Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Super fan shares love of badminton

Don Bolwaire

Nicky Fuchs / Special to the Home News

Don Bolwaire stands in front of his badminton league while they warm up at the Mirabelli Community Center.

Don't tell Don Bolwaire badminton is just a backyard sport.

Proper technique requires years of practice, he insists, and sound aerobic ability and reaction time.

When the shuttlecock, or birdie, crosses the net, it can reach speeds of more than 200 mph.

"Americans have no clue about badminton," Bolwaire said. "It's the fastest racket sport in the world. Much faster than tennis."

The 73-year-old East Las Vegas resident has spent most his life mastering badminton.

Since moving to Southern Nevada seven years ago, Bolwaire has made it a personal crusade to spread the sport across the Las Vegas Valley.

His first step was forming the Las Vegas Badminton Club in 2001. Through the club he's developed programs that have grown from two to 10 sites across the city.

"My interest is in making badminton more popular," he said. "I want more of it. I want it to become more popular. I want it to become more visible."

Most of the club's programs are based on a "pay-to-play format," where individuals pay $2 to use courts in pickup games.

Bolwaire usually spends each day going from one recreation center to the next, making sure everything runs smoothly and everyone gets to play.

As soon as he steps on the courts, patrons bombard him with questions on equipment or advice on their serves.

He introduced many to the sport or gave lessons to them at one of his classes at ClubSport Green Valley.

"Badminton is his life," said Christine Jham, who assists with the programs. "He loves to play and he loves to help people learn how to play."

One of the newest sites is Mirabelli Community Center in west Las Vegas, where Ron Asano has become a regular on Mondays and Wednesdays.

After retiring in the early 1990s, he helped supervise programs in Southern California, where badminton has its most devoted U.S. following.

Local badminton player Johnny Lim credits Bolwaire for promoting the sport more than anyone in the valley.

"Without him we wouldn't have any clubs in Las Vegas," said Lim, a two-time gold medal winner at the Nevada Senior games.

Sean Ammerman can be reached at 990-2661 or [email protected].

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