Shuttle Time in Chile is a decade old. However, the development of the programme was stalled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
The Badminton Federation of Chile carried out a national evaluation over the last two years, and concluded that a decentralisation and development strategy had to be focussed on training teachers in three regions to begin with: Antofagasta, La Araucania and O’Higgins regions, as they already had tutors to help expand the programme.
This year the national federation resumed contact with tutors and establishments to carry out new training programmes to increase the number of children who play badminton at recreational and educational levels.
Chile is one of the top 10 countries with the highest obesity in the world. The task therefore is to introduce sports programmes with originality and diversity to catch the attention of children.
Sports in general have a number of benefits, such as the reduction of body fat, better cardiovascular ability, etc. Badminton in particular has benefits in helping correct visual problems, improving reaction speed, decision-making, etc.
The Shuttle Time project is focused on children between 6 and 18 years old, and on young teachers willing to work with able-bodied and Paralympic children and helping make badminton a lifestyle.
Maintaining the promotion of the sport in the initial or formative stage of the child is key to development. For this, information from the Shuttle Time School Plan will be delivered to educational establishments.
At this moment the Shuttle Time programme is being implemented in three regions; two more regions will be added next year. This year 60 children registered in the Shuttle Time National School Tournament, a tournament that has grown compared to the previous year, when 45 students registered.
Additionally, there is a Regional League with has two branches — a school/initial level and a competitive one, where more than 110 boys and girls registered for each of the five competitive dates, to give life to badminton in the La Araucanía Region.
There are 20 new teachers who recently underwent the programme, and have expressed their commitment to start their own workshops in different regions, municipalities and establishments. In a country with a complex terrain, these are significant numbers.
