Badminton: A Way of Life or An Excuse?

With the crack of the racket against the leather covered feathers, the shuttlecock sails over the net, finding its way to the other side. When thinking of high school sports, badminton rarely comes to mind. The Woodside High School badminton team has always been one of the more popular sports. 47 students tried out this year and, since it is a “no cut” sport, all of them made the team. However, many students play not because they want to, but, instead, because they have to.

Students here at Woodside need a certain amount of credits for Physical Education, or more simply known as “P.E.,” in the first two years of their high school career. Many of the sports at Woodside can count as credits. This means that if a student is doing a sport, they can be exempt from P.E. during their sophomore year. Badminton is a sport that students commonly use to escape from P.E.. Lexi Mendoza, class of 2013, confirmed that she, too, “plays badminton because [she] needs the credits for P.E..”

Various students really put hard work into playing badminton, while many of the other players take the game very seriously, but, others think, “Is it really a sport?” While some people view badminton as a mockery, Trevor Cziska, class of 2011 explained, “Of course I think badminton is a real sport. It is more of a workout than most sports, but it is in the Olympics and I really enjoy it.”

Being a co-ed team makes badminton a much harder sport than others. “Having boys and girls on the same team gives us a diversity and allows us to become closer friends with everybody,” Cziska said. He shared with us how it is playing with boys: “Everything becomes more competitive and the game play is a lot faster and stronger.” Man-versus-man is always a competition to see who can be better at the sport or activity among the game. Students have different stories on why they like badminton. “Badminton is fun and a great workout and I like to use my height and strength to my advantage on the court,” Cziska shared.

Every year the badminton team sets a goal to win all of their games in the season or to win against a certain team like their rival, Capuchino. They would love to send some dedicated players to CCS (Central Coast Section). “I want to finish our season with a positive record,” he added.

The question had to be asked: Is badminton a real sport or is it just there to be there? he answered, “Yes, badminton is a real sport because it is just like any other workout with another sport. We sweat, run, and need to be very athletic if you are serious about the sport. Endurance is key. And it is in the Olympics.”

Every year more and more people come out to play badminton. Whether its just for credits or for the fun, the badminton team will always have more than enough players. With this variety of personalities and talents, the badminton team will always be viewed as an advantageous and fun sport.