Badminton's Lightning Charm
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It’s time to try harder encourages interaction with the SCR, I mostly residential crowd, but also a few wish I could have formed those connec- nonresidential affiliates. On one occasion, to revitalize this tions earlier. Apparently, I’m not alone. I met a European graduate student who The “Report on Harvard House Renewal,” was spending the year at Harvard. I have unfulfilled promise of published last spring, identified the lack lived abroad and it was fun to talk about of substantial interaction between SCRs our travels and to get her perspective on the House system. and students as a fundamental shortfall, the Harvard experience. Although her given the College’s aspirations for its un- studies focused on science, she wanted Lowell alumni. Within minutes, I had dergraduate residences. to explore a variety of fields during her met a faculty member from the Graduate In a letter introducing the report, dean time here, and I was able to give some School of Education and we were able to of Harvard College Evelynn M. Hammonds suggestions for good English courses. In discuss my interest in Teach For America. stated, “Of all of the concepts discussed by return, she offered reassurances about not After we had all had the opportunity to the subcommittees, faculty leadership and being certain of what to do after gradua- introduce ourselves, we proceeded to the involvement may be the most fundamental tion, explaining that she was still explor- dining hall, where a carefully planned to the mission and purpose of House life…. ing an array of interests herself. It would seating chart had placed undergraduates The educational potential of College hous- have been nice to keep in touch, but I near SCR members who shared common ing is even more promising when faculty never saw her again and didn’t have her interests, and ensured that the two groups shape the residential community and en- full name or contact information. I could were well interspersed. gage students in educationally purposeful have attempted some detective work to The evening turned out to be more than activities.” find her; instead, I just accepted it as a just a break from dining-hall food, or an The House Program Planning Commit- one-time connection. Clearly, some other excuse to dress up. I had the chance to tee has recommended a trial House Fel- models need to be tested. get to know SCR members who provided lows Program that aims to increase “casual In the past, some faculty members lived both entertaining conversation and help- yet meaningful interaction between facul- and worked in the Houses, increasing ful advice: topics ranged from what we ty and students” by developing initiatives their visibility among the undergradu- did for Halloween to our academic and that build on each House’s unique identity ates. But as the undergraduate popula- potential career interests. That balance and traditions: Lowell’s High Table is one tion grew and fewer faculty members of casual conversation and advising was example. But when Houses sponsor spe- remained in residence, the degree of inter- great. Also, knowing that Lowellians have cial faculty presentations, student turnout action changed as well. I now know that congregated at High Table for more than is often low. broadening informal contact with faculty 70 years, and meeting some of the Lowell As for more popular, existing House members is welcome and rewarding— alumni who were enjoying the opportu- events that help establish ties with and that it’s time to try harder to revital- nity to take part once more, made me feel nonresidential members—holiday din- ize this unfulfilled promise of the House even more connected to my House and its ners and gatherings at the master’s resi- system. history. dence—the problem is that such gather- ings don’t necessarily facilitate sustained Berta Greenwald Ledecky Undergraduate Fellow Although i’m thankful that Lowell connections or friendships. For example, Melanie Long ’10 is excited about enjoying her last House has an established tradition that the weekly Lowell master’s tea draws a months as an undergraduate. SPORTS Badminton’s Lightning Charm Chasing a bird that flies indoors at 200 mph n 1985, an astonishing time-motion sets of badminton at Calgary. The Wim- er and Curran had 299 rallies and struck study compared badminton with ten- bledon match lasted three hours and 18 1,004 shots; Jian and Frost had only 146 nis. That year, Boris Becker defeated minutes; the badminton contest took only rallies but hit 1,972 shots, for an average Kevin Curran in four sets for the one hour, 16 minutes. During the matches, of 13.5 per rally, about four times as many IWimbledon tennis championship, and, the tennis ball was actually in play for a as the 3.4-shot average tennis point. And amid far less fanfare, Han Jian of China mere 18 minutes, as compared with 37 min- the distance covered by the players? Two bested Denmark’s Morten Frost in three utes for the badminton shuttlecock. Beck- miles in tennis, four miles in badminton. www.gocrimson.com Harvard Magazine 57 JOHN HARVard’s JournAL server has a decided advantage, or volley- ball, where the receiving team has an edge, in badminton, server and receiver are on fairly even footing. “In tennis, the serve is a weapon,” Lin explains. “But in badminton, you’re serving underhand. You want to keep the serve low, just clearing the net, so op- ponents can’t attack it. To serve high and short is a telltale sign of not having been A badminton rally in progress trained properly.” at the Malkin Athletic Center. Above, right: Harvard Badminton As in tennis, Ping-Pong, and volleyball, Club co-presidents Abraham Lin there’s an offensive advantage in forcing and Lauren Schumacher. opponents to hit up, enabling the attacking team to smash the shuttlecock to the floor This isn’t science; it’s a comparison of co-president, with Lauren Schumacher ’10, and so end the point. Badminton players two matches that took place more than of the HBC. “A rally of 10 to 20 shots might jump high to drive the bird earthward at two decades ago, at the highest levels of take less than a minute.” When the bird steep angles. Men’s doubles, in particular, competition. One reason badminton ral- hits you at short range, he adds, “It has requires lightning reaction times, as de- lies last longer is that the court is small- quite a bit of force. It stings for a while.” fenders scramble to return such smashes. er—a tennis doubles court covers roughly Badminton matches are the best two For related reasons, players switch rac- triple the area of its badminton counter- out of three sets. The first player or dou- quets for doubles matches. “Doubles is part. But these data should put to rest any bles team to make 21 points wins a set; if a faster game,” Lin explains, “so to keep notion that badminton is no more than an the score reaches 20-20, one must win by up with the other side, you need a faster, amusing game played at summer cookouts two, and if it reaches 29-29, the next point lighter racquet. It’s rare that you have that with a beer in one hand and a racquet in is decisive. The sport uses rally scoring: ev- much time to react.” the other. In fact, the Harvard Badminton ery point served results in a point scored Singles players tend to favor more head- Club (HBC) directly confronts that laid- for one side. Unlike tennis, where the heavy racquets, which produce greater back image on its website (www.hcs.har- vard.edu/badmintn), displaying the club’s ran off a 9-4 record against non-confer- Latin motto: Non est picnicum (“It’s no pic- Sports Wrap ence opponents before dropping a close nic”). Ivy opener to Dartmouth, 45-44. (The Actually, badminton has been an Olym- Basketball Big Green has finished atop the Ivies pic medal sport since 1992. Some call it the The men’s team (14-4, 3-1 Ivy) had its for the past two years, sharing the title fastest, most demanding racquet sport in strongest start in 25 years, vanquishing with Harvard in 2007-08.) The Crimson the world. Serious players compete in- non-conference powers like Boston Col- recovered quickly with home wins over doors, in gymnasiums, as wind has marked lege (74-67) and George Washington (66- Columbia and Cornell. effects on the duck- or goose-feathered 53). They began the Ivy campaign with shuttlecock (only recreational players use two wins over Dartmouth and trounced Swimming and Diving plastic ones). With different aerodynamic Columbia, 74-45, but on the same New The men’s squad (7-2, 6-1 Ivy) finished properties than a tennis or squash ball, the York road trip were blown out (86-50) second to Princeton and well ahead shuttlecock has been clocked at speeds by Cornell, seeking to three-peat as Ivy of Yale at the annual HYP meet held in as high as 262 miles per hour, though the champs. Co-captain Jeremy Lin ’10 (see Princeton, with Harvard posting the top feathers also drastically increase drag, de- “Hoops Houdini,” March-April 2009, four times in the 500 freestyle. The aqua- celerating the “bird” more rapidly than a page 54) led the scoring with a 17.1 women (6-1, 6-1 Ivy) achieved similar ball. (The very best tennis servers crack points-per-game average at midseason. results at the HYP, falling to Princeton the 140 mph or, very rarely, 150 mph barri- The women hoopsters (11-6, 2-1 Ivy) while beating Yale.