The Ontario Tech Ridgebacks are the athletic teams that represent Ontario Tech University in Oshawa , Ontario , Canada. The Ridgebacks have been competing in Ontario University Athletics since 2006 and have been a member of U Sports since 2008.
123-489: The Ontario Tech Ridgebacks compete in badminton , soccer , women's lacrosse , curling , golf , rowing , dance , basketball , and hockey . Formerly, the Ridgebacks had a tennis program. However, in 2016 after 10 seasons the university decided to eliminate the tennis program in favour of creating a badminton program. Ontario Tech's athletic team colours are blue and orange . The university's mascot and logo
246-415: A round-the-head forehand overhead (a forehand "on the backhand side") rather than attempt a backhand overhead. Playing a backhand overhead has two main disadvantages. First, the player must turn their back to their opponents, restricting their view of them and the court. Second, backhand overheads cannot be hit with as much power as forehands: the hitting action is limited by the shoulder joint, which permits
369-462: A 14 ounces (400 g) weight and Venus Williams is known for using a frame modified to be quite heavy, in terms of the recent times average. By contrast, Andy Roddick surprised many when he said he used a stock Pro Drive series model, series of racket which was light when compared with the rackets used by most top professionals. In both recreational and professional tennis, the trend has been away from heavy rackets and toward lighter rackets, despite
492-580: A 1920s racket by Dayton. Some, rarely, also had metal strings. In the late 1960s, Wilson popularized the T-2000 steel racket with wire wound around the frame to make string loops, after having purchased the design from René Lacoste , who produced the racket first in a more limited run. It was popularized by the top American player Jimmy Connors and was also, prior to Connors using it, by Billie Jean King in her early career. Many players said it lacked control but had more power, when compared with wood frames of
615-475: A badminton club in Folkestone . Initially, the sport was played with sides ranging from 1 to 4 players, but it was quickly established that games between two or four competitors worked the best. The shuttlecocks were coated with India rubber and, in outdoor play, sometimes weighted with lead . Although the depth of the net was of no consequence, it was preferred that it should reach the ground. The sport
738-404: A badminton serve the whole shuttle must be below 1.15 metres from the surface of the court at the instant of being hit by the server's racket, the shuttlecock is not allowed to bounce and in badminton, the players stand inside their service courts, unlike tennis. When the serving side loses a rally, the server immediately passes to their opponent(s) (this differs from the old system where sometimes
861-697: A bat, with usage differing by region. In the USA the term "paddle" is common, in Europe the term is "bat", and the official ITTF term is "racket." Table Tennis racket specs are defined at the ITTF handbook section 2.04 and currently include the following. Popular lawn tennis rackets vary primarily in length, weight, balance point, stiffness, beam thickness, string pattern, string density, and head size. They generally conform to unofficial standards that differ from past rackets. Currently, almost all adult rackets are made from
984-505: A brief period of limited popularity, making fewer inroads among top players than aluminum. Also, the earliest composites, such as the Head Competition series, used by Arthur Ashe , were made without graphite. These were more flexible than a typical early graphite composite but stiffer than wood, fiberglass, and aluminum. In the early 1980s, "graphite" ( carbon fibre ) composites were introduced, and other materials were added to
1107-425: A comeback with his standard wood racket, after his premature retirement, but it quickly ended in failure, as the standard wood was no match when placed against a stiff midplus graphite. It is also commonly argued that Chris Evert would have been able to beat Martina Navratilova during the latter's most dominant period if she had switched from her wood racket years sooner. Additionally, the last influential wooden racket,
1230-445: A direction parallel to the sidelines. 4.4.2 : A shuttlecock of the correct speed will land not less than 530 mm and not more than 990 mm short of the other back boundary line. Badminton shoes are lightweight with soles of rubber or similar high-grip, non-marking materials. Compared to running shoes, badminton shoes have little lateral support . High levels of lateral support are useful for activities where lateral motion
1353-415: A full-length, high clear is difficult. When the shuttlecock is well below net height , players have no choice but to hit upwards. Lifts , where the shuttlecock is hit upwards to the back of the opponents' court, can be played from all parts of the court. If a player does not lift, their only remaining option is to push the shuttlecock softly back to the net: in the forecourt, this is called a net shot ; in
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#17327933241401476-403: A graphite composite. Those made from wood (the original racket frame row material), steel, fiberglass, or aluminium are considered obsolete, although those materials are technically legal for play. Inexpensive rackets often have poor performance characteristics such as excessive flexibility and inadequate weight. No recent manufacturers use single-throated beams, although Prince tried to reintroduce
1599-463: A great deal more time for stringing than a typical racket and rackets of that series were very popular. Whatever the cause of the failure of the MAD RAQ in the marketplace, it was the only time a snowshoe pattern was used in tennis. Hauptman switched her racket line to a two string diamond pattern (PowerAngle). This pattern had already been used in much earlier rackets but had not had much popularity. It
1722-403: A larger " sweet spot ". This is an area in the string bed that is partially more forgiving on off-center hits and which produces more ball-reflective power from string deformation, known as the trampoline effect. However, large head sizes can increase twisting, which makes off-center hits more difficult to control and can reduce a player's overall power production due to the playing compensating for
1845-585: A let. If the receiver is not ready when the service is delivered, a let shall be called; yet, if the receiver attempts to return the shuttlecock, the receiver shall be judged to have been ready. Badminton rules restrict the design and size of racquets and shuttlecocks. Badminton racquets are lightweight, with top quality racquets weighing between 70 and 95 grams (2.5 and 3.4 ounces) not including grip or strings. They are composed of many different materials ranging from carbon fibre composite ( graphite reinforced plastic ) to solid steel, which may be augmented by
1968-419: A maximum strung area of 500 square centimetres (approximately 75 square inches) and a mass between 90 and 200 grams (4–7 ounces). Table tennis uses a table tennis racket made from laminated wood covered with rubber on one or two sides depending on the grip of the player. Unlike a conventional racket, it does not contain strings strung across an open frame. This is called either a paddle, racket, or
2091-497: A more predictable the power and angle of the departure from the string bed.) Some professionals used small-headed rackets with flexible-material strings (natural gut) strung at very high tension. Examples include Pete Sampras and Björn Borg . Some used large-headed rackets with very inflexible-material strings (kevlar). Andre Agassi is an example. Many professionals during the standard wood era strung at relatively low tension and used natural gut string; both decisions were to increase
2214-421: A much greater range of movement for a forehand overhead than for a backhand. The backhand clear is considered by most players and coaches to be the most difficult basic stroke in the game, since the precise technique is needed in order to muster enough power for the shuttlecock to travel the full length of the court. For the same reason, backhand smashes tend to be weak. The choice of stroke depends on how near
2337-420: A plastic skirt. According to Kathmandu Post the feathers used to make shuttlecocks are plucked from living birds, which causes pain to the birds. Badminton rules also provide for testing a shuttlecock for the correct speed: 4.4.1 : To test a shuttlecock, hit a full underhand stroke that makes contact with the shuttlecock over the back boundary line. The shuttlecock shall be hit at an upward angle and in
2460-417: A player to find a good string tension is to experiment. The choice of grip allows a player to increase the thickness of their racquet handle and choose a comfortable surface to hold. A player may build up the handle with one or several grips before applying the final layer. Players may choose between a variety of grip materials. The most common choices are PU synthetic grips or towelling grips. Grip choice
2583-509: A racket also vary between 7 ounces (200 g) unstrung and 12.6 ounces (360 g) strung. Until the 1980s, rackets weighted at "medium" were produced. "Heavy" rackets were produced during the height of the wood era (e.g. the 1960s), very sparingly. The "medium" weight is heavier than any of the rackets produced since it was discontinued by companies. Many professionals added weight to their rackets to improve stability. Many continue to do so. Pete Sampras added lead tape to make his racket have
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#17327933241402706-424: A short service line at a distance of 1.98 metres (6 feet 6 inches) from the net, and by the outer side and back boundaries. In doubles, the service court is also marked by a long service line, which is 0.76 metres (2 feet 6 inches) from the back boundary. The net is 1.55 metres (5 feet 1 inch) high at the edges and 1.524 metres (5.00 feet) high in the centre. The net posts are placed over
2829-449: A switch back to wood frames, or a limitation to the original standard size of approximately 65 square inches (420 cm ). Perhaps the last professional to use a standard-size racket in professional tennis was Aaron Krickstein , known for the strongly-contested match against Connors at the 1991 US Open. He used a Wilson Ultra-II standard-size graphite racket also used in the 1980s by the hard-hitting teen Andrea Jaeger . The first oversize,
2952-447: A third game, they change ends both at the start of the game and when the leading player's or pair's score reaches 11 points. If a let is called, the rally is stopped and replayed with no change to the score. Lets may occur because of some unexpected disturbance such as a shuttlecock landing on a court (having been hit there by players playing in adjacent court) or in small halls the shuttle may touch an overhead rail which can be classed as
3075-518: A variant of the earlier game of battledore and shuttlecock . ("Battledore" was an older term for "racquet".) Its exact origin remains obscure. The name derives from the Duke of Beaufort 's Badminton House in Gloucestershire , but why or when remains unclear. As early as 1860, a London toy dealer named Isaac Spratt published a booklet entitled Badminton Battledore – A New Game , but no copy
3198-590: A variety of materials. Carbon fibre has an excellent strength to weight ratio, is stiff, and gives excellent kinetic energy transfer. Before the adoption of carbon fibre composite, racquets were made of light metals such as aluminium. Earlier still, racquets were made of wood. Cheap racquets are still often made of metals such as steel, but wooden racquets are no longer manufactured for the ordinary market, because of their excessive mass and cost. Nowadays, nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and fullerenes are added to racquets giving them greater durability. There
3321-485: A variety of materials. Carbon fiber has an excellent strength to weight ratio, is stiff, and gives excellent kinetic energy transfer. Before the adoption of carbon fiber composite, rackets were made of wood to their excessive weight and cost. There is a wide variety of racket designs, although the badminton racket size and shape are limited by the laws of the game. Different rackets have playing characteristics that appeal to different players. The traditional oval head shape
3444-404: A very thin sole, lower a person's centre of gravity, and therefore result in fewer injuries. The Badminton World Federation and Octagon developed a rule that women badminton players must wear dresses or skirts "to ensure attractive presentation", but although it was included in the official rulebook in 2011, it was dropped before it was supposed to go into effect in 2012. Badminton offers
3567-421: A wide variety of basic strokes, and players require a high level of skill to perform all of them effectively. All strokes can be played either forehand or backhand . A player's forehand side is the same side as their playing hand: for a right-handed player, the forehand side is their right side and the backhand side is their left side. Forehand strokes are hit with the front of the hand leading (like hitting with
3690-402: Is a matter of personal preference. Players often find that sweat becomes a problem; in this case, a drying agent may be applied to the grip or hands, sweatbands may be used, the player may choose another grip material or change their grip more frequently. There are two main types of grip: replacement grips and overgrips . Replacement grips are thicker and are often used to increase the size of
3813-404: Is a tie at 29–29, in which the game goes to a golden point of 30. Whoever scores this point wins the game. At the start of a match, the shuttlecock is cast and the side towards which the shuttlecock is pointing serves first. Alternatively, a coin may be tossed, with the winners choosing whether to serve or receive first, or choosing which end of the court to occupy first, and their opponents making
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3936-477: Is a wide variety of racquet designs, although the laws limit the racquet size and shape. Different racquets have playing characteristics that appeal to different players. The traditional oval head shape is still available, but an isometric head shape is increasingly common in new racquets. Badminton strings for racquets are thin, high-performing strings with thicknesses ranging from about 0.62 to 0.73 mm. Thicker strings are more durable, but many players prefer
4059-420: Is actually 0.7mm but Yonex BG-66 is about 0.72mm. It is often argued that high string tensions improve control, whereas low string tensions increase power. The arguments for this generally rely on crude mechanical reasoning, such as claiming that a lower tension string bed is more bouncy and therefore provides more power. This is, in fact, incorrect, for a higher string tension can cause the shuttle to slide off
4182-403: Is also a technical sport, requiring good motor coordination and the development of sophisticated racquet movements involving much greater flexibility in the wrist than some other racquet sports. Games employing shuttlecocks have been played for centuries across Eurasia , but the modern game of badminton developed in the mid-19th century among the expatriate officers of British India as
4305-482: Is based on a Rhodesian Ridgeback breed of dog . From the Ridgebacks' website, 2013: “[The Rhodesian Ridgeback] is a large and well muscled hunting dog that is legendary for its ability and use in hunting down lions. Strong and extremely competitive by nature, the Ridgeback is also lightning quick and deftly alert while constantly paying attention to its surroundings. Known as a dominant dog with aggressive instincts,
4428-581: Is known to have survived. An 1863 article in The Cornhill Magazine describes badminton as "battledore and shuttlecock played with sides, across a string suspended some five feet from the ground". The game originally developed in India among the British expatriates, where it was very popular by the 1870s. Ball badminton , a form of the game played with a wool ball instead of a shuttlecock,
4551-447: Is more resistant to stoppage from the ball's momentum. This can give the perception that the racket produces shots with more power, although this is complicated by the typically slower stroke production. Higher mass typically involves a slower swing but more energy to execute the swing. More mass also provides more cushioning against ball impact shock, a source of injuries such as tennis elbow . However, high racket mass can cause fatigue in
4674-587: Is most optimal for the serve and volley style with a continental grip. Serve and volley is no longer a viable option for nearly all professionals as the mode of playing for most points in a match. Head-heavy rackets became popular, mainly with recreational players, primarily with the introduction of the Wilson ProFile widebody racket. The head-light balance makes volleys and serves easier to produce, while groundstrokes are less stable. The head-heavy balance makes groundstrokes more stable, which typically increases
4797-417: Is normally the junior racket range, while 27 inches (69 cm) is for stronger more physically-mature players. Some are also available at lengths of 27.5 to 29 inches (70 to 74 cm). The Gamma Big Bubba was produced with a 32 inches (81 cm) length but it is no longer legal in that length. Gamma responded by changing the length of the grip portion of the racket, to continue sales. The length restriction
4920-488: Is rather a misnomer , as it went through some significant design adjustments over its lifetime. For instance, the truly original model had a reverse teardrop head shape, something no subsequent versions had. Stiffer composite rackets, when compared with the first and second generations of graphite composites, are the contemporary standard. The last wooden racket used at Wimbledon appeared in 1987, long after they were abandoned by practically all professionals. Borg tried to stage
5043-532: Is said to be easier to string than the MAD RAQ but does not have the benefit of reduced string notching, at least not to the same degree. The claim is that this diagonal pattern offers more comfort than a traditional square pattern. The stiffest graphite racket that has been sold is the Prince More Game MP, which is rated at 80 RA on the industry-standard Babolat measuring equipment. The Prince More series used two pieces (a top side and bottom side of
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5166-419: Is still available, but an isometric head shape is increasingly common in new rackets. Various companies have emerged but Yonex of Japan and Victor of Taiwan are the dominant players in the market. The majority of top tournaments are sponsored by these companies. Every year new technology is introduced by these companies but predominantly, all rackets are made of carbon graphite composite. This predecessor to
5289-403: Is still used for real tennis , rackets , and xare . Most rackets are now made of composite materials including carbon fiber or fiberglass , metals such as titanium alloys, or ceramics . Catgut has partially been replaced by synthetic materials including nylon , polyamide , and other polymers. Rackets are restrung when necessary, which may be after every match for a professional. Despite
5412-607: Is the original spelling; dating from the 16th century. Racquet appeared in the 19th century as a French-influenced variant of racket . The origin of the term "racket" is unclear. It may be derived from the Flemish word "raketsen" which is itself derived from Middle French "rachasser", meaning "to strike (the ball) back". Badminton rackets are light, with top quality rackets weighing between about 70 and 95 grams. Modern rackets are composed of carbon fiber composite ( graphite reinforced plastic ), which may be augmented by
5535-728: Is typically exacerbated by racket weight, which slows the reaction time, as well as, to a lesser degree, the racket's balance point. In professional tennis, currently-used racket head sizes vary between 95–115 square inches (610–740 cm ), with most players adopting one from 98–108 square inches (630–700 cm ). Rackets with smaller and larger head sizes, 85 and 120–137 square inches (550 and 770–880 cm ), are still produced but are not used by professionals currently. A very small number of professionals, such as Monica Seles , used 125 square inches (810 cm ) rackets during some point in their careers. Rackets with smaller heads than 85 square inches (550 cm ) have not been in production since
5658-496: Is undesirable and unexpected. Badminton, however, requires powerful lateral movements. A highly built-up lateral support will not be able to protect the foot in badminton; instead, it will encourage catastrophic collapse at the point where the shoe's support fails, and the player's ankles are not ready for the sudden loading, which can cause sprains. For this reason, players should choose badminton shoes rather than general trainers or running shoes, because proper badminton shoes will have
5781-458: Is used in sports such as tennis , badminton , and racquetball . Some rackets have a rigid one-piece head with a solid or fenestrated face instead of a meshwork of strings. Such rackets are called a paddle or bat , and are used in sports such as table tennis , pickleball and padel . Collectively, sporting games using rackets and paddles are all known as racket sports . Racket design, materials and manufacturing has changed considerably over
5904-422: Is why it is best to drop the shuttlecock just over the net in this situation. In the midcourt , a high shuttlecock will usually be met with a powerful smash , also hitting downwards and hoping for an outright winner or a weak reply. Athletic jump smashes , where players jump upwards for a steeper smash angle, are a common and spectacular element of elite men's doubles play. In the rearcourt , players strive to hit
6027-514: The Jack Kramer Pro Staff, the graphite version of the wood racket of the same name extremely popular in the late 70s and early 80s. This was the origin of the extremely influential Wilson Pro Staff 85. Chris Evert 's first graphite racket was this Jack Kramer version, which had 20% fiberglass. It was not a market success and she, along with everyone else, quickly replaced it with the stiffer Pro Staff 85, which had 20% kevlar. It used
6150-846: The Netherlands , and New Zealand were the founding members of the International Badminton Federation in 1934, now known as the Badminton World Federation . India joined as an affiliate in 1936. The BWF now governs international badminton. Although initiated in England, competitive men's badminton has traditionally been dominated in Europe by Denmark. Worldwide, Asian nations have become dominant in international competition. China , Denmark , Indonesia , Malaysia , India , South Korea , Taiwan (playing as ' Chinese Taipei ') and Japan are
6273-671: The Snauwaert Hi Ten, which had a pattern with as few as 12 mains and 13 crosses. Doubles great Mark Woodforde used one of them. More recently, Grigor Dimitrov is known for having played with a very open-patterned racket during part of his career. String choice, both in thickness and material, string tension, string pattern, and string pattern density can have a very large effect on how a racket performs. Throughout most of lawn tennis' history, most rackets were made of laminated wood, with heads of around 65 square inches (420 cm ). A small number of them were made of metal, such as
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#17327933241406396-536: The United States . The following information is a simplified summary of badminton rules based on the BWF Statutes publication, Laws of Badminton . The court is rectangular and divided into halves by a net. Courts are usually marked for both singles and doubles play, although badminton rules permit a court to be marked for singles only. The doubles court is wider than the singles court, but both are of
6519-454: The 1970s and earlier, despite having access to stiffer materials such as nylon , nearly always chose to use the very flexible natural gut instead. String bed stiffness can be increased by using stiffer materials, such as kevlar and polyester , by increasing the density of the string pattern, and by stringing with a higher tension. Racket makers and players have experimented with very dense string patterns and very "open" patterns, beginning with
6642-452: The 1980s and rackets with larger head sizes than 137 square inches (880 cm ) are not currently legal for the sport, even though only elderly players typically choose to use rackets beyond 115 square inches (740 cm ) and it is nearly unheard-of for a serious player who is not elderly to choose a racket over 125 square inches (810 cm ). The WEED company, founded by Tad Weed , specializes in producing very large rackets, primarily for
6765-567: The Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, the team set a new season high in wins and points, earned the team's first ever playoff round victory, and received the team's first ever vote for the USports Top 10 ranking. Following the success of '15-16, the Ridgebacks of 2016–17 achieved CIS National Ranking for the first time in program history, earning their highest ranking to date of #4 on November 9, 2016. The Ridgebacks continued to make
6888-504: The Prince Woodie, had layers of graphite to increase its stiffness and was an oversize. It was used by Tommy Haas , Gabriela Sabatini , and quite a few others. It offered very little power but did offer much more surface area than a standard-size wooden frame. Sabatini found it helpful, as compared with smaller rackets, due to her production of heavy topspin. The only woman to beat Martina Navratilova in 1984, Kathleen Horvath , used
7011-417: The Prince Woodie, one of only six losses Navratilova suffered in a three-year stretch involving 260 matches. A denser pattern is often considered to deliver more control, at the expense of spin potential. A more open pattern is often believed to offer greater potential for power and spin. However, how much power is produced by a player can be strongly influenced by how a player adapts to the characteristics of
7134-553: The Ridgeback moves, not only like a hunting dog, but like a dog of prey. It is strong willed and confident and thrives on vigorous exercise and athletic activities. It is equally as tough in the water as it is on land.” The current head coach of the men's ice hockey team is Curtis Hodgins. The coaching staff includes Rob Powers (assistant), Joe Piccone (assistant), Dave Kennedy (goalie coach), and Cameron Bickle (video coach). Other staff include Spencer Segriff (equipment manager), Brad Gauld (scouting), and Sean Myers (scouting). Hodgins took
7257-581: The University announced the elimination of the program. The Ridgebacks rowing team was first established in 2005 and currently operate out of Durham Rowing Club in Port Perry, Ontario. Currently the team competes in Ontario level regattas during the months of September and October. The team fields both men's and women's rowing at both novice and varsity levels. Announced in 2016, in conjunction with
7380-443: The additional mass can help with return of serve, in particular, by making the racket much more resistant to twist from a high-powered service. Light rackets have the additional drawback of making it easier for beginning players to use inappropriate wrist-dominant strokes, which often leads to injury. This is because poor stroke mechanics can be much easier to produce with a lightweight racket, such as in using one's wrist to mostly swing
7503-462: The additional power potential of the "modern" rackets. However, it also is related to the tendency for different string materials to move out of place when subjected to heavy topspin strokes. Polyester is the string of choice today because of that resistance, despite its increased stiffness (harsher feel and more aggravating for the joints) and reduced tension-holding ability (versus a string like natural gut, which excels at that). The top professionals of
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#17327933241407626-428: The attack, rather than choosing to lift the shuttlecock and defend against smashes. After a successful drive or push, the opponents will often be forced to lift the shuttlecock. Balls may be spun to alter their bounce (for example, topspin and backspin in tennis) or trajectory, and players may slice the ball (strike it with an angled racquet face) to produce such spin. The shuttlecock is not allowed to bounce, but slicing
7749-510: The beginning of the power baselining game in the WTA, although that claim is somewhat hyperbolic and is, in large part, due to the mistaken impression that the players were hitting much harder when, in fact, the rackets were more powerful. However, the very large head size, when compared with the midsize and, especially, the old "standard" size, made it easier to produce power. The racket also had an open string pattern. The Prince "original" graphite name
7872-436: The boundary lines, until the server strikes the shuttlecock. The other two players may stand wherever they wish, so long as they do not block the vision of the server or receiver. At the start of the rally, the server and receiver stand in diagonally opposite service courts (see court dimensions ). The server hits the shuttlecock so that it would land in the receiver's service court. This is similar to tennis , except that in
7995-480: The case of stiff rackets, less energy is dissipated by the racket deforming, transmitting it back to the ball. Control is improved because there is less deformation. However, a player's overall power level may decrease due to the need to moderate ball striking effort to reduce discomfort and even injury. Although known as a hard hitter in her younger years, in her 40s she was known more as a precision player who used finesse (and especially tactics) more than power. In fact,
8118-536: The centuries. The frame of rackets for all sports was traditionally made of solid wood (later laminated wood ) and the strings of animal intestine known as catgut . The traditional racket size was limited by the strength and weight of the wooden frame which had to be strong enough to hold the strings and stiff enough to hit the ball or shuttle. Manufacturers started adding non-wood laminates to wood rackets to improve stiffness. Non-wood rackets were made first of steel, then of aluminum, and then carbon fiber composites. Wood
8241-437: The composite, including ceramics, glass fibre, boron, and titanium. Some of the earliest models typically had 20% or more fiberglass, to make them more flexible. Stiff rackets were typically not preferred by most players because of their familiarity with the comfortable softness of wood. These early models tended to be very flexible and not very powerful, although they were a power upgrade over wood and metal rackets. Wilson created
8364-517: The doubles sidelines, even when singles is played. The minimum height for the ceiling above the court is not mentioned in the Laws of Badminton. Nonetheless, a badminton court will not be suitable if the ceiling is likely to be hit on a high serve. When the server serves, the shuttlecock must pass over the short service line on the opponents' court or it will count as a fault. The server and receiver must remain within their service courts, without touching
8487-414: The drawbacks from light rackets, such as increased twisting. Lawn tennis rackets originally flared outward at the bottom of the handle to prevent slippage. The rounded bottom was called a bark bottom after its inventor Matthew Barker. But by 1947, this style became superfluous. More mass gives rackets "plow through", momentum that continues once the player has managed to get the racket into motion and which
8610-615: The elderly market. Rackets that are moderately higher in power production, moderately lower in weight, moderately larger in size, and which typically possess a slightly head-heavy balance are often called " tweener rackets. " Rackets that have the smallest heads in current use, the highest weights in current use, and headlight or even balance are referred to as "players' rackets". Oversize rackets, typically 110 square inches (710 cm ) in size, were once pejoratively referred to as "granny sticks" but resistance to them being seen as illegitimate rackets for younger players decreased dramatically with
8733-548: The elimination of the Tennis program, the university created and began the Badminton program. The inaugural coach for the introduction of the program is Wayne King, a decorated OUA badminton coach with years of experience with the University of Toronto badminton program. Badminton Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net . Although it may be played with larger teams,
8856-524: The extra inherent power, typically with stiffer strings to reduce the increased string deformation of large heads. A smaller head size generally offers more control for many shots, particularly the service and groundstrokes aimed near the lines, but can lead to more shanks (wild misses, from hitting the frame or missing the sweet spot). This drawback is most common for professional players using single-handed topspin backhands, as well as for recreational and aged players at net. Shanking due to small racket head size
8979-462: The feel of thinner strings. String tension is normally in the range of 80 to 160 N (18 to 36 lbf ). Recreational players generally string at lower tensions than professionals, typically between 80 and 110 N (18 and 25 lbf). Professionals string between about 110 and 160 N (25 and 36 lbf). Some string manufacturers measure the thickness of their strings under tension so they are actually thicker than specified when slack. Ashaway Micropower
9102-457: The fiberglass Bentley Fortissimo from Germany, was praised by racket designers but was considered too large to be taken seriously by the small number of players who were exposed to it. The head-light balance point is rarer in professional tennis than it once was, as the sport has converted to larger-headed rackets, stiffer rackets, stiffer strings, more western grips and accompanying stroke production, and more topspin. The head-light balance point
9225-643: The first head coach of the program hired for the inaugural season. Muylaert ended his seventh season behind the bench early and was let go midway through the '13–14 campaign. The assistant coach at the time, Justin Caruana, was given the interim head coach tag and completed the season with the rest of Muylaert's coaching staff, composed of Rob Whistle, David Brown, Ian Young, Matt Reed, and strength and conditioning coach Mark Fitzgerald. *Denotes Active Player *Denotes Active Player *Denotes active player Announced in 2016 after 10 completed seasons competing in Tennis,
9348-460: The floor or in corners easier. Standard squash rackets are governed by the rules of the game. Traditionally they were made of laminated timber (typically Ash ), with a small strung area using natural gut strings. After a rule change in the mid-1980s, they are now almost always made of composite materials such as carbon fiber or metals ( graphite , Kevlar , titanium , and/or boron ) with synthetic strings. Modern rackets are 70 cm long, with
9471-454: The frame, rather than using an external wire wrapper, as in the T-2000. Because of that drawback in particular, most of the top players still preferred to use wooden frames. By 1975, aluminum construction improvements allowed for the introduction of the first American "oversized" racket, which was manufactured by Weed . Prince popularized the oversize racket, which had a head size of approximately 110 square inches (710 cm ). Howard Head
9594-470: The game has become very popular in Asia , with recent competitions dominated by China . In 1992, badminton debuted as a Summer Olympic sport with four events : men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, and women's doubles; mixed doubles was added four years later. At high levels of play, the sport demands excellent fitness: players require aerobic stamina , agility , strength , speed, and precision. It
9717-401: The grip connecting directly to the head. They also tend to have head shapes that are notably wider at the top, with some older rackets looking almost triangular or teardrop shaped. In real tennis , also called court tennis, 27-inch (686-mm) long rackets are made of wood and very tight strings to cope with the game's heavy balls. The racket heads are bent slightly to make striking balls close to
9840-503: The handle. Overgrips are thinner (less than 1 mm), and are often used as the final layer. Many players, however, prefer to use replacement grips as the final layer. Towelling grips are always replacement grips. Replacement grips have an adhesive backing, whereas overgrips have only a small patch of adhesive at the start of the tape and must be applied under tension; overgrips are more convenient for players who change grips frequently, because they may be removed more rapidly without damaging
9963-400: The head and handle known as the throat or heart . The head of the racket forms a flattened firm surface, known as the face , which is used to strike the ball or shuttlecock. In the strictest sense, the word "racket" specifically refers to a striking implement with a mesh face made of interlaced, tightly stretched strings fixed on an ovoid frame known as the rim . This type of racket
10086-409: The last doubles partner she won a major with in mixed, Bob Bryan , remarked on how slow her serve was, despite how effective she was on the court. Navratilova also used string that was much softer than what anyone else on tour used (thick uncoated natural gut), to help compensate for the stiffness of her racket. The vastly higher injury rate in tennis (when compared with the wood era) is, in part, due to
10209-420: The length restriction more questionable. Finally, the professionals who nearly always choose to use the longest rackets typically choose them because they use two-handed groundstrokes for both forehand and backhand, using the extra length to improve their reach. An example is Marion Bartoli . As this type of player is not dominant in the sport, or even close to being average in terms of per capita representation,
10332-518: The length restriction seems even more unnecessary. Despite Prince's attempt to market longer length "longbody" rackets in the 1990s, standard length remains the overwhelming choice of players, further negating the argument in favor of the length restriction. When most players who choose to use a longer racket than 27 inches (69 cm) choose one, they typically only use a 27.5 inches (70 cm) model, rather than one approaching 30 inches (76 cm). Longer rackets were introduced by Dunlop Weights of
10455-445: The midcourt or rear court, it is often called a push or block . When the shuttlecock is near to net height , players can hit drives , which travel flat and rapidly over the net into the opponents' rear midcourt and rear court. Pushes may also be hit flatter, placing the shuttlecock into the front midcourt. Drives and pushes may be played from the midcourt or forecourt, and are most often used in doubles: they are an attempt to regain
10578-404: The modern game of squash, rackets , is played with 30 + 1 ⁄ 2 -inch (770 mm) wooden rackets. While squash equipment has evolved in the intervening century, rackets equipment has changed little. According to the current racquetball rules there are no limitations on the weight of a racquetball racket. Racquetball rackets, unlike many other types, generally have little or no neck,
10701-405: The most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per side) and "doubles" (with two players per side). Badminton is often played as a casual outdoor activity in a yard or on a beach ; formal games are played on a rectangular indoor court. Points are scored by striking the shuttlecock with the racquet and landing it within the other team's half of the court. Each side may only strike
10824-625: The most-used frames in the pro tours. Martina Navratilova popularized the midsize graphite racket, with her wins using the Yonex R-7, the first midsize graphite racket made by Yonex. Nearly at the same time, however, she said the "jumbo" rackets (midsize included) should be removed from the sport for making it easier. She said she would use them only because other players could, as they were tournament-legal. Fewer players chose to use oversize rackets, and some switched to midplus frames after their earliest career for more control. Fiberglass frames also had
10947-619: The name, "catgut" has never been made from any part of a cat. Racket is the standard American spelling of the word. Racquet is an alternative spelling more common in Britain, as evidenced by the BBC style guide. Racquet is used more commonly in certain sports, such as tennis , squash , racquetball , and badminton , and less commonly in others. However, the International Tennis Federation uses racket , which
11070-425: The nations which have consistently produced world-class players in the past few decades, with China being the greatest force in men's and women's competition recently. Great Britain , where the rules of the modern game were codified, is not among the top powers in the sport, but has had significant Olympic and World success in doubles play, especially mixed doubles. The game has also become a popular backyard sport in
11193-404: The opponents win the rally and their new score is even, the player in the right service court serves; if odd, the player in the left service court serves. The players' service courts are determined by their positions at the start of the previous rally, not by where they were standing at the end of the rally. A consequence of this system is that each time a side regains the service, the server will be
11316-466: The palm), whereas backhand strokes are hit with the back of the hand leading (like hitting with the knuckles). Players frequently play certain strokes on the forehand side with a backhand hitting action, and vice versa. In the forecourt and midcourt, most strokes can be played equally effectively on either the forehand or backhand side; but in the rear court, players will attempt to play as many strokes as possible on their forehands, often preferring to play
11439-422: The period. Connors used the rarer "firm" model that had additional throat welds to increase its stiffness. In 1968 Spalding launched an aluminum racket, called The Smasher. Aluminum, though lighter and more flexible than steel, was sometimes less accurate than wood. The biggest complaint, however, was that metal rackets caused strong cases of tennis elbow, especially the kind that had holes for the strings directly in
11562-407: The player who did not serve last time. Each game is played to 21 points, with players scoring a point by winning a rally. This differs from the old system in which players may only win a point on their serve and each game is to 15 points. A match is the best of three games. If the score ties at 20–20, then the game continues until one side gains a two-point lead (such as 24–22), except when there
11685-625: The player's comfort for swinging harder to add power, but makes serves and volleys more cumbersome. A head-heavy balance also puts more stress on the elbow and shoulder. Vibration dampeners (also sometimes known as "gummies") may be interlaced in the proximal part of the string array, to reduce the percussive sound of the ball hitting the strings and/or to reduce perceived vibration. They do not, however, reduce impact shock significantly, so they are of no safety value. Some professionals, such as Andre Agassi , used rubber bands instead of specialized dampeners. Dampeners come in two main types. The first uses
11808-463: The playoffs in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, losing in the first round on each occasion. Hodgins would lead the team to their second ever playoff series win in 2022, losing to the eventual national champion UQTR Patriotes in round two. The Ridgebacks returned to the playoffs for a tenth consecutive season in 2022. The Ontario Tech Ridgeback men's ice hockey program began with head coach Marlin Muylaert;
11931-512: The racket, or a left side and a right side) and no grommet strip. Prince had briefly used a design without a grommet strip in an early version of its "original" graphite oversize. The most famous user of a More series racket was Martina Navratilova, who returned to play doubles in her 40s, using a Prince More Control DB (a midplus) for her initial wins in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon and the Australian Open with Leander Paes . She had used
12054-470: The racket. An extremely typical mistake beginning players make is to choke up heavily on the racket (to try to compensate for twist from a light racket, as well as too high racket angle upon impact) and use the wrist too much. The only professional well-known player to have had success with a strongly choked-up grip is Zina Garrison . Head size plays a very key role in a racket's performance characteristics. A larger head size very generally means more power and
12177-424: The racket. Some players may hit harder with a dense string pattern, producing faster shots because of the added control from the dense pattern. Rackets, including those of much of the wood era, are marked with a recommended string tension range. The basic rule is that a lower tension creates more power (from the trampoline effect) and a higher string tension creates more control (less string deformation which results in
12300-491: The racket. This pattern is used in snowshoes . This stringing pattern was said to feature less string notching, improving string lifespan. It was even claimed that many pro shops refused to carry the racket because less string breakage would reduce string and stringing service sales. It has also been claimed that the racket is more difficult to string than a two string racket. However, the Wilson T-2000-type requires
12423-411: The racquet and hence make it harder to hit a shot accurately. An alternative view suggests that the optimum tension for power depends on the player: the faster and more accurately a player can swing their racquet, the higher the tension for maximum power. Neither view has been subjected to a rigorous mechanical analysis, nor is there clear evidence in favour of one or the other. The most effective way for
12546-401: The remaining choice. In subsequent games, the winners of the previous game serve first. Matches are best out of three: a player or pair must win two games (of 21 points each) to win the match. For the first rally of any doubles game, the serving pair may decide who serves and the receiving pair may decide who receives. The players change ends at the start of the second game; if the match reaches
12669-545: The role leaving the Cobourg Cougars ( OJHL Junior A) mid-season in 2015–16 to take over from former head coach Craig Fisher , who resigned due to medical concerns. Craig Fisher , whose hiring was announced two weeks before the start of the 2013-14 OUA playoffs, was the result of the university's search for new direction after the disappointment of recent seasons; placing emphasis on improving academics, and team culture. In Curtis Hodgins' inaugural year (2015–16) with
12792-400: The same length. The exception, which often causes confusion to newer players, is that the doubles court has a shorter serve-length dimension. The full width of the court is 6.1 metres (20 feet), and in singles this width is reduced to 5.18 metres (17.0 feet). The full length of the court is 13.4 metres (44 feet). The service courts are marked by a centre line dividing the width of the court, by
12915-471: The same mold and had the same braided graphite, but offered a very noticeable improvement in power. The very popular Prince original graphite , an oversize in its most popular form, was also quite influential and used by many pros, especially as juniors. Jennifer Capriati and Monica Seles , for instance, used the Prince graphite to contest their influential Wimbledon match in 1991 that has often been hailed as
13038-401: The serve passes to the doubles partner for what is known as a "second serve"). In singles, the server stands in their right service court when their score is even, and in their left service court when their score is odd. In doubles, if the serving side wins a rally, the same player continues to serve, but he/she changes service courts so that she/he serves to a different opponent each time. If
13161-465: The shoulder area. Typically, it is safer for the body to have higher mass. More mass, additionally, provides more stability. It makes the racket more resistant to twisting forces and pushback. The drawbacks are that heavier rackets have lower maneuverability (reducing reaction time) and require more energy to move. As a racket gets heavier, the player finds it increasingly difficult to do fast reaction shots such as quick volleys and returns of serve. However,
13284-418: The shuttlecock does have applications in badminton. (See Basic strokes for an explanation of technical terms.) Due to the way that its feathers overlap, a shuttlecock also has a slight natural spin about its axis of rotational symmetry. The spin is in a counter-clockwise direction as seen from above when dropping a shuttlecock. This natural spin affects certain strokes: a tumbling net shot is more effective if
13407-401: The shuttlecock is to the net, whether it is above net height, and where an opponent is currently positioned: players have much better attacking options if they can reach the shuttlecock well above net height, especially if it is also close to the net. In the forecourt , a high shuttlecock will be met with a net kill , hitting it steeply downwards and attempting to win the rally immediately. This
13530-423: The shuttlecock once before it passes over the net. Play ends once the shuttlecock has struck the floor or ground, or if a fault has been called by the umpire , service judge, or (in their absence) the opposing side. The shuttlecock is a feathered or (in informal matches) plastic projectile that flies differently from the balls used in many other sports. In particular, the feathers create much higher drag , causing
13653-537: The shuttlecock to decelerate more rapidly. Shuttlecocks also have a high top speed compared to the balls in other racquet sports. The flight of the shuttlecock gives the sport its distinctive nature, and in certain languages the sport is named by reference to this feature (e.g., German Federball , literally feather-ball). The game developed in British India from the earlier game of battledore and shuttlecock . European play came to be dominated by Denmark but
13776-403: The shuttlecock while it is still above them, rather than allowing it to drop lower. This overhead hitting allows them to play smashes, clears (hitting the shuttlecock high and to the back of the opponents' court), and drop shots (hitting the shuttlecock softly so that it falls sharply downwards into the opponents' forecourt). If the shuttlecock has dropped lower, then a smash is impossible and
13899-409: The single throat design in the 1990s: the only professional who used one was Mirjana Lučić . Braided graphite rackets were considered high-end until recently and molded rackets have been the norm for some time. Molding is less expensive to manufacture and offer high stiffness. Graphite-composite rackets are today's industry standard in professional tennis. For length, 21 to 26 inches (53 to 66 cm)
14022-402: The slicing action is from right to left, rather than from left to right. Racket (sports equipment) A racket or racquet is an item of sporting equipment used to strike a ball or shuttlecock in a variety of sports. A racket consists of three major components: a widened distal end known as the head , an elongated handle known as the grip , and a reinforced connection between
14145-403: The stiffer More Game MP prior. Navratilova later switched to a design by Warren Bosworth (the founder of Bosworth Tennis ) which had a customized asymmetric grip and an unusual geometric head shape. Stiffer rackets typically offer more power and control at the expense of increased ball shock, which can lead to injury or tennis elbow aggravation. Typically, power and control are at odds. However, in
14268-410: The successful use of these rackets by a small number professionals such as Andre Agassi and Pam Shriver . Originally, even midsize frames (85 square inches (550 cm )) were considered jumbo, and some top players, such as Martina Navratilova and Rod Laver said they should be banned for making the sport too easy. Later, these same professionals, including John McEnroe , signed a letter supporting
14391-449: The trampoline effect for more power. By contrast, almost every professional player today uses the much stiffer polyester string in their much stiffer rackets which also have larger heads and which tend to be lighter. Madeline Hauptman sold a line of rackets, called the MAD RAQ, which featured a Star of David pattern (a six-pointed figure consisting of two interlaced equilateral triangles), as it used three strings instead of two for stringing
14514-442: The two central main strings to hold it in place. The second is sometimes called a "worm" and it is woven between many of the main strings. Dampeners are nearly always placed very near the bottom of the racket string bed. As rackets have become lighter, stiffer, and larger-headed, the professional game has moved, basically completely, from softer and more flexible string materials to stiff materials. This is, in large part, to tone down
14637-521: The underlying material. A shuttlecock (often abbreviated to shuttle ; also called a birdie ) is a high-drag projectile , with an open conical shape : the cone is formed from sixteen overlapping feathers embedded into a rounded cork base. The cork is covered with thin leather or synthetic material. Synthetic shuttles are often used by recreational players to reduce their costs as feathered shuttles break easily. These nylon shuttles may be constructed with either natural cork or synthetic foam base and
14760-687: Was able to obtain a broad patent for Prince, despite the prior art of the Bentley Fortissimo (the first oversize, made in Germany of fiberglass) and the Weed. The patent was rejected by Germany but approved in the USA. The popularity of the Prince aluminum oversize had the side effect of popularizing rackets having other non-standard head sizes such as mid-size 85–90 square inches (550–580 cm ) and mid-plus sizes 95–98 square inches (610–630 cm ). Fairly quickly, midsize frames began to become
14883-432: Was based on the concern that such long rackets would make the serve too dominant, but that concern has never been objectively supported with testing. Moreover, some players, such as John Isner , are much taller and have longer arms than average professionals (and especially low stature ones), giving them a much larger advantage in terms of height for the service than is possible with several inches of racket length. This makes
15006-487: Was being played in Thanjavur as early as the 1850s and was at first played interchangeably with badminton by the British, the woollen ball being preferred in windy or wet weather. Early on, the game was also known as Poona or Poonah after the garrison town of Poona (Pune), where it was particularly popular and where the first rules for the game were drawn up in 1873. By 1875, officers returning home had started
15129-971: Was played under the Pune rules until 1887, when J. H. E. Hart of the Bath Badminton Club drew up revised regulations. In 1890, Hart and Bagnel Wild again revised the rules. The Badminton Association of England (BAE) published these rules in 1893 and officially launched the sport at a house called "Dunbar" in Portsmouth on 13 September. The BAE started the first badminton competition, the All England Open Badminton Championships for gentlemen's doubles, ladies' doubles, and mixed doubles, in 1899. Singles competitions were added in 1900 and an England – Ireland championship match appeared in 1904. England, Scotland , Wales , Canada , Denmark , France , Ireland ,
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