The girls badminton team, a sport considered to be under the radar, has had another successful season. Reaching their goal by making it to counties, the team proved the effects of hard work and sheer talent as they pushed through these games with one destination in mind: county finals.

On Friday, May 25, Schreiber’s badminton team played in a county-wide competition.  Badminton has perhaps taken a backseat to other spring sports at Schreiber, but the girls have proven they are indeed an important and successful team.

“A lot of people might not understand the athleticism in the sport and how competitive it is,” said Dr. David O’Connor, who is the coach of the all-girls team.

Though some sports fans may label badminton as a “backyard game,” it is actually a highly competitive game that requires discipline and hard work, just like any other sport.  Dr. O’Connor has complete confidence in his team and thinks that they are very ready for the county finals. He additionally believes that the team has worked extremely hard for their achievements.

The team’s regular season is definitely one for the books, with the girls putting up a phenomenal record of 12 wins and only 3 losses.  The squad started their amazing season with a dominating victory over Lynbrook Senior High School that ended in a shutout as Schreiber’s team won all seven of their matches.  They closed out their regular season with a six game winning streak against East Meadow, Syosset, Wantagh, Great Neck North, and Great Neck South twice.

Furthermore, the team showed extreme skill when they played both home and away games with excellency.  Out of the six away games the team played, only one ended in a loss.

One notable theme found throughout the Varsity team’s season was their undeniable persistence.  Badminton is a sport where each game consists of seven matches. The team that wins the majority of the matches wins the entire game.  Out of the 15 games the team played, nine of them ended with a score of 4-3.

These scores highlight the battle the team put up, regardless if the game ended in a win or a loss.  From their first game on March 23 to their last on May 24, all of the girls on the team displayed constant passion and drive that was needed to succeed.

On top of that, the team finished in second place at the top conference, with a record of eight wins and three losses in their conference alone.

In the semifinals of the Nassau playoffs, the girls came out victorious against Great Neck South, the number 3 seed, in a 4-3 win.  This win took the team to what they had been working for the whole season: the county finals.  The squad was set to play against the No. 4 seed team, Jericho.

Unfortunately, the Schreiber Badminton team did not bring home a county championship.  They lost 4-3, but still had an admirable season.  They are keeping their hopes up for next season, despite the fact that they will be saying goodbye to graduating seniors who contributed to the team’s success.

Nicole Calamari, one of these seniors, expressed her sadness for saying goodbye to the close friendships the team formed for her. She also spoke about her confidence in the team for the seasons that she will not be partaking in.

“My teammates are all great players and I know they will continue to do well for the next two years,” said Calamari. “I can’t wait to come back and watch them.”  

Team members who still have a few years to play in the Schreiber team, including freshman Zoya Uni, are excited to come back from their loss and create an even better record next season.

“We have some really good players who are sophomores and juniors, so we will still have a good team next season,” said Uni.

Both team members placed an emphasis on the long-lasting friendships they’ve made throughout this triumphant season.

“My favorite part of being on the team has definitely been all of the people I have met. I feel sad leaving them behind because they have all become close friends,” said Calamari.

The girls all believe that the bonds they made with one another will be ones that last for many years, even for those who are graduating.  In addition, although friendship and team bonding are a major part of the team, they are also tough athletes who are ready for any challenge they will face in the upcoming years as a team.

With a season that lasted a little over two months, all the girls have shown their presence off the court as friends and on the court as an extremely powerful and skilled team. The varsity squad is already preparing to clinch the title of Nassau County Champions in the 2019 season.