Watch the birdie

By Mary Alice Garrett

This story originally appeared April 30, 2009 in The News Journal of Wilmington, Delaware.

Some area residents have found a fun way to keep fit physically and mentally.

The Brandywine Badminton Boosters plays competitive but friendly games of badminton twice a week nine months a year at Carrcroft Elementary School in Brandywine Hundred. The club started 60 years ago, and Dick Reed, 87, and Bernie Yemc, 80, have belonged for 45 years and still are competitive with new younger members.

The seniors, who both play multiple sports, say the caliber of play has greatly improved with the influx of younger members, many from India where badminton was played as early as the 18th century. Badminton ranks up there with cricket and soccer as the most popular Indian sports.

"I've been playing badminton most of my life," said Gee Joseph. "Most people in Asian countries play badminton," said the 43 year-old DuPont Co. occupational health supervisor, originally from India. "It's a great recreational activity. It can be played by people of any age. It's an international game."

Joseph has recruited DuPont co-workers along with children, wives and exchange students who occasionally play. Joseph, who lives in Brandywood, assists Reed with club finances and equipment.

"He's our inspiration," Joseph said of Reed. "He's one of the best players in our club. I'm still trying to keep up with him."

Reed excels at both badminton and tennis and likes both equally well. He formerly played basketball and racquetball. In the summer, he competes in tennis tournaments at Salesianum School -- his alma mater. He also usually takes first place in singles and doubles tennis in the Delaware Senior Olympics.

"Badminton gets you in shape," said the retired Hercules accountant who lives in Sharpley.

Yemc, retired from DuPont, also plays tennis and golf at DuPont Country Club.

While Reed is the club's inspirational player, 29-year-old John Abraham is considered the club's best player. He played badminton, cricket and soccer growing up in India, but has concentrated on badminton since coming to Delaware. The DuPont engineer said he likes the companionship of the club and the fact that members don't criticize others' play. Abraham sometimes teams up with Tom Cacho, 44, to play competitive matches in Philadelphia. The two reached the quarterfinals of their most recent competition.

"Badminton is a good game to keep fit," said Cacho. "More than anything, it keeps us mentally focused also."

From India, Cacho has played with the club for eight years. He works in information technology with Aetna and lives in Chalfonte.

Chemical engineer Bill Parten, of Brandywine Hundred, joined four years ago after transferring from his native England to work for DuPont. Parten heard about the club from Susan Hennessey, currently the token (but highly-competitive) female club player.

"I'm a converted squash player, and it shows," he said.

Hennessey, 44, is also a DuPont chemical engineer. She played badminton in high school in Baltimore.

"It's awesome exercise," she said.

Hennessey bakes cakes for club members' birthdays and holds an annual summer party at her home in Avondale, Pa.

"I've made a lot of new friends here," said Ramkumar Sangameshwar, a software engineer with AstraZeneca. He played the game in India along with tennis and cricket. "I actually like badminton best. I can use my height [6 feet 2 inches]," said the resident of Brandywine Hundred.

Joseph Menezes, 30, plays badminton in the winter and soccer on a DuPont team in the summer. He, too, is a DuPont engineer from India who lives in Greenville. Menezes often arrives early for an hour of singles before playing two hours of doubles.

Karthik Jupudi and Manoj Maurya, both 28, learned badminton in India.

"It's fun. It's a good sport to play in winter," said Jupudi, who works for EMC.

Maurya, an AIG software engineer, has also played matches in Philadelphia. He said the club "is like a family." Both men live in Brandywine Hundred.

"These guys are very friendly," said Kris Saha, 37, who lives in Claymont. The native of India has lived in Delaware for three years and works for AIG.

Madhu Bhat also learned badminton as a young child in India.

"I like it very much," he said. "It's a nice experience -- a nice group."

Bhat lives in Brandywine Hundred and works in information technology at AstraZeneca.

FYI

A bit of history

Badminton traces its history to games played hundreds of years ago in Greece, Japan and India. In 1992, badminton became an Olympic sport.

Two or four players hit a shuttlecock -- made of nylon or goose feathers -- back and forth over a net without allowing it to hit the ground. The shuttlecock is served with an underhand motion below the waist, and only one serve is allowed.

Additional badminton information is available at:

www.badminton-rules.com , www.usabadminton.org and www.worldbadminton.com .

The local club

The Brandywine Badminton Boosters plays twice a week at Carrcroft Elementary School. Details: Gee Joseph at 792-1133. The group's Web site is under construction, but information is available from the World Badminton Web site.