Badminton Rules-
THE TEAM
The team consists of 2 singles and 3 doubles matches, with each game weighted equally for a total of 5 points (5 games; 8 people needed). An eligible team consists of being able to field 3 of the 5 games. Each team matchup is thus a best of 5 matchup, where the winning team wins at least 3 of the 5 games. There are no substitutions in singles play, however, one and only one substitution may occur in each doubles match. The substituting player may enter only at the beginning of a game or after an injury. A substituted player may not reenter the match. If a substitute enters the game and they or their partner is injured the match is defaulted. Any player may participate in only one singles or one doubles match per day. Players and doubles teams should play in positions respective of their skill level and captains must make all attempts to avoid ‘stacking’. At every match each team must fill the game roster from the first skill position downward and vacancies from the last skill position upward. Players may not substitute for each other in order to complete a team roster.
THE COURT
1. Serving boundaries for singles = thin and long;
2. Serving boundaries for doubles = wide and short;
3. Play boundaries are full court for doubles,
4. Play boundaries are thin and long for singles.
5. All lines are considered in bounds. The roof, overhanging objects, and the poles of the nets are out of bounds.
THE MATCH
A match consists of the best of 3 games. Winner of birdie toss-up can choose either first serve or pick side of the court. For doubles, side that serves first only gets 1 serve for the first term of service. Then for subsequent terms of service, each partner gets to serve until side out, always starting with the partner in the right service box- termed first serve. The other partner serves after the side out. Teams/players switch side of court for the second game, with the winner from game 1 serving first. If a 3rd game is necessary, another birdie toss is done and the winner can choose either first serve or pick side of court. Between the second and third game, if there is one, a 2 minute break is allowed and the players are allowed to go off the court but must leave their racquets on the court.
SCORING
A point is scored for the service team when the birdie lands inbounds on the side of the court of the nonservice team after going over the net or the non-service team hits the birdie and it lands out of bounds.
Points are only scored by the serving team, whereas if the volley is lost by the service team, it counts as a side out and serve goes to the next player in doubles, as specified below, or to the opponent in singles. Each game is up to 11. If the game is tied at 10-10, the first player or team that reached 10 can either request to “set” and play to 13 points, or choose to play straight to 11; they must request to set (if they so choose) BEFORE playing the point that someone gets 11 points.
SERVICE
Serving is always diagonal (cross court).
In singles, the server serves from the right service box if the server has an even number of points, and from the left if the server has an odd number of points. The serve goes to the opponent when he loses the serve.
In doubles, both players get a chance to serve (termed first serve and second serve) before the serve is passed to the other team. After each point, the partners switch sides (switch which service box you are in) such that when you have an even number of points you are in the original service as when you started the match at 0 points and when you have an odd number of points you and your partner are in the reverse box. At the moment of the serve, players cannot be in motion. The server and receiver of the serve must be in their correct boxes (i.e. diagonal from each other). However, the partner of each is not restricted to any position. The player on the right always serves first. If the serve touches the net, it results in a side out. If the server misses the birdie completely (no body parts or racquet parts make contact with the birdie), they may try the serve again. The racquet must make contact with the birdie below the waist on a serve.
GENERAL RULES
Except on the serve, the birdie can hit the net on the way across and still be in play, but a player cannot touch the net with the racquet or body during play. If this happens, the player loses the point (side out or point awarded). Player also cannot make contact with the birdie on the opponents’ side of the net but may follow through over the net. Games and scores are self-officiated, under the honor system.
LATE POLICY
Teams are expected to be at the courts and ready to begin play at the time designated on the schedule. If at ten minutes past the scheduled starting time a team is short players then the matches must begin with available players (beginning with the two singles matches). If the team does not have sufficient players, they will forfeit those matches. Once the matches are started no substitutions or changes may be made.
ELIGIBILITY
All undergraduate students and persons officially associated with the residential college who meet general eligibility requirements except all graduate students are eligible to participate. Current club players are those who practiced, played or are on the active rosters after September 25. Only 1 of the 5 matchups may include players from the club badminton team. Any instance involving special exceptions requires a review by the Intramural Director or the Athletic Secretaries Ad Hoc Eligibility Committee.