Eric Hamber’s badminton veterans will meet the fresh faces of Van Tech’s young team tonight when the two square off in the first round of the city playoffs at Van Tech.
The Griffins finished their strong season with a 5-7 record, and the Talismen did even better, having lost only once to the undefeated powerhouse from David Thompson.
These two teams took markedly different journeys to the playoffs but both are confident that they can win and advance to the semi-finals against defending champions Prince of Wales on May 8.
A lot rides on the city championship final May 9: not only bragging rights but a guaranteed spot at provincials, held in Richmond May 30 to June 1 while the second- and third-place teams will battle regional contenders at the Lower Mainland playoffs.
The playoff game will be the first time the two teams meet this season. The Griffins feel good about their chances.
“We’ve won in the past with basically the same team and players that we have now, so I feel pretty confident,” said co-captain Erin Wong.
But Van Tech can’t be counted out. “Our team sees it as a challenge but a challenge that we can win,” Connor Louie, 15, one of three Grade 10 players competing for the senior team, which is usually reserved for Grade 11 and 12 players. It’s his first time playing for the school team.
Van Tech’s coach, William Go, allowed the up-and-comers to play because he wanted them to absorb on-court and leadership skills from their more experienced teammates. The key to beating Hamber is confidence he said.
“[Our players] are all much better than they give themselves credit for,” said Go. “I just think that they allow the pressure during the game to get in their heads too much.”
Both teams are stacked with club players who train through the year for elite competitions, including international meets. Numerous players competed at nationals last week, and a Grade 8 student at David Thompson is ranked second in B.C.
High school teams draw athletes who train every day, sometimes twice a day, and travel for tournaments as well as recreational players who only attend practices in their school gym and travel no further than a nearby school gym.
Janet Yee, the Griffin’s co-captain, warns that elite athletes should not dismiss those who do not train like they do.
“I personally see myself as a recreational player but I can definitely play at a higher level and more competitively,” she said. “My name is not out there. They’ll probably underestimate my level and think they’re the better player.”
Because she doesn’t train at a badminton club, Yee said she has a unique technique and style that makes it difficult for opponents to guess what her next shot will be.
There is merit in formal coaching. For example, Van Tech’s Louie just started playing competitively but he’s already taken steps to learn the correct technique. He took several private lessons at Badminton Vancouver with Anna Rice, once ranked 18th in the world — a ranking no Canadian has ever topped.
Louie started taking badminton more seriously a couple of years ago. “It takes a lot of agility and stamina and skill to play,” he said, adding he intends to play more club tournaments and eventually compete at nationals.
For now, his focus is on helping the Talismen earn a spot at provincials, which means beating Hamber before challenging Prince of Wales, a team that has gone 20-1 over the last three seasons and has qualified for six consecutive provincial championships,
“If we just focus and try hard and don’t make unnecessary mistakes, then I think we can win,” said Louie.
The Walesmen and David Thompson Trojans both advance directly to the west and east division semi-finals, which each respective team hosts 4 p.m. May 8. The winner of Point Grey and Killarney plays the Walesmen.
The city championship is 4 p.m. May 9 at a still undetermined location, likely Prince of Wales or David Thompson.
