, Tournament Committee head Macoi Aguda and 2008 Michelob Ultra Badminton Tournament Singles champ Priyantha Wijay.
The trainors were assisted by Juliet Ramos, Babes Cielo, Emily Vargas, Shirley Kim, Merlie Savellano, Ana Rose Omori and many others.
More than 30 young participants joined the training. Badminton equipment and refreshments were also provided to the trainees for free.

NMBF Inaugural Youth Summer Clinic Participants

Youth 7 - 10 years old
Kanata
Omori -10
Yum Yum Varona – 7

Camille Limon – 9

Noah Paez – 8

Bianca Cielo – 7

Danielle Ramos – 8

Paula Regine Gozon – 9

Garl Daivick Tabora – 7

Jylan John Capuyon – 10

Jan Matthew Socorro – 7

Jethro Cruz – 9

Ezekiel Macario – 10

David Roberto Jr. – 8

Erika Gabrielle Cunanan - 7

Michael Gatdula – 8
Ella Serrano
Mika Serrano

Youth 11 – 14 year old
Mikky Vargas – 12

Mike Vargas – 14

Erika Ann Palacios – 13

Gilda Maria Ocario – 13

Laurence Jason Camacho – 13

Louie Cielo – 14

John John Capuyon – 11

Mark Noel Puno – 12

Manatsu Omori – 12

Debbie Ramos – 14

Frank Villagomez - 13

Youth 15 – 18 years old
Daniel Macario – 16
Andrew Galvez – 16
Luis Camacho Jr. – 18
Pauline Cielo - 17
Armalene Cabreros – 15
Louise Villagomez - 15

Macoi Aguda: The Real McCoy of Badminton



High-flying leaps, powerful smashes, and numerous trick shots are just some of the court-wonders of Northern Marianas Badminton Federation’s Tournament Committee Chair – Marco Antonio “Macoi” Aguda, 2006 NMBF Inaugural Tournament Mixed’s doubles and 2007 Traders Insurance/PTI Cup Men’s Doubles Champion.

The 28-year old shuttler recently works as a dining supervisor for Shirley’s Coffee Shop. He has been on Saipan for more than two years now. He started playing badminton in his early 20’s in the Philippines and he religiously plays the sport here in the CNMI. He recalled he had been introduced to the group in May 2006. He eventually decided to join and now he has been an active member since then.

Back in the Philippines, indoor volleyball was Macoi's first love as he used to be a member of the Malate Catholic School's varsity team for four years. He pursued the sport in college. It was only after he finished his BS Psychology degree at Far Eastern University in Manila when he tried his hand in badminton.

Macoi’s playing style is something to watch inside the badminton court, during tournaments and practice games. He treats audiences to an extraordinary spectacle of how beautifully badminton can be played as how easy it is to be learned. However, not only his overall knowledge of the sport is admired by his fellow shuttlers and friends but also his off-court exuberance as his friendly personality and always glad-to-help attitude.

Some of his spellbinding victories include winning the men's doubles titles with Raj Jayalal in the NMBF's second organized tournament, the Traders Insurance/PTI Cup in May; and, three trophies in the NMBF's inaugural games last year: mixed doubles crown with Janice Bungalos, a second place finish in the men's singles, and placing third in the men's doubles division with teammate Marconi Calindas.

Macoi may have not won in 2008 Michelob Ultra Badminton Tournament but received accolades for organizing the event in his debut as NMBF’s Tournament Committee chair. “You learned much more from defeat than you ever learned from winning”, he quoted.