Why Badminton is so Popular at Mills and Why We Excel at It

who want to join the team. This year, over 100 Mills students tried out on the only team that even has tryouts, nd the full team has over 40 people. Considering the physique of Asians being on the smaller side, badminton is also a more appealing sport due to its lack of physical contact and its accessibility, compared to more daunting and physical sports that require more size such as football or basketball. There is no need for height or other physical features, limiting injuries. Of course, Badminton comes with its own types of injuries: wrist strains, tennis or golfer’s elbow, ankle sprains, and rotator cuff injuries are all common. However, badminton is ultimately much safer and less physically demanding, alleviating many parental fears, which is also a common theme amongst Asians.

Of course, all this is meaningful because we have students who are dedicated to their sport from a young age. Many of our top bracket players have played for close to, or over, ten years. Many play with outside organizations, going to competitions elsewhere, such as Kalea Sheung (12) who has qualifed for multiple World Juniors competitions. This gives Mills a distinct advantage over other schools without such players. Their experience helps foster a positive cycle of growth and mentorship amongst those newer to the team. Younger athletes learn from older ones, working together to form a strong team.

Expectations are high for the Viking badminton team, but no matter the outcome of the season the Mills community is proud of our badminton team. Despite their Asian heritage, each win comes from the hard work of every single player, from the time and effort poured into huors of training. May the Mills team continue to play well and have fun this year!

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Joshua Choe featureS editor

ills is known for its profciency in badminton, having year after year of high ranking in tournaments and matches against other high schools. The success of the badminton team is a point of pride in Viking spirit, and many rightfully joke that Mills’ success comes from being an Asian dominated school.

But why is that exactly? To put it simply, South-Eastern Asian countries have a higher prevalence in badminton; Asia has 7 out of 10 of the most popular badminton-playing countries. Asian badminton culture grew from the ease at which one can play, as well as the low cost of recreational badminton. This infuence, of course, carries over to these specifc ethnicities, thus meaning that Asians in our country are also more likely to play the sport. Looking at statistics from the Olympics, dating back to 1988, all of the reigning champions are Asian countries. When students see role models they can identify with, they are more likely to be inspired to play the sport. Asia has created a culture of badminton, whether it be playing with friends on a playground or dominating the international competitions. In Asia, one can be a professional badminton player for life, whereas the lack of popularity in Europe and America makes it impossible to have as a sustainable career. The success of Asian champions breeds a healthy cycle of Asian-American students proud of their heritage and continuing the cycle by joining badminton, clearly seen in the large amount of students