The Lincoln badminton team has been under the radar compared to other Lincoln sports, but over the years the badminton program has become one of the top teams in the league.

At one point they had won six straight team championships under coach Norman Lam during the seasons of 1994-1999. After the 1999 season Lam left to go coach Washington high school where he coached them to two straight championships.

Lam has returned to Lincoln to try and coach this team back to where it once was. Last year the Mustangs were not able to make the playoffs but this year they look to change that.

“The past is the past and we will do better this year,” senior Jessica Li said.

Led by senior Wanna Matayasuwan, who placed second in last year’s all city singles championship, the Mustangs look to make the playoffs and upset defending champion Lowell who has won the last two team championships, and also last year’s singles and doubles championship.

Lincoln’s badminton team has acquired ten new players, which now brings the total number of players over twenty. During the season, badminton teams send four singles players and two doubles teams to a normal match, so overall only seven girls get to play. They are allowed to bring alternates but they are not guaranteed to play. However, during all city competitions, more players are allowed to play.

“Many people don’t consider badminton a sport but Lincoln students should come out and support us,” Matayasuwan said.

Matayasuwan had lost in the final match of last year’s singles championship and this is the final year she could win it before she graduates. She still hopes the team will finish better than last year’s non-playoff season.

We have good team and should do better this year and Wanna has a very good chance of winning the singles championship,” Lam said.