Badminton has always been a focal point in Han's life. Born in China, he immigrated to New York as a young man but immediately had trouble finding a place to play badminton competitively. After a brief break from the sport he found some clubs and played with a group based at Colombia University. He eventually moved to California to permanently train at the Orange County Badminton Club and pursue his Olympic dream.

Han is a proponent of spreading the popularity and enjoyment of badminton throughout the United States. His tips will help everyone from the backyard player to the Nationals-bound competitor. Contact USA Badminton at (719) 866-4808 for more information about getting involved with the sport.

How to beat Aunt Marge and compete with the pros

Tip #1 - Learn the basics
Before anything, relax. You have to hold the racquet properly before taking your overhead swing. The easiest way to hold your racquet is like you're holding hands with someone else. Extend your hand and grip, not really tight, but a little loose so your overhead swing is comfortable. Then relax your arm, swing and keep your eyes on the shuttle.

Tip #2 - How to beat Aunt Marge at the family reunion picnic
Footwork is very important against any opponent. The basic strategy is to look to open the court. Hit to different corners to make your opponent run. Use strategy. If your opponent is in the middle, hit for the back left corner of the court. Then your next move may be up front in order to keep them moving.

Tip #3 - Use positive mental imagery
One thing I use is you should always picture a match where you play really well before you enter the court. This is very important; it takes away from your nervousness and any bad thoughts. Picture how you smash the shuttlecock really well. Bring this momentum into the match.

Tip #4 - Practice outside of the court
Practice by yourself. Badminton requires a lot of physical fitness - you have to be a real athlete. You have to play at a very fast pace - you have to be fit both aerobically and anaerobically. Run on your own, do sprints, long runs, workouts, jump rope, stay strong with weights and work on your footwork. Once you're strong on the court your game will come easier.

Tip #5 - Improve on your own
To "net practice" on your own, you can hit the shuttlecock up in the air and cut it different ways. Try full hand, back hand and just keep going to practice your touch. You can also use a wall to practice on, just hitting back and forth practicing your racquet skills and speed.

Tip #6 - Find a good partner
Take a look around you to see whose game is comparable to yours. Find a partner with the same goals and mentalities as you. Then talk to them and see if you can work things out. Make sure it works and that your partner wants to go through this with you for the next four years.

Tip #7 - Take your badminton game to the next level
You have to keep believing in yourself and your game. There's not a whole lot of support in the sport because it's not super popular in this country yet. If you believe in your dream as an Olympic badminton player, then you must believe in yourself, compete in nationals and stay involved.