About

Hello, my name is Travis Mitchell. I am currently an amateur badminton player, but up until several years ago I hardly knew of the sport. In 2017, I married Shannon Pohl, former USA #1 Women’s Singles, and now owner of the Shannon Pohl Badminton Academy. Then in my late 30’s, I began taking beginner badminton lessons with groups of kids Shannon was teaching to learn the sport. It was a crucial step to learn the fundamentals of badminton, but I needed to advance quickly in order to catch up to the level of my peers. The Faster Footwork Trainer was born out of my desire to find a way to improve my badminton footwork speed and stamina, at home, or on the court, as a supplement to badminton lessons.

I had over 20 years experience in graphic and web design, a growing interest in hobby electronics, and a willingness to learn the rest. So in 2017, I purchased my first 3D printer and started designing the first prototype. It turned out to be functionally a success, but the software and manufacturing process needed some refinement. Over the course of several years, I made a couple more versions and continued to develop and improve it in my free time.

In 2020, COVID shut down the badminton facilities and most players were left with no way to train. This was great motivation to finalize the design and streamline the production process in order to get this product released asap! With the first release version now complete, I manufacture and assemble the units in my workshop with the goal of providing a training device for players that want to improve their badminton footwork speed and stamina. I now use the badminton Faster Footwork Trainer in my driveway almost daily. It is fun, easy to use, and provides a challenging workout, and I think you will agree!

This project has led me down the path of the current “maker” movement, and has really turned into a passion for learning small-scale manufacturing, with a growing workshop that now includes a couple 3D printers, CNC machines, and a laser cutter. I have even branched off to develop a couple other badminton-related products that I hope to release in time.