Last Thursday, ACP’s Badminton team won state! This year’s team made history by being the first team to win state, so a big congratulations to every member of the team! I spoke with some of the team members about this amazing accomplishment.

Yumnaa has been playing badminton since she was a freshman, and has played all four years since then. Her family, being involved with the sport, is one of the main reasons she started playing. When asked about her thoughts on this year’s season she thinks it was amazing! The team finished top in their region and number one in their division with a record of 13-1 for Varsity and Junior Varsity. She was confident in her and the team’s ability to win… and they did!

I also spoke to Ashley Yang (12), another member of the team who has been playing badminton since her freshman year. Ashley started playing badminton when she was much younger. She would play in the backyard with her parents and after a while, her parents enrolled her in badminton group lessons at Arizona Badminton Center. She found passion in playing the sport, partly because of the support of her parents, teammates, and coaches. She was slightly apprehensive about playing in the championships, but with her coaches and teammates standing beside her, she was reminded that they supported her and were there to help. Knowing that they were there for her, she “held onto her optimistic mentality and determination to win big!” She went on to win that match 22-20. While playing the third set of her doubles match, she heard the roaring of the crowd and found out that the twins on the team won 5-3, which meant that ACP High School won the 2022 Division Two Badminton Championships! Ashley felt overwhelmed, but incredibly rewarded for all the hardwork she has put in to the sport and team.

Lastly, I got to talk to Olivia Kurniawan (9), a member of the ACP Junior Varsity Badminton team. She has been playing the game for a year now and got involved in the game thanks to her dad. This was her first badminton season, and she feels that it was a major success! During the championships, Olivia was on the sidelines cheering her team on throughout the whole duration of the game. The moment that she realized her team won, she was overjoyed and excited. Even though she didn’t play in the championships, Olivia couldn’t be more proud of herself and the team. She believes that every member of the team has contributed to the team’s success this season. Without her, her teammates, and her coaches, none of this would have been possible.

Congratulations to all the members of the ACP High School Badminton team on winning state championships, and remember to always strive for the impossible. Go Knights!