With young roster, badminton seeks to develop skills

Sophomores Arjun Raje and Varun Sreedhara take the court against Monta Vista on March 8. The team ultimately lost 16-14.

The team is led by senior Adrian Mar.

Head Coach: John Li

Last year’s record: 5-7

Recap: The badminton team faced a tough season adjusting to a new roster and the effects of COVID-19 on practices, where some players opted out of participating because of the mask mandate. The Falcons ended fourth in the league with a 5-7 record.

Key Matchups: Cupertino, Milpitas and Lynbrook

Star Players: Seniors Adrian Mar and Enoch Jung, junior Evan Oaklander, sophomores Sannidhi Boppana and Avik Belenje

Key losses to graduation: Enoch Luk and Max Gendeh

League: De Anza League (Upper Division)

Prognosis:

The badminton team won 16-14 in a game against Gunn on March 17, ending a string of losses that had plagued the team: They had previously lost 16-14 against Lynbrook, 24-6 against Cupertino and 16-14 against Monta Vista.

“These games could have gone better, but we’re still very early on in the season and figuring out our lineups,” said senior co-captain Enoch Jung.

According to Jung, the team did better against Lynbrook because they had the home-field advantage.

“I think that, in badminton, the court really does matter,” said Jung. “The lighting in the gym and the ceiling really does matter.”

In badminton, players cannot play the same player twice in two different events, so players need to be strategically placed where they will most likely beat the opponent. However, lineups often need changes because positions should not be “overkill or underpowered.”

Additionally, head coach John Li often swaps players around — many times disregarding the advice of the team’s co-captains — in different events to give athletes more exposure to playing in multiple positions.

The team is led by senior co-captain Adrian Mar, who has played badminton for eight years and is currently ranked as the No. 1 badminton player under 18 in the U.S. He currently plays at the Campbell Bintang Badminton court and participates in school practices when he can. Mar attends all games and also acts as an assistant coach, where he helps both new and veteran players improve their technique.

“I see the underclassmen as a group of individuals who have a lot of potential to grow, and I am excited to see their improvement throughout the season,” Mar said. “They are a hardworking bunch, and it is very fun to work with them this season.”

The team faces one significant obstacle: a lack of experience. Some players who played last year also decided to opt out this year for a myriad of reasons, such as having already finished P.E. credits.

That means the team has much to learn, according to junior Evan Oaklander.

“A lot of new players [close to one fourth of the 48-player team] have joined that don’t really know how to play,” he said. “So we’re developing as a team right now and trying to raise their skill level.”

Despite the early losses, Jung sees reasons for hope for the remainder of the season, especially as the team has already played the top three schools in the league: Monta Vista, Cupertino and Lynbrook.

“It’s actually good for our team to face the top teams early so we can gain more confidence as we go along through the season,” Jung said.