With the season right around the corner, Oak Park and River Forest High School girl’s badminton is looking to do big things this year. In the last 11 seasons under Head Coach Paul Wright, the program has qualified athletes to compete in the state tournament for 11 consecutive years. One of the lesser-known sports at OPRF is one of the most successful. How can that be?
“It’s all about taking small steps every day and improving with every rep,” said Wright. “We have a lot of freshmen who have never played badminton before, but by the time they are juniors and seniors, they are qualifying for state.”
It is evident that Wright is doing something correctly. When asked about his coaching methods and philosophy, he said, “Kids change. The important part for me is figuring out how to adapt and be relatable to the younger generation so I can teach them that the more time you put into anything in life, whether it be badminton, piano or math, you will get better at it the more time you put in.”
Wright’s methods of coaching has led to the development of high-level athletes and dramatically increased the skill level of those he coaches, which is what has made the program as successful as it is.
Wright plans to extend his state-qualifying streak to 12 this season. Two athletes to watch out for are senior Lila Jasinska and junior Anika Gupta. The duo qualified for state last year in doubles, finishing 21st, and are aiming even higher this season.
“Badminton is often overlooked. I know many people do not consider it a sport but in reality, it can be just as demanding and physically challenging as other popular sports,” said Gupta.
Badminton is also a place to make friends during the stressful times of high school. “Badminton is a great community to be a part of and I love all my teammates,” said Jasinska. Whether you are looking to compete in a high-level sport or meet new people, you can do both on the girl’s badminton team here at OPRF.
Badminton tryouts were held last week. Practices are held in the mornings before school. The state tournament will be held May 10 and 11 at Dekalb High School.