Among the explosion of alternative racket sports lately, one of the more unique games to emerge has to be 4 square badminton.
But what is 4 square badminton?
If you’ve ever been on the recess playground as a kid, you might have seen your classmates playing 4 square. Or you might have even partaken as a player. Well, what if we took the concept of 4 square and badminton and combined them into an irresistible racket sport?
4 Square: a Blacktop Recess Staple
Four square is a game played on a hard surface with 4 players on each square. The game is a classic elementary school game usually played by younger kids, although adults play the game competitively as well in events like the 4-Square championships hosted annually in Maine.
The game consists of a square court that can be easily drawn with chalk. The square court is divided into 4 equal quadrants. Players bounce the rubber ball between the squares by hitting it with their hands with the intention of eliminating the opposing players. Eliminated players go to square number 1 or get in line to play if there are more than 4 players.
What is 4 Square Badminton?
Four-square badminton is what you get when you combine the great racket sport of badminton and the great blacktop game of 4-square. In 4 square badminton, the badminton court is divided into 4 sectors by nets. In other words, a 4-square badminton net looks like a plus sign (+) on the ground.
The Rules: How to play 4 Square Badminton
Just as in 4 square, the goal of the game is for players to get to the 4th quadrant of the 4 square badminton court. There can be anywhere from 4 to 8 players for 4 square badminton. The player in the 4th square starts by serving the shuttlecock to any of the other 4 squares. If a player fails to return the shuttlecock, or if upon volleying the shuttle shuttlecock lands outside of play or hits the net then that person is eliminated. The remaining players advance to higher squares, and the next player waiting to play enters the last square. The last player remaining wins the game.
What type of equipment & playing environment do you need for 4 Square badminton?
Finding the equipment for 4 square badminton is the hardest part about playing. You will need a special badminton net that looks like 2 regular badminton nets crossing each other to form a plus sign. They can range anywhere from $50 being the cheapest you can get at Walmart, or over $250 if you want a fancy one. Crosset makes an affordable quality 4 square badminton net for around $120 if you aren’t looking to break the bank.
In terms of playing environment, just like badminton, pretty much any playing surface will do. You’ll preferably want an open field with soft grass as your playing surface. Try to find a space that is at least 25 feet x 25 feet. This doesn’t have to be a grass field, however, and if you only can find a sandy beach, blacktop or field of any type, then that will do.
Conclusion
Simply put, 4 square badminton is a fun combination of the sports of 4 square and badminton. It takes more of a customized equipment setup, but once you get two nets crisscrossing, the fun begins. Other sports like Pickleball and Volleyball are also taking after 4 square badminton, and providing their combinations of 4 square and volley-centric sports. But if you ever get a couple of hundred dollars to spare and 3 other friends that are down, 4 square badminton is a great choice for a new leisure sport to introduce to your social life.