Shuttle Time Seminars Tour Around Lebanon

November 6, 2020

Western Asian nation Lebanon, spearheaded by the Lebanon Badminton Federation (LBF), had since 2014 delivered more than 20 BWF Shuttle Time Schools Programme courses. To date, more than 540 certified BWF Shuttle Time Teachers have been trained.

The initiative includes introducing badminton to refugee children from neigbouring Syria displaced in the Bekka region of Lebanon using Shuttle Time resources last year. (here)

With the COVID-19 global pandemic, LBF has faced the challenge of doing something different to promote badminton and motivating the local community to stay active.

Thus, in partnership with the Lebanese Ministry of Education, LBF launched the Shuttle Time Seminar to educate teachers working with children, students and players at schools, clubs and universities on how badminton can be easily delivered in their environment, especially in underprivileged regions.

As a sport that does not require close contact and thus allows social distancing, a good opportunity presented itself to promote and develop badminton nationally with popular sports like football and basketball forbidden.

The Shuttle Time Seminars are to be delivered in eight provinces, with a target of educating more than 200 teachers (with a 50:50 male to female ratio) and introducing the sport to over 10,000 children.

The first one has already been delivered in the Beysarieah province and was attended by 32 participants. A second seminar in the Sultanieh province attracted 21 participants.

Date Province Total Number of Teachers Educated Total Number of Children Participated
18 September 2020 Beysarieah 32 (17 Male & 15 Female) 1,024
17 October 2020 Sultanieh 21 (12 Male & 9 Female) 441
01 November 2020 Tripoli 28 (19 Male & 9 Female) 1,000

During the seminars, participants found the sessions very useful and easily adaptable into their own teaching. “Shuttle Time is an interesting toolkit that enables teachers to organise badminton activities for children in a fun way,” commented one teacher.

Ali Kazma, Shuttle Time National Coordinator of Lebanon added: “This is a handy tool to teach children with the variety and simplicity of the activities from Shuttle Time. Shuttle Time makes badminton easy for teachers to educate children in an organised and structured way.”

Upcoming Shuttle Time Seminars targeting the regions of Akkar, Mount Lebanon, Beirut, Baalbek, Hermel and Bekaa, Nabatiyeh and Zahle.