BY MADDIE WILLIAMS

In print | Published January 29, 2009

When discussing badminton with Swat students, the general level of knowledge varies dramatically. “Isn’t that something you do for P.E. credit?” Rachel Branker ’12 said. “I mean, I don’t think we have a team or anything.”

In fact, Swarthmore does have a badminton team and a pretty good one at that. However, lack of knowledge about the college’s varsity badminton program is certainly not uncommon or something to be ashamed of. After all, Swarthmore boasts one of only two varsity badminton programs nationwide. While many other schools have competitive club badminton programs, head coach Bhavin Parikh of the Swarthmore badminton team cites the level of access to much-needed resources as one of the perks of a varsity program. The varsity status also comes with a different sense of commitment from the athletes and some national attention, he said.

Unlike some varsity sports at Swat, no formal recruiting process exists for badminton. Interested athletes with varying levels of experience contact Coach Parikh on their own.

However, the fact that badminton does not recruit with the same vigor as other varsity sports certainly does not mean that it does not possess the same intensity and team commitment. During the fall and first half of the season, the team undergoes high-level fitness and skills conditioning. In the second half of the season Parikh concentrates on “tactics and execution.”

Some spectators may not consider badminton a game requiring exceptional fitness, or may even view it as a sort of a low-key form of tennis. On the contrary, however, according to the Badminton Association of England, badminton is a very demanding sport both physically and mentally. Rallies are often short bursts of intense speeds, followed by a very brief rest period. Competitive matches can sometimes last up to 45 minutes, which means that players must also possess high levels of endurance. Good players should be agile and quick, as well as mentally sharp. The high speed of play coupled with short rallies means players must compute tactics and make decisions in mere seconds.

Because Swarthmore does not actively recruit badminton players, athletes enter with varying levels of experience. May Maani ’10, a member of the Swarthmore badminton squad currently studying abroad in London, said she had really only played “backyard badminton,” a popular pastime with friends and neighbors at her childhood home in China. “I came to Swat and the coach said, ‘O.K., forget everything you’ve ever learned, and we’re going to start from scratch.’” She said the more competitive play has been very different, but “in a good way.”

Other players, like co-captain Kim Kramer ’10, did have competitive experience at the high school level. Kramer entered the world of competitive badminton at the age of 12. She said that badminton before Swarthmore was mostly an individual sport. “Here, when we play against other schools or play in team tournaments, the atmosphere is really different because everybody is pulling for you,” she said.

This close team dynamic, coupled with focused training, has propelled Swarthmore’s badminton program to great success. Badminton debuted as a varsity sport at Swarthmore in 1938. This first season consisted of only one match, against Ursinus College. Today, the team competes in both open tournaments and league matches in a season. Everyone participates in open tournaments, and nine players are chosen to compete in the league matches based on their previous performances.

The Garnet squad competed in the Main Line Doubles Tournament at Bryn Mawr on Saturday, January 24. Kramer and Maithili Atul Parikh ’11 won their bracket while the “beginners gained valuable experience,” according to Coach Parikh.

While there are many talented players on the Swarthmore roster, some standouts have emerged. Kramer is currently ranked 13th in the national women’s singles rankings and has secured three consecutive singles and doubles titles in the Pennsylvania State Open. Parikh was the runner-up in the very same final, which would have been a Swarthmore victory no matter the outcome. Coach Parikh also cites co-captain Karma Lama ’09 as an “excellent athlete” and leader, while Maani said that she “brings a lot of life and humor to the team.”

Looking ahead, Coach Parikh cited ambition to rebuild the team’s base as an important goal, as several players will be graduating within the next two years. The team must also begin preparations for the Mid-Atlantic Classic Tournament in February and Pennsylvania State Open in March. More generally, Coach Parikh wants to use his position to spread awareness about badminton, a “relatively unknown sport in the United States.”

The badminton team will compete next at Bryn Athyn College on Tuesday, February 3 at 7 p.m.

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