The high school boys’ and girls’ badminton teams flew to St. Johnsbury Academy (SJA) and Branksome Hall Asia (BHA) for their debut in the Korean International School Activities Conference (KISAC) tournament from April 17 to 19. They hopped on the same flight as the high school soccer squads. Despite an incomplete roster due to the overlapping lineups and schedule conflict with the soccer championship, the athletes gave their all in every game.

The boys headed to SJA with only four players: seniors Sean Kim and Kyle Lee competed in doubles, while junior Sankeeth Udayakumar and freshman Chirayu Joshi entered the B division singles. 

Day one started off with slopes. Compared to the Jeju schools, which consisted of seasoned, well-trained athletes, the Jets revealed areas for improvement in both skill and experience. Despite consecutive losses, the boys remained composed and focused to learn against veterans. 

“It was harder than what we expected. We were underprepared, especially since we only had four practices beforehand. We tried to fit in all the skills in a really short period of time. Everyone improved really a lot throughout the season, and KISAC was an eye-opener for us,” said Udayakumar.

After recovery and feedback, they returned stronger on day two. Udayakumar bounced back by winning all three of his games in the 9th-12th seed bracket, which showcased the team’s progress throughout the tournament. 

While the boys continued to suffer from mismatches, they concluded their two-day trip with valuable lessons. Lee and Kim, along with Joshi wrapped up their tourney winless, but gained a deeper understanding about the sport. 

Meanwhile, the girls’ team headed to BHA with only two players, sophomores Flora Yoon and Jayden Hayward. Both entered the A division singles which consisted of 22 athletes from six different schools to further challenge themselves. 

On day one, they both participated in ten competitive round-robin games. While they seemed poised to end the day with losses, Hayward clutched a single win against the FPS Eagles. “It was a really great experience for us, especially because both Flora and I never had any tournament experience, we learned a lot throughout the two days,” said Hayward. 

The girls rebounded, ready to battle it out on day two. Although they recognized their slim chances to top the podium, they prepared to battle until the last point. Hayward managed to win two games, placing 19th, while Yoon fought fiercely for a single win.

Coach Zhao expressed his hopes for increased court time. “Throughout the school year, we only have one practice every week, and since KISAC is so early in schedule, we only have three to four times of practice to prepare, which is unfortunate. I think our teams improved a lot throughout the matches and I hope we can have more opportunities to practice with more players,” said Coach Zhao.    

Athletes from other schools benefit from access to more rigorous practice regimes. “We’re required to attend practice twice a week, but many players join extra sessions if they feel they need more time. We also have optional Friday practices, and since we’re not limited to specific days, it gives us plenty of chances to improve,” said sophomore Jane Kim from KISJ, who placed first in the girls’ doubles.

However, limited net time does not serve as the ultimate excuse. “The quality of the practice matters more than the quality, so just simply attending more practice sessions won’t make you a better player,” said Kim. 

Although both boys and girls finished at the bottom of their brackets, the experience they gained throughout the weekend prepared them for the next stage. With no upcoming tournament scheduled for the players this season, they continue to train eagerly, determined to return to the court stronger.