Speedminton Rules

SPEEDMINTON RULES

History: Speed badminton, also known as speedminton, is a badminton variant without nets. Bill Brandes, a German inventor who wanted the best elements of tennis, badminton and racquetball to create a new game that was fast and up-tempo, created Speedminton. Brandes initially called this new sport shuttle ball, but in 2001 he renamed the games speed badminton or speedminton.

Courts: A speedminton court consists of two squares (18ft), which are set up 42 ft apart. These sizes are defined for competitive play match rules.

Match Rules for Speedminton (Doubles) The Game: A game ends when one player / team reaches 16 points (A SET). If the score is tied at 15, play continues until one team has a two-point advantage. A match ends when a team wins 3 of 5 sets.

The Serve: You must let the Speeder drop from hip level and hit it as it falls. (UNDERHAND)

Double Service: The players draw to decide which team serves first. The server has three serves in sequence, as in the singles games, and must always serve to the diagonal player opposite them. The serving team swaps sides after each serve (see diagram). The first service is always made from the right-hand field to the left-hand diagonal field opposite. Once a serve is returned, all players can move around their respective field freely to play the Speeder. Once all four players have served, service returns to the first server. The losing side always has first service in the next game. Scoring: Points are awarded in the following cases: - Service fault - Speeder contact with the ground - Speeder lands in playing field (or on one of the lines) and cannot be returned - Speeder lands “out” - Speeder is hit twice by same player in sequence - Body contact with the Speeder

Changing Sides: Players change sides after each set to ensure equal playing conditions (wind and lighting conditions). If a fifth game (tiebreak) becomes necessary, players change sides as soon as one team reaches eight points.

Speedminton Vocabulary: 1. Forehand Stroke- racquet contacts the Speeder on your racquet side; body weight shifts to the left foot; upper body rotates in the hitting direction; hitting arm swings forward and hits the Speeder in front of body. 2. Backhand Stroke- racquet contacts the Speeder on your NON-racquet side; body weight shifts to the right foot; upper body rotates in the hitting direction; hitting arm swing forward. 3. Overhand Stroke- Racquet is raised above the head. And contact is made with the Speeder up & in front of the body 4. Clear- A clear is a high stroke to the back of your opponents’ field 5. Smash- A smash is a short and fast stroke. Playing overhead you try to hit the Speeder directly downward. 6. Baseline- The back boundary line at each end of the court. 7. Doubles- A game where a team of two players plays against another team of two. 8. Drop Shot- A shot hit softly and with finesse to fall rapidly and close to the front line in the opponent’s court. 9. Fault- A violation of the playing rules 10. *Match- A series of games to determine a winner. 11. *Rally- The exchange of shots that decides each point 12. *Serve- The stroke used to put the speeder into play at the start of each rally; also called “service”.