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Joshua Ting, a junior, serves the birdie in a practice match at an open gymnasium in Carlmont.
After more than a year in the uncertainty of a pandemic, badminton athletes in Carlmont are hoping for a smooth transition into the coming season.
Open badminton gyms are designed to support this transition and provide a rare opportunity for athletes to socialize and brush up on their skills before the start of testing in January.
Open gyms are usually held every Friday at 6 p.m. in the main gym unless the supervisor gives another notice. However, schedules are sometimes inconsistent due to scheduling conflicts with the current volleyball season.
“It’s precious time that we have to train since we don’t have our season for a while,” said Sanjna Sood, a junior at Carlmont. “We can spend a lot of time in the gym, which is very important because it makes up for the practice that we haven’t had due to COVID. “
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My hope for the coming season is that a lot of freshmen and sophomores join the team. Last season, due to COVID, we only had a few underclassmen, but now that we’re back in person, it’s our job to make sure people know they can try for the team. “
– Sanjna Sood, junior at Carlmont
The previous season was heavily impacted by the pandemic. There was no Peninsula Athletic League, and the only tournaments were unranked. Coaches from different schools organized unofficial matches based on location rather than points standings.
Athletes also faced strict COVID-19 regulations, disrupting the flow of training and matches. According to Amisha Nambiar, a senior, players were not allowed to touch their opponent’s equipment during matches.
“You could only touch your bird, and if it landed on [the other person’s] side of the field, they weren’t allowed to pick it up, they just had to use their racket to drag it over you, ”Nambiar said.
Even though COVID-19 has cut opportunities to play the sport, especially with the cancellation of the spring 2020 season, many athletes have also appreciated the close bonds forged among team members during the pandemic.
Carlmont senior Max Srivastava, a candidate for team captain in the spring, hopes to maintain those ties through the open badminton halls.
“It definitely keeps the team dynamic, and it keeps friendships and people social. It’s also important to maintain the skill level of the team and people get active after a long day of doing nothing.” , Srivastava said.
The situation has improved since last year, but the pandemic remains a serious concern. According to Srivastava, local club regulations like Star are not strictly enforced.
“I think [Bintang wants] you have to get the shot and wear a mask when you’re not playing, but to be honest none of that is really reinforced, ”Srivastava said.
Carlmont’s open gymnasium is relatively safer as strangers are not allowed into the facility and athletes are less exposed to health threats. Head Coach Shervin Mobasher emphasizes the importance of maintaining an optimal environment for students to train.
“Badminton is already difficult [during the] out of season, but COVID makes it even more difficult, ”Mobasher said. “Overall, we are fortunate to have an open gymnasium so that students can interact in a comfortable environment while still being safe.
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