Badminton Club Draws Fans, Even in Cramped Lunchroom

Club members do their best to work around the lunchroom’s limited confines. *Photo: Justin Cen*

By JUSTIN CEN and BARNABAS JIANG

Nestled in the usual glistening green court with its blue twinkling lights, the court of badminton is one to adore. As the birdie gracefully dances in the air, momentarily defying gravity, it weaves like a winged messenger soaring to your enemy's side of the court.

With every flick of the wrist, that seemingly weightless birdie becomes a ray of suspense as spectators witness the spins and thunderous smashes on both sides of the court. It soars then descends before a loud bang sounds and an absolute bullet smashes into the net, ending the rally and leaving the spectators in awe.

Thankfully, Midwood’s Badminton Club is back this year, allowing students an opportunity to participate firsthand in this beautiful sport.

Caitlin He ‘27, the club’s reviver and president, has had a passion for badminton that stems back to her childhood days. “I first played the sport with my parents when I was younger, which is why I adore playing it so much,” she said.

The club meets in the lunchroom during period 11 on Tuesdays, where they hold friendly competitions. Because the club is new, they have limited equipment, “so if you have [a racket], please bring your own!” said Mr. Brendan Murphy, the faculty advisor.

Unfortunately, members are not allowed to use the gyms. “It's great that we got an opportunity to open the club,” said Meerab Gulraiz ‘26, the vice president. “But it would be nice if we could play in the gym due to the many participants and the limited space in the cafeteria.”

Also, the ceiling is low in the lunchroom, so players can’t hit the birdie as high as they want. “The ceiling can disrupt the flow of the game,” Gulraiz said. “This is another reason why the gym would be a better place to play.”

“It's tough to play because of the low ceiling,” Nigel Lian ‘25 said. “But I’m just happy I can play badminton.”

There’s not a lot of space for nets, but members make do with tables in their place. David Zheng ‘25 said, “We gotta do what we gotta do to have fun with what we have to work with.”

Despite the space constraints, the atmosphere of the club is full of laughter and camaraderie. “They’re here to have fun,” Mr. Murphy said.

Leadership expressed big ambitions for badminton in NYC. “I hope for it to become a PSAL sport,” He, the president, said. “That would help club members stay motivated. Then besides it simply being a way for members to have some after-school fun, it could help us improve our skills and compete. If badminton does become a PSAL sport, the club would still be open for more casual members to hang out and play together.”