By Janthina Tan (21A01C), Avianna Yu (21S06P), Ng Ding Xian (21S03I), and Ang Tiong Ian (21S03I)
Your heart is pounding and your lungs are burning—but your eyes remain locked on the shuttle in the air as you hold your ground, searching for ways to outmanoeuvre your opponent…then, you see it. You swoop in for the kill and swiftly secure another point. Another point for the team.
Most people might think that Badminton is largely an individual sport, or at most for two players in the doubles discipline. However, it is more than that in many ways. Just like how it takes a village to raise a child, it requires a whole support system of coaches, teachers, and teammates for one to grow to become the best player they can be.
Our batch is a tightly-knitted group consisting of 11 players (5 boys and 6 girls), so you can expect to be a part of an extremely bonded and supportive team, should you decide to join the Raffles Badminton family. We train on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-8pm at the Indoor Sports Hall (ISH, Y5-6 Campus); and Fridays from 4-7pm at the Albert Hong Hall (AHH, Y1-4 Campus).
We are trained by 2 extremely qualified and supportive coaches, Coach Ronald and Coach Aman (in charge of singles and doubles respectively) who dedicate their time to patiently guide us and teach us how to improve our skills in order to maximise our potential. Our training consists of different technical drills, gameplay, and physical training sessions which aim to shape us in different areas and keep us in top condition for competitions.
Our season usually starts in April and ends in May. With the season lasting for close to a month, it is crucial that we have a support system in school to ensure that we are coping. Fortunately, we have extremely understanding tutors and teachers-in-charge, Mr Wong and Ms Chew, who give their all to take care of our welfare and give us the help we need. Additionally, the team provides a supportive environment where we constantly care and look out for one another.
The cancellation of the 2020 ‘A’ Division National School Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic was an extremely devastating blow for us, and even more so for our senior batch, having denied us our first and last ‘A’ Division experiences respectively. The saying “distance makes the heart grow fonder”, could not be more accurate in describing our relationship with this sport. Yes, we may grumble about physical training and may accidentally lose count of how many sets of footwork we’ve done or laps we’ve run, but this barely attests for our love and passion for this sport. Most of us have been playing badminton for about a decade, and badminton is something that has become second nature to us. It is no longer simply a recreation or leisure activity, but our pride and passion.
If you think you are up for the rigour of this CCA and have the skills, agility, and determination to join, do come down for our selection trials. Raffles Badminton looks forward to receiving new players into our family!
