Nightminton could be the world’s next greatest sport
Thousands of fans and players in more than 30 countries are raging about the new sport – nightminton.
Founded by Catherine Masters, it is a sport that combines racquetball, tennis and badminton into an intense game that is meant to be played in the middle of the night. Armed with a glow-in-the-dark racquet, a speeder, which is similar to a birdie in badminton, black lights and fluorescent paint, competitors go onto the playing field to try their hands at nightminton.
“I think that would be sweet,” Jenelyn Perry, sophomore majoring in sociology said. “I think the general idea is interesting, and it’s something that’s never really been thought of before.”
According to nightminton.com, this new sport doesn’t have to be played with a court or a net. The rules simply state to set up boundaries into a square using a yellow material similar to caution tape. The black lights show the player where the opponent’s box is, and the opponent becomes visible due to the fluorescent paint all over his or her body.
The Web site says the rules are simple. First, the player tries to land the speeder on the ground inside of the opponent’s square. The winner must win by a margin of at least two points, and the first person to 16 wins. Also, serving is alternated after every three serves, and a match consists of three games. At the beginning of each game the players must change sides.
The game can be played single or with a partner. Every volley counts, and scoring is awarded by a service fault, speeder contact with the ground or a speeder lands out-of-bounds or on the lines. Points are also available if a speeder is hit twice by the same player in sequence or body contact with the speeder.
Perry said she thinks the idea of the activity would be something enjoyable to do.
“I’ve never even heard of this,” she said. “Can you imagine people out there, doing that? And getting smacked in the face with the ball? That would be a great date activity.”
–jill.bowers@aggiemail.usu.edu