We are quitting badminton…

Summary

In this emotional video, two professional badminton players announce their decision to stop competing in international tournaments, with their final event being the All England next week. They share the challenges of being self-funded throughout their careers, the sacrifices made, and the fulfillment they found through their YouTube channel, Badminton Insight. The decision to shift focus to the channel comes from the desire to help more players improve and grow the sport globally. They express gratitude for the support they've received over the years and look forward to creating more content and community events in the future.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video announces the decision to stop competing in international badminton tournaments, with their final tournament being the All England next week.
• 😀 The decision to stop was difficult and driven by personal and financial challenges faced throughout their careers.
• 😀 They've been self-funded throughout most of their badminton careers, balancing training with part-time jobs like coaching and delivery work.
• 😀 Despite the struggles, the duo has achieved impressive results, including winning nine international tournaments and playing for England.
• 😀 Resilience has been a key lesson learned in their career, especially through injuries, doubts, and competing with limited resources.
• 😀 They express deep gratitude to their supporters, including sponsors, fans, and those who contributed to their journey financially.
• 😀 The second main reason for stepping away is the selfish nature of professional badminton, where their entire focus was on personal success.
• 😀 Since starting their YouTube channel, they've shifted their focus toward helping others improve their game and grow the sport.
• 😀 They’ve struggled to balance both professional badminton and creating high-quality content for their channel, leading to the decision to focus fully on Badminton Insight.
• 😀 They do not regret their career decisions, recognizing they made the best choices based on the information available at the time.
• 😀 Looking forward, they plan to continue with Badminton Insight, focusing on producing more and better content, hosting events, and sharing their knowledge to help others improve their badminton skills.

Q & A

Why have the players decided to stop playing international tournaments?

The players decided to stop playing international tournaments mainly due to the financial challenges of being self-funded throughout their careers, combined with the increasing demands of balancing professional badminton with their YouTube channel, Badminton Insight.

What financial difficulties did the players face while competing professionally?

The players had to juggle multiple part-time jobs alongside their intense training, including working as coaches, stringing rackets, and doing deliveries. These jobs were necessary to fund their participation in international tournaments and their training.

How did the YouTube channel help them continue competing in badminton?

Their YouTube channel, Badminton Insight, became a major source of support by allowing them to stop doing part-time jobs, enabling them to focus more on their badminton careers without the added financial stress.

What do the players regret about their badminton careers?

While there are things they would have done differently with the knowledge they have now, they do not have regrets. They feel they did the best they could with the information available at the time.

What is the main reason for stopping international tournaments?

The main reason for stopping is that they believe they can make a bigger impact and reach more people through their YouTube channel, Badminton Insight, helping more individuals improve their badminton skills and grow the sport globally.

What have they learned from their professional badminton career?

They’ve learned a lot, especially resilience. They had to deal with injuries, manage training while working part-time jobs, and maintain their focus through various challenges.

How does their decision to stop playing affect their involvement with badminton?

Although they are no longer competing in international tournaments, they will continue to play badminton most days and focus on creating more content and community events through Badminton Insight.

What future plans do the players have for Badminton Insight?

They plan to create more videos, improve their content, hold community events, and offer more training and coaching opportunities, all with the goal of helping people improve their badminton game.

How do the players feel about their fans and supporters?

They are extremely grateful for their fans' support, whether it's through watching their videos, buying merchandise, or simply engaging with their content. They feel the fans have played a big part in helping them make this decision.

What message do the players have for young aspiring badminton players?

Despite the financial challenges, they want to give hope to young players and parents, as the money in badminton is gradually improving. Top players now can earn substantial amounts, which should inspire others to pursue the sport.