Motivation is seeping through their eyes while looking where to smash the birdie. 

Varsity Coach Hung Nguyen has been coaching badminton for the past 10 years. His varsity girls have won six league titles, three section banners, and are on their way to another. The varsity boys have won six league titles, three as co-champions with Edison. 

This year, the girls went undefeated in T-CAL with a record of 8-0 and the boys finished 7-1, which made them, once again, the powerhouses of the league.

The coach said each player’s attitude has an effect on the success of the sport. 

“All the passion in the atmosphere is very heartwarming,” Teresa Nguyen, junior, said. “We motivate one other to keep each other going.” The team’s self motivation has created a bond like no other keeping their mind on one goal, to win.

Junior Stacy Her said, “We are always there for each other no matter what circumstances.” They stick together through tough times, instead of getting frustrated, they work together to progress in the next match. 

Nguyen said, “These groups of kids are really modest. They are more for each other than they are for themselves.” 

They have learned to love the sport unconditionally.

“Once you play badminton, you can never get the love you have towards your teammates, your coach, and the supporters out of your system,” Channa Prak, sophomore, said. She said she believes she’ll still play, enen if in a wheelchair. 

The one thing this team loves more than badminton: winning. They just can’t get enough out of it.“Smashing the other opponent is so much fun,” Sophomore Sai Xiong agreed. “However when you’re the one getting smashed on, it’s very depressing.” 

Though this team has done extremely well this year, each player acknowledges that they can do even better. 

Their success cannot have been achieved without one of their most important members, the coach. Nguyen plays against his team at practice pushing them because he knows they have the desire to get better.