The influence of modified equipment in developing skills in badminton

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of modified equipment on skill acquisition among novice badminton players. The participants (24 boys, 16 girls) aged between 7 – 9 years old, without any prior formal badminton experience, were randomly divided into four groups: standard racquet with standard court (SRSC), standard racquet with modified court (SRMC), modified racquet with standard court (MRSC) and modified racquet with modified court (MRMC). Children’s hitting opportunities and stroke effectiveness were tabulated using videotaped and notated during a mini-competition after a five-week training program. The result showed that there was a significant difference in hitting opportunities between the groups, F (3, 36) = 5.178, p < 0.05, η2 = 0.301. The results in terms of stroke effectiveness also showed that there were significant differences between groups F (3, 36) = 4.178, p < 0.05, η2 = 0.258. Based on the results, the children who practiced using modified racquet with the modified court (MRMC), recorded the highest hitting opportunities and stroke effectiveness compared to the others groups. The participants who practiced using the standard equipment recorded less hitting opportunities and stroke effectiveness during the mini-competition. This study demonstrated the advantages for children playing using modified equipment with a smaller court. By manipulating the task constraints, skill acquisition can be enhanced among children.