The Taiwanese American Association of Capital District New York (TAA) and FASCA Albany hosted the TAA Badminton Tournament & Fun Day on Sunday, June 14, at the Guilderland YMCA. This community event was organized with the support of Albany FASCA, whose youth members had been actively involved in planning and served as volunteers on the day of the event.
For Taiwanese people, badminton is more than a sport; it is a cultural symbol engraved into everyday life. From school PE classes and local courts to international competitions that unite the entire nation, badminton has continued to spread across diverse nations and cultures.
Even on the East Coast of the U.S., the badminton court has become an extension of Taiwanese culture. Every rally, smash, and cheer brings back the same excitement of watching an intense badminton rally in Taiwan.
A total of 8 doubles teams participated in a group round-robin tournament, then progressed to a single elimination knockout bracket to determine the winner. Games were played up to 21 points with no deuce in the group stage, however, they were played with deuce in the semifinals and finals.
Throughout the tournament, the games were intense and sweat-inducing. Teams of friends, father-son duos, and siblings competed with the goal to enjoy the time and win. Mini games were also set up after the competition, such as friendly doubles and singles games, as well as badminton-bingo! This game was inspired by the 9 square target game (九宮格) and it was made by stacking 9 cardboard boxes into a 3 by 3 square. Competitors serve their birdies into the cardboard boxes and try to hit a row of cardboard boxes with the birdies. Each birdie that landed in the cardboard box will be one point, but if the birdies hit all 3 cardboard boxes in the row, each of those birdies will be worth 2 points! These games are designed to bring laughter, teamwork, and friendly competition to participants of all ages.
FASCA members helped set up and clean up the Guilderland YMCA courts, keep track of score, while also having a fun time competing in the tournament as well as the fun minigames. All of the FASCA members were extremely productive, always trying their best to help out all they can but also kept their competitive spirit, always seeking to have rallies with their friends!
Everyone had a good time at the badminton competition. There was sportsmanship all around and many FASCA members all loved the atmosphere of the event. Every win, every loss, didn’t result in frowns or racket throwing, but they resulted in laughs, smiles, and congratulating handshakes. Their involvement demonstrates the commitment of Taiwanese American Youth to cultural heritage, leadership, and community service.
Stated by one FASCA member, the competition was “very enjoyable” and she “really enjoyed playing with friendly people of all ages!” A TAA member expressed his admiration for the competition, “Even in the East Coast of America, I’m overjoyed at how unified the younger generations are, and how they also can share similar badminton experience as I once had when I was young.” Even standbyers that were not Taiwanese cheered, “Lets go Taiwan team!”
This competition made the Taiwanese community more vibrant in the Capital Region, showing Taiwanese people’s unity and commitment to promoting Taiwanese culture. From the posters to the back of FASCA member’s shirts, other Guilderland YMCA goers are able to see that Taiwanese American youth are actively participating in the community while still spreading their own culture in a friendly and fun way.
Reported by Cile Lee (Albany FASCA)
