Text by BWF
Juan Esteban Vejarano Sanabria
Shuttle Time Tutor, Badminton Federation of Colombia
Childhood Days
I was born in Ibagué, Tolima, but just a couple of years later, I moved with my parents to Bogotá. In Bogotá, I lived in different parts of the city and changed schools almost every year due to our financial situation. We never lacked food or a roof over our heads, but we didn’t have many luxuries at home. It wasn’t until 2012 that I was able to join a sports group at the school I was attending, Nidia Quintero de Turbay. That’s where I met Coach Oscar Alejandro Vera, who introduced me to sports.
Coach Oscar Vera noticed a talent I had: I could quickly adapt to any sport and often performed above the average level of other students. From that moment on, sport became a big part of my life. I was a member of the school’s futsal, basketball, volleyball, and ultimate frisbee teams. I also received full or partial scholarships at various sports clubs outside of school, which allowed me to train, travel, and compete in various places during my teenage years.
My mother always supported me in sports and never let me give up, even when life
presented challenges and obstacles.
First Experience of Badminton
The first time I was introduced to badminton was at Nidia Quintero de Turbay School through Professor Oscar Vera. In the beginning, it was the sport we always preferred during physical education or during our free time.
Later, at university, while studying for a degree in Physical Education, Recreation, and Sports at the University of Tolima, I was contacted by Professor Oscar Vera to attend a badminton Referee Training Course, which I participated in. After that training, I was invited to a national badminton tournament as a referee, where I witnessed a much higher level of play from athletes around the country.
It was during that event that I truly fell in love with the sport. After the tournament, Professor Oscar provided me with equipment and invited me to a Shuttle Time training in the municipality of Tenjo. From that moment on, I took on the mission of promoting badminton in the Tolima region.
First Impressions
Its specificity, the uniqueness of each element, its speed, its precision, its elegance, and its neatness — in every hit, in every movement — I saw badminton from the outside as a dance blended with the energy and power of combat. What caught my attention was its accessibility for everyone, the variety and options it offered. I saw an opportunity to bring all types of people closer to the sport and physical activity.
Memorable moments
The moment that marked my life was when I was chosen to represent Colombia at an international training camp in Peru through the Special Olympics programme, where I received badminton training for people with cognitive disabilities. It was my first time flying on a plane, my first time in another country, and my first time representing Colombia — one of the many dreams I had as a child. There’s nothing better than achieving it through the sport I love, while helping those who are often excluded from
sports.
What Badminton Means
Badminton is a fundamental pillar of my life and the union of hobby with passion, it is the mix between hard work and enjoyment, so that we as human beings can be happy traveling, meeting people, doing physical activity and being better people. A big difference with other sports is its moral aspect and respect for the opponent. It is very easy to learn the basic strokes and play a game.
Developing Badminton in the Community
It has not been easy to develop badminton in Tolima, especially in Ibagué. However, from the people who believe in the project we have received excellent response. I have covered many branches of badminton in Tolima, such as Para badminton, those with cognitive disabilities, school badminton, university badminton, badminton judging and training coaches and trainers.
The Shuttle Time methodology has allowed us to reach many more people and
have tools for everyone to learn at their respective pace.
Lessons from Shuttle Time
That no matter what your condition, your preferences, your tastes, your size, your age, no matter who you are, you could play badminton. As long as everything is taught with love, with discipline and with tools for different learning abilities, everyone will be able to learn and practice this complete sport.
