badminton metaphors now?

As I was wondering what to write in my blog, one of the things that is occupying my mind right now is my badminton game. I keep reflecting back on the game and I wonder why I do what I do. For the most amount of time I play only as good as my opponents / partner. I don’t bother to raise my game needlessly at all. I only have spurts of power when have a close game or suddenly when I feel like the underdog. I don’t push to take all shots and I don’t push for kills. I have no clue why so many players run around like crazy in a badminton doubles game.

Most of the time you have partners who run like crazy all over trying to take all the shots. Why would they do that? I have never understood. It’s not like they are supreme players who can reach where no man can. It’s just that they run like mad all over.  I guess it takes time to understand a partner  but the first reaction is to play stupid. To my mind the first rule of playing doubles is to understand that you are playing DOUBLES. You have to trust your partner as well. I am guilty at times to play my partners shot. but then I kick myself and try and make amends. Understanding where your partner is possibly more important than understanding where your opponent is. Blocking out space on your court by working well as a team is winning more than half the battle.

Recently we had two new players coming in to play with us. They are pretty decent players and I realized I could match up to them. Though I don’t play the back hand smash and I don’t really do the drop shot too well but my ability to cover the court quickly and suddenly take up impossible shots is what I work to my advantage. I can keep the shuttle in play for the longest and force either an unforced error or a chance to play it into the gap that comes up. In fact because these fellows try reaching for all the shots, many times the best play is to play right in the middle when both can reach. They both will reach and either knocks themselves or end up together leaving space in the court for a simple kill. I think these are trust issues and an over self-reliance that city breeds in people that is possible to blame.

(unrelated point – I just saw a coppersmith barbet outside my office window on the tree. I love it when I see her)

But what amazes me is how my game goes up or down depending upon the players I play. I am amazed how large the change is. So with one guy who is a really bad player, I have rallies with him and then sometimes some average players come along, I have rallies with them and then with some good players – I have rallies with them as well. Why is it that I am doing like this? I like it this way. It puts less pressure on me while playing but I am forced to think of a more fundamental point. Does my badminton talk about the kind of person I have become? Do not take pangas unless absolutely necessary or if you think there is merit in it. In a way I have become less aggressive or controlled my aggression. I am aggressive enough to reach for a shuttle that seems impossible. In fact so many times the players wonder if I have picked on one bounce and that I think is a factor of my aggression and ability to move fast. But why is it that I cant kill anymore. Has age caught up with me? The wisdom that all is transitory and that you must always live to fight another battle another day?

In office also I try and let go. Focus on battle you can win but more importantly I see myself silent in many meetings. If I don’t see the point of it all, and I know my suggestion would not be understood, I keep quiet. Let go, relax, let people atleast do what they are capable of. No real point in pushing them too hard. They will simply not be able to reach the shuttle. You will win the point but the dam score in the end doesn’t count. Let them play, throw it around where they are, but more importantly practice you game, keep honing it, push yourself to do different things.

Many times I try and play not to win but to only give the other guy a good game while trying my best to improve my game. Try and be nimble, work on anticipation and stuff like that. The raw aggression of winning or killing every point doesn’t work. In doubles you don’t need to win every point as well. You let the other guy play his game, understand his game, be happy with the second fiddle, put it back in play and then look to improve. Then push and keep perfecting your skills. Points be dammed. Look at others, see their game, spot weaknesses, play easy. Is that my daily life philosophy as well? I don’t know. I guess it is a reflection of some of it.  Don’t play for a win, play for a win win win.