BWF News

Humans of Shuttle Time: Mehmet Dinc

TEXT BY BWF STAFF

Shuttle Time in Turkiye

This is the 71st 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. Mehmet Dinc, Shuttle Time Tutor with Turkiye Badminton Federation, talks of his journey in badminton.

Childhood Days

I was born and raised in Gazipaşa, a small district in the province of Antalya, which was not a sporting city. However, my friends and I enjoyed playing sports. I completed my elementary, middle, and high school education here as well. During my first years of college, I obtained an assistant coach certification from the federation, followed by a basic coach certification. I completed my undergraduate and master’s degrees in Sports Sciences at Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University. I am currently pursuing my PhD at the same university.

First Experience

I first encountered badminton in middle school when I was 11. My coach at the time came to our school to introduce badminton. Since badminton was so much fun, it caught our attention, and we started playing with our friends — both in the schoolyard and in front of our house — as well as attending practice sessions.

It was a very different sport for us because the equipment was unusual. Once I started playing, I realised how much fun it was. But when I moved beyond just having fun and began participating in training sessions, the competitive aspect motivated me. I also came to love it even more because, compared to team sports or other disciplines, I found it to be a non-contact sport with a more forgiving nature.

Relationship With Badminton

We started playing at school after my coach came to give a presentation. Later, I began attending practice sessions. My coach took great care of us and inspired us with games and small competitions. He kept us there as competitive athletes. I achieved success for the first time by participating in an official tournament at age 12. This motivated me even more. We continued to compete and achieve success in high school as well. When I entered college, I began developing my skills in coaching. I became an assistant coach during my freshman year and earned the title of head coach by my sophomore year. In 2019, while still a student, I officially began working as a coach at a club. We achieved great success by taking athletes to Turkish championships. By forming and coaching school teams, we secured rankings at the provincial, regional, and national levels. As the head coach for Antalya Province, I lead teams to numerous competitions. To promote our sport in schools, we conducted badminton outreach programmes and provided equipment support.

By introducing badminton to children in rural schools, we were able to reach underserved areas. I have trained athletes to the national team level. Currently, I continue to train elite athletes as a senior coach. Additionally, I teach badminton in physical education classes at five schools in the district, including three village schools and two central schools.

Shuttle Time in Turkiye

Memorable Events

Thanks to badminton, I’ve made friends and connections in many cities. Even in the cities I visit on vacation, I sometimes run into people I know from the badminton community, and that makes me happy.

What Badminton Means

Badminton is my passion. It’s also my profession. No matter what, I can’t stay away from it. Whether it’s a holiday, vacation, day off, or trip, I continue to be deeply involved with badminton. Being active in badminton is a source of pride for me. I continue to contribute to badminton both on the court and in the academic arena.

Developing Badminton in the Community

I enjoy teaching this sport, especially in rural schools. The students have a lot of fun when they play with me, and refuse to let me go. I also teach badminton to students with disabilities, another group facing challenges. Sometimes, while we’re doing movement exercises together, they ask, “When are we going to play badminton, teacher?” They really love badminton.

Badminton in a picturesque locale

Impact of Shuttle Time

We’ve carried out similar projects in our region before. However, they weren’t as professional. We were mostly able to organise them as one-off or occasional events. But now, with Shuttle Time, we’ll be able to continue this in a more systematic way. This is important to us because consistency is crucial for expanding the programme.

Lessons From Shuttle Time

When we think about Shuttle Time training, we see that we’re helping children learn while having fun. This becomes a very important factor once they’re out on the field. Ensuring that children learn through play while supporting their self-confidence — without making them feel like they’ve failed — is truly very effective.

Previous Stories in this Series:

News

Players

Tournaments

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