By Marisa Wee Li En (Captain) and Timothy Joseph Kim Cheng Rui (Secretary)

For many of us, academics are a large part of our JC life with the seemingly unending lectures to watch and tutorials to do. Everyone wants to create meaningful friendships and long-lasting memories that stay with us even after we graduate, yet we never seem to have the time. Students are eager to strike that balance between leading an enriching JC life while also focusing on academic goals. So how does one know what is the right CCA for them?

Some turn to sports or performing arts to strike that balance between work and play while others may choose a more relaxed CCA which gives them more time to focus on other aspects of their lives like academic goals or personal aspirations. If you belong to the latter group, and you are looking to find friends and create memories without being able to commit to long arduous training sessions, Recreational Badminton might just be the CCA for you!

Recreational Badminton, or RecBad, as more fondly known by its members, welcomes members from all backgrounds, and provides you with countless opportunities to intermingle with fellow CCA members and develop some basic Badminton skills. Without the pressure of looming competitions or tough training sessions, RecBad provides you with a comfortable environment to share your passion for the sport with others. It is the perfect CCA for badminton players new and old to come together and bond over friendly games.

RecBad is a very inclusive CCA, with no prerequisites to join!  You will never have to worry about being “not good enough” because everyone who joins is just here to have fun without judgement. Our members range from students who are completely new to the sport and experienced players who have had years of training. As long as you have a badminton racquet, and an interest in the sport, you are more than welcome to join us!

So, what does a typical RecBad session look like? Well, we report to the Indoor Sports Hall (ISH) at 8am to set up the courts. Of course, some of us will feel lethargic and half-dazed, but the thought of catching up with our friends over a game of badminton helps to rejuvenate and refresh us. As it is a recreational CCA after all, there are no direct regulations as to how you are expected to play. You can choose to play singles, doubles, or even more, and you can do all sorts of things at your own discretion (provided safety is not compromised, of course)! These precious 3 hours also give us some time and space to take a break from all the non-stop mugging for our tests and exams. However, the enjoyment of each Wednesday does not stop here. Sometimes, after packing up at 11am, members will go for lunch together or grab a snack at the canteen, before we head off to start a productive gap day.  

Occasionally, the RecBad EXCOs organise friendly tournaments within the CCA to bring out the competitive spirit in members, as well as to liven up the CCA atmosphere, and during the school holidays, we even plan to go out together and have fun! All these help to bring us closer together as a CCA community, so that our JC lives can be more vibrant as a whole.

There is truly so much to gain from RecBad. Beyond simply enjoying the sport, RecBad is a congregation of a diverse group of people, with many focusing on other commitments such as other CCAs and VIAs. 

RecBad is a great platform to meet new people whom you can cultivate strong friendships and bonds with, expanding your social circle in JC. Our vision at RecBad is to allow people to form lasting friendships that will remain strong even after our imminent graduation of our short 2-year JC runway.

So, what are you waiting for? Come join us! (Slots run out quick, so be quicker!). We would love to have you join our vibrant and close-knitted community!