Humans of Shuttle Time: DIEGO FERNANDO HOLGUIN HOLGUIN
Shuttle Time Teacher, Badminton Federation of Colombia
I am from Guadalajara de Buga in Colombia. My maternal grandparents were peasants. I had a wonderful childhood with very happy memories at my grandparents’ house, especially on Sundays when the whole family gathered, and my cousins and I played in the field. There was a lot of family love, play, and fun. My mother always instilled in us respect for others, good behaviour, responsibility for our duties and commitments. I loved animals, nature, and sports. From ages 8 to 12, I practiced roller skating. I often
went exploring with my cousins.
First Experience
In 2015, I enrolled in a Technology in Sports Training programme, and that’s where I encountered badminton. As part of my academic training at the National Learning Service, we were given the opportunity to explore unconventional sports, including ultimate frisbee, taekwondo, rugby, handball and badminton. From the very first day of practice, I fell in love with badminton, and it became my life’s passion.
Relationship With Badminton
During my studies in Sports Training, I had the opportunity to practice badminton as part of our curriculum. As part of our Sports Legislation class, we were tasked with forming a Sports Club, which I took as a life project. Today, that project is known as the Badminton Buga Sports Club. In 2016, it became the first badminton club in our municipality and the third in Valle del Cauca.
One of the most cherished memories is visiting a small school on the outskirts, which was a three-hour motorcycle ride away from Buga. The sheer happiness on the faces of the children as they saw me approaching is priceless.
I’ve had the opportunity to travel, explore my country, and do what I’m most passionate about. Notably, every child who has been part of my badminton club has developed values, discipline, and excelled in their studies.
Starting in 2021, I initiated a new program with students who graduated from the school’s promotional activities. Currently, badminton is played in 10 educational institutions in the municipality.
What Badminton Means
Badminton has become my life project and therapy since 2015. Prior to that, until 2014, I worked as a zootechnician. Since discovering badminton in 2015, it has become my driving passion. I don’t just live for badminton; I live through it. I find immense joy in introducing and teaching this sport to children, adolescents and adults.
Developing Badminton in the Community
Initially, it wasn’t easy as badminton was relatively unknown in our municipality. Gaining access and support was challenging. However, after implementing the Shuttle Time programme in schools, we saw a significant shift. The physical education teachers became aware of the school badminton programme, and they were enthusiastic about incorporating it into their curriculum, offering badminton classes to students from fifth grade to eleventh grade.
Thanks to Shuttle Time, educational institutions now schedule badminton classes as part of their physical education curriculum at the beginning of each school year. Today, schools actively seek to be part of the school badminton programme.
One of the most rewarding experiences was the ‘Badminton in the Park’ initiative, where we conducted exhibitions in different parks every Saturday for two months, from 3 to 6pm. People of all ages approached us, and it was heartwarming to see their enjoyment while playing badminton.
Making a Difference
Since I completed the Shuttle Time course, it has been a game-changer. It has simplified the process of introducing the school badminton programme to educational institutions, with enthusiastic support from PE teachers. The programme has reached a larger number of educational institutions in our municipality, raising awareness about badminton. Teachers understand the opportunities that badminton offers to students of all ages, and they actively seek to include it in their curricula.
