Friday, May 22, 2015

Dynamic Duo Captures WCSSAA Badminton Title

The athletes with their coach, Mrs. Parsons,
after their CWOSSA final game
Shuttlecocks were flying, racquet grips were sweaty, and the tension was palpable in the final round of badminton on the first day of WCSSAA. Members of the junior Glenview badminton team, Sam and Georgia, were at the apex of this action. They had worked hard all day, winning every one of their games. It was this final match that would determine if the junior girls doubles team would advance to the final round of WCSSAA. If they won this match, they would head back to the courts the following Thursday to battle for their WCSSAA title.
Watching them face off against their final opposers, the only emotion the two displayed in their final match was utter determination. They put on a fierce front for their competitors, intimidating them not only with their flawless badminton skills, but with their rock-hard facial expressions. And it all paid off! After a close round, Sam and Georgia emerged victorious, placing them in the final day of WCSSAA. “We were celebrating right on the court,” said Georgia. “It was so rewarding for both of us!”.
Not only did the girls dominate on the first day, but they won the finals as well, putting them into a pool of tough competitors for CWOSSA. The following week, the girls put up a strong fight, and claimed second place! Badminton coaches Mrs. Parsons, Mrs. Brunton, and Mrs. Gardiner, fellow badminton team members, and of course, Sam and Georgia, were ecstatic. Even though they couldn’t grab that elusive 1st place, they had come farther than they ever thought possible. Both girls were disappointed with their near-miss, but they both knew that they had tried their best. “We put our hearts out onto the court, and we fought”, Georgia admitted.
Now you are probably wondering, what made this dynamic duo so, well, dynamic? Sam thought that what helped them dominate was the fact that “Georgia is tall, and because we both braided our hair and wore capris!”, she added jokingly. The girls’ lighthearted humor was also part of their strategy during the tournament, even when the pressure was extreme. “We tried to have fun and keep it light!”, Sam said.
What is truly remarkable about this pair is the fact that they were only teamed together at the middle of this season. But after advancing this far so quickly, both girls know that they will be going into senior badminton next year as a team, right down to the matching braided hair and capris. Georgia told us that she hopes  “we succeed again like we did this year, and come back with a CWOSSA first instead of second!”
For those aspiring to become a GPSS badminton member for next season, and even for those who aren’t, Sam says that “two years ago I had no interest in joining the badminton team, but it’s actually fun! Everyone should join.” You never know, you could end up like Georgia and Sam, one of the most skilled badminton teams in all of Waterloo Region. To (somewhat) quote Wayne Gretzky, you miss 100% of the birdies you don’t hit!