This spring, Wooster School's athletic program has recently added badminton as a new sport. It is available for all grades to participate in and takes place after school in the Forever Young Gym. This new offering gives students a greater variety of sports to participate in and ensures that everyone can be involved in an activity that they enjoy.
The idea to introduce badminton was a combination of student interest and the goal to expand after-school opportunities for students. Head of School Mr. Byrnes explained that the idea was first proposed by several students who had prior experience playing badminton.
“When I was younger, about four or five years old, my dad taught me how to play badminton, and growing up, we always played it together,” said Jane ’28. “And now at Wooster, I have the opportunity to compete against and play with all of my friends.”
Badminton was smoothly integrated into the sports program, due to its familiarity to students and its minimal equipment.
As we are now weeks into the spring sports season, the responses from the students participating in badminton have been extremely positive. According to Mr. Carone, the Director of Athletics, about twelve Upper School students have joined the team, and many middle schoolers have also expressed interest and shown a lot of excitement regarding the sport.
“Everyone seems to rush in and start playing right when they get down to the gym from class,” said the badminton coach, Coach Matt.
Mr. Carone added that badminton is unique compared to Wooster's other offerings because it allows players of every different skill level to participate in the same fast-paced game.
For students on the team, this experience has been centered around creating an inclusive, yet competitive environment.
Practices are structured around mini games, with three courts set up so players have the opportunity to rotate to different courts and play either singles or doubles. Although the team does not have any official games against other schools, a tournament may be organized in the future.
For now, the main goal is for students to enjoy playing with their friends and teammates at low stakes, creating new connections based on shared interests, and improving their skills.
As more students join, badminton will become a lasting part of Wooster’s spring athletic program, bringing both competition and community to Wooster.
