Badminton: Net Shot, Net Kill or Lift

Advanced net play in which students choose the shot based on the height at which they reach the shuttle: above the tape they kill, at tape height they play a net shot, and below it they lift to the back. The goal is to make the decision in a split second.

How to play

1. Demonstrate the three shots and the height rule with a shuttle held next to the tape (3 min).
2. In pairs at the net: one tosses shuttles by hand at different heights and the other plays the matching shot; 10 shuttles, then switch (6 min).
3. Net duel inside the front zone marked with cones: net shots only, and a kill only if the shuttle is above the tape (6 min).
4. Full-court rallies that always start with a net shot; the waiting student counts how many decisions were correct (5 min).

Rules

• Net kills use a short motion; touching the net with the racket is a fault.
• Nobody reaches under the net into the other side.
• The tosser stands to the side, never in front of the racket.
• Change partners after each block to vary the challenge.

Variations

Adaptations

• Wheelchair user: plays right at the net and the tosser adjusts heights to their reach.
• Autism: a visual card showing the three heights and their matching shot.
• Hearing impairment: the tosser shows on their fingers how many shuttles are left.

Learning goals

• Perform the net shot, net kill and lift with control.
• Choose the right shot based on the shuttle's height.
• Get to the net faster with the racket up.

Equipment for a class of 25

• badminton rackets: 28
• shuttlecocks: 42
• badminton nets: 7
• cones: 14

Teacher tip

Stress arriving at the net with the racket up: the sooner you meet the shuttle, the higher it is and the more options you have. A spinning net shot is a good challenge for students who master the basic one.

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