Varsity Badminton fell to Cupertino High School 18-12 on Tuesday, April 29. For the last game of the season, MVHS put up a good fight against Cupertino High School on the Pioneers’ senior night, winning the second set 22-20 and the third set 21-19.
Sophomore and girls doubles player Sahana Jaware points out that this was one of the team’s closest games this season. Jaware finds that recognizing how to adapt to her opponents’ playing styles has helped her grow her badminton skills throughout the year.
“Playing in doubles requires a blend of everything,” Jaware said. “For boys doubles, they hit really hard all the time, so it’s important to mix in a couple soft shots in the middle to throw your opponent off. For girls doubles, the game is a lot more balanced. Overall, there are stronger players and there are weaker players — soft shots and hard shots.”
As she advances to playing in CCS Tournaments, Jaware hopes to keep improving her communication skills as she believes strong communication is essential to performing well in nearly every aspect of the game.
“Most of what determines whether you win depends on your placement and how you communicate with your partner,” Jaware said. “Refining communications and rotations and just getting to that level in the first place is what you need to start with before you can work on your technique.”
Junior and mixed doubles player Teresa Wan notes that many players, including herself, communicated well, rotating seamlessly and collaborating on strategy during breaks between games. She reflects on how this game was the last for many of their players, motivating them to give it their all. Despite having a previously injured arm that was still in the process of healing, Wan said the game was satisfying and she is proud of herself and her teammates.
“A lot of people stayed until the very end, and we all tried our best coaching and cheering people on,” Wan said. “We didn’t really work together at the start of the season, but now, we have gone really far in thinking of ways to play better.”
