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Humans of Shuttle Time: Ilayda Nur Ozelgul

TEXT BY BWF STAFF

This is the 68th story in our Humans of Shuttle Time series, in which we present the perspectives of those who are involved with badminton at the grassroots level. Ilayda Nur Ozelgul, Shuttle Time Tutor with Turkey Badminton Federation, talks of her eventful journey in badminton.

Childhood Days

I started playing at the age of nine, thanks to my class teacher who introduced me to badminton. I spent my childhood training constantly outside of school. Many of my classmates and I took up badminton; we trained hard, competed and spent time together right until the end of university. From childhood onwards, we grew up as a family in the sports hall. We were both athletes and coaches.

Until the end of university, I worked entirely to improve my sporting performance. At the same time, I was also working hard to succeed academically. I am currently working as a research assistant in the Coaching Education Department of the Faculty of Sports Sciences. I spend time with my fellow badminton players, coaches, referees, federation members, academic lecturers, and most importantly, my family. I enjoy exchanging ideas and spending time with different people in various settings, and learning from them.

Shuttle Time activity in Turkey.

First Experience

My primary school teacher introduced me to the sport and spoke to the parents of those who wanted to take part. With my parents’ permission, I attended my first training session in the hall and continued playing badminton because I really enjoyed it.

When I first walked into the hall, I was struck by the sight of people of all ages playing together. I grew to love the sound the shuttle made when it hit the racket and I always wanted to play. As time went on, I received praise for developing into a responsible and disciplined person. As it is an active sport that involves no physical contact, my family always supported my training with peace of mind, knowing it was helping me stay healthy.

Relationship with Badminton

It became an integral part of my life and a defining period. I used to plan my social life around my training days. I had grown accustomed to living with a focus on factors such as nutrition and sleep, and I was thoroughly committed to this routine. At the same time, acting with a sense of team spirit made me feel good.

Memorable Events

I will never forget the moment I was selected to the Turkish national team, because it was a dream come true. Once I’d experienced that feeling, I never wanted to give up badminton.

I also can’t forget how, thanks to me, my family members got to know the sport, took an interest in tournaments and started playing it as a hobby. I really enjoyed that time. Thanks to badminton, I had the opportunity to watch Europe’s best players. I feel very lucky to have met my team coaches; they always treated us like family and it was thanks to them that we progressed. At the same time, I met academic lecturers conducting research in this field and it was through them that I entered the academy.

What Badminton Means

It’s a sport that everyone should try. Playing badminton is a chance for me to unwind. It reminds me that I need to have fun and forget about the negative aspects of my daily life, even if just for a moment.

Most importantly, it is a non-contact sport. It promotes the development of all motor skills (strength, speed, flexibility, endurance and coordination).

With national and international championships, World Championships, the Olympics, school tournaments at every level and numerous ranking tournaments, the sport keeps athletes highly dynamic and motivated.

I believe that badminton, as an Olympic sport, also offers a variety of future career opportunities.

Developing Badminton in the Community

When I was working as a badminton coach under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, I had a group of primary school children. From the very moment I first introduced them to badminton, their eager attention and enthusiasm made me very happy. The parents of this group, despite limited resources, would make every effort to bring their children to every training session in a disciplined manner and would tell me how happy they were to see them there. It was very important to me to instill both a sporting ethos and an appreciation for the sport of badminton in people.

Impact of Shuttle Time

It has shown that badminton should be given more prominence in physical education lessons at schools. I believe it has also sparked the interest of those who are unfamiliar with the sport.

Lessons From Shuttle Time

I’ve learnt to give as many people as possible the chance to play badminton. My aim isn’t to find players for the national team but to create a fun environment where people can learn to play badminton.

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