Ron

2 badminton players in a row! My favorite Ron moment occurred this past summer when we were playing badminton and a he missed an easy shot because he lost concentration. Upon losing the point, he turned to me and proclaimed, "Not enough grit!!!" For some reason, this remark has always made me chuckle when I think about it, partially because it reminds me of a conversation we once had about how you can make up for lack of talent with "grit" and because it also reminds me of how Ron doesn't take the game too seriously.

One of Ron's greatest traits is the aforementioned "not taking the game too seriously" attitude he has towards badminton. That's not to say that he goofs off or doesn't try to win; he just always has fun while he's doing it and you know, that's something that a lot of people who play competitive sports forget from time to time (myself included). This is especially common when you go through phases where you suck (and everyone has those phases). I see a lot of people play the game and simply not look like they have very much fun while they're at it because they're constantly disappointed at their own game or their partner's. These are the times when I sometimes think to myself, "You know, you're kinda missing the point here."

Ron has always recognized this about playing badminton: fun should be first and foremost. This is especially true when you're not competing in tournaments. This, I think, is the reason why people like playing with him (me included). It's a reflection of his general good humor and fun-loving attitude towards life. He's the student in your class who probably goofs off a lot but does so in a way that's more entertaining than annoying. I suspect that Ron will be a bit of a party animal in university but I won't really know for sure until he starts next year. For now, I just really like how he manages to enjoy the sport without letting his concentration lapse to the point of making careless mistakes. That's a balance that very few people can achieve.