1%

One percent

What if badminton is the main subject of your thoughts every single day for the last 15 years, well you get your head around things many others have never even been thinking about. There is a very small group of coaches who are doing the same thing, they want to develop their way of thinking about badminton every single day. When we come together in the hall or online it is like a freak show, outsiders who listen in sometimes can not get a word in the subjects are going too fast, too deep into detail and are way over their heads. I call this group of friend coaches the 1% group. They are inside the badminton World but they are also big outsiders, the way of thinking and talking about our sport is far away from the level of most other coaches. It is also very good to see that some new young coaches are influenced by us and that they are starting to pick up on this way of thinking. It is only a matter of time before they will not only pick up but come with new ways that will shake our World again. One thing is for sure the 1% group is pushing our sport more than any other group or organisation. 

When we get new people wanting to join our coach education and they tell us proudly that they have done several coach education levels in their federations or even the BWF, we think “shit” we have to start from scratch again. And really that is a good thing, I have been a coach from when I was 17 years old, and I have seen changes many times. So now I don’t follow changes any more, I MAKE THEM together with the other people in the 1% group. Also we 1% coaches are working within organisations and even if they don’t understand our way of thinking they give us the space we need so we don’t get rusty and stocked in old useless thoughts.

Just like in traffic 99% is driving in the protection of their cars away from the elements in the slow lane and  the 1% group is driving on their motorbikes unprotected in the fast lane. Very few dare to change lanes, it is too difficult, don’t take risks, stay where you are afraid of the unknown. I love to be one procenter and if the group loses quality I will leave and start a ½% group.