What A Racquet by Raymond Virata

In the past few years, badminton has scored a huge following in the Philippines. The racquet sport is a great aerobic workout and is easy to pick up. It's also perfect for hanging out with friends. It doesn't require large teams unlike basketball.

Badminton's popularity caused new courts to sprout around Metro Manila. Even some old warehouses have been converted into badminton courts.

Philippine badminton enthusiasts (shuttlers, "baddicts" or badminton addicts) have set-up websites, message boards and forums to share information, post events, find courts and network. Here are two sites that provide a lot of facts and listings to satisfy that badminton craving.

In 1997 PBNet (www.PBNet.net) was created by Wilfred Fragante and is an off-shoot of the Camp Crame Badminton Club website. PBNet has articles from Badminton Philippines Magazine and other notable sources, links to local badminton groups, such as Ateneo Alumni Badminton Yahoo group, Badminton Benilde (La Salle) and the UP Alumni Badminton Club, event postings and best of all, a comprehensive court locator of playing areas in Metro Manila and around the Philippines. It has tips on proper racquet grip, doubles strategy and how to repair a broken racquet. The website won a Philippine Webby Award in 1999 for best sports site.

Yourbadminton.com has a great graphics interface and other features not found in PBNet. The website has product reviews of badminton equipment such as Adidas Stratos 3 sports shoes and Yonex Nanospeed 9000 racquets. It also has TV listings of badminton events such as the International Badminton Federation World Championships. The site also features a large photo gallery of Philippine tournaments and clubs, and a streaming video section for fancy shots. While PBNet lists three trainers on its site, Yourbadminton.com has four more to choose from.

View actual magazine screen shot here.

Web Watch section - page 14. (www.filipinasmag.com)