Badminton can be derived from one word: toughness. Some might say that badminton is a less drainful sport but it is far more than that. A sport that can go through 351 mph is something hard to achieve for years, maybe decades. But this one player from John Dewey is someone to look out for as one might say, “The most interesting people seem to have the bumpiest past” -Steve Maraboli.

The history of John Dewey’s Badminton team hasn’t been that great but this year creates hope for the upcoming generations that are yearning to come. Individual City Championships is no easy feat and this broke the losing streak, the importance of getting at least 4th is something to be proud of.

In September of 2023, John Dewey’s Badminton team officially started their season. Each of their players work hard to prepare for their upcoming games. Calvin Wong, their singles #1 starter, is a testament to the team’s hardworking approach.

He has been on this team since the beginning of sophomore year and has been engrossed with this sport after joining. His work and dedication to this sport are something you wouldn’t see on a normal basis, and his perseverance to have a tough mentality on the court has outweighed his opponents’ skills. Every week going to his usual club on Saturdays, he played and played for hours to polish his skills in the upcoming tournament that is on the 12th of November.

On November 4th, the PSAL (Public Schools Athletic League) organized individual matches for Division One’s singles and doubles players at Franklin D. Roosevelt. Each player would compete within their division and progress to compete against players from other divisions. To enter the tournament, players needed an exponential number of wins. Qualified schools included James Madison High School, Franklin D. Roosevelt High School, New Utrecht High School, and John Dewey High School.

John Dewey’s team nominated two candidates. Mr. Gross, the coach for both badminton and table tennis, selected Calvin Wong and Jia Wei for the individual singles match, given the accommodation of time for these players.

Before a big game, most players might feel stressed and nervous, impacting their performance. However, some players, like Calvin, approach the experience differently. Calvin, a singles #1 starter, shared, “For once, I didn’t feel nervous at all because a friend told me I had the skills to beat my opponents; I just needed that push, that confidence to believe. Getting used to the courts was something I adapted to, so I was more prepared than ever.” This statement emphasizes the importance of self-belief in building confidence for success in a tournament.

As Calvin completes his warm-up, his initial match commences against his first opponent, Jasper Chin, who represents James Madison as their second singles player. Subsequently, he faced Brian Tang, the second singles player from Franklin D. Roosevelt, and finally, Jia Wei, who held the second singles position at John Dewey.

In Calvin’s first match, he secured a victory with substantial score differences. However, in his second match, the competition became more challenging. He is pitted against a skilled player who employs a variety of shots to exploit vulnerabilities in his opponent’s game. His match against Brian was something that was blocking his true strength as stated by Calvin Wong, #1 singles starter, “My experience going against Brian was something I thought I could accomplish as I had a lead within the interval. His retrieving skills surprised me and I felt like I couldn’t do anything to score points against him. It felt hopeless”. 

Calvin faced defeat against Franklin D. Roosevelt’s second singles player, landing him in third place and setting up a match against his teammate. This situation presented a unique challenge, as competitors who are familiar with each other and have trained together now found themselves on opposing sides. Despite the difficulty of going up against a teammate, Calvin remained dedicated to winning and gave his best effort in trying to overcome the challenge. Ultimately, his determination and hard work earned him a third-place finish in Division One.

Calvin achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first player from his team in a long period to win a Division One match. As he advances to the second part of the tournament, the city championships, hosted at Franklin D. Roosevelt, he faces a new set of challenges. The competition now includes players from schools like Hunter College High School, Bronx Science High School, Brooklyn Technical, Townsend Harris, and others. Each player brings their unique style of play, experience, and individual strategic approach to the game.

These diverse aspects present a formidable challenge for Calvin as he prepares to face his first opponent in this tournament. Adapting to different playing styles, understanding the varied experiences of opponents, and deciphering their strategic thinking during the game will require Calvin to showcase not only his skill but also his ability to adapt and strategize effectively.

He faces Townsend Harris #2 singles starter, Jacky Chan, and finishes the game within two straight sets. But in the second round, he struggles to find his momentum as he faces against Bronx Science #1 singles starter, Benny Liu. After two grueling sets, Calvin secures his spot in the semifinals.

With emotions of joy exploding, the journey isn’t over yet. 

His next opponent is Jie Xuan Tang #1 Townsend Harris singles starter and the winner of last year’s city championships, demonstrating remarkable skills as each of his matches progressed.

Despite the nervousness creeping up, Calvin plays his best but unfortunately loses in 2 sets. But to secure 3rd place, he has to face Brain Tang again, but this counts for all the marbles. The court crept in with coldness as Calvin had to face an opponent he lost to in the division semifinal. In a meek match, he loses. But what he learned from all the years of practice and dedication has taught him that despite getting 4th, he has made it pretty far and should be proud of what he has accomplished, even if it’s his last year at John Dewey.

Mr. Gross has served as the team’s coach for an extended period. While many of his players have participated in the tournament and achieved considerable success, Calvin’s performance stands out. Given that Mr. Gross closely observed the entire match, his perspective holds significant weight in determining the placement of his player.

“Calvin was outstanding. His match with first place and second place was close, could’ve won. He was good with his drops, and very impeccable. The best I have seen him play during that day”, said Mr. Gross.

Mr. Gross played a crucial role in securing the gym, which is limited in space due to the volleyball and basketball teams sharing it with the badminton team. His dedication enabled other sports to utilize the facility. During the tournament, he supported his players, contributing significantly to Calvin achieving the rare and challenging feat of securing a 4th-place finish. 

In a harsh, yet hopeful conclusion, Calvin still plans to play badminton in the near future, maybe participate in local tournaments, maybe professional level, who knows? But one thing is for sure, throughout his high school years, this match will be something he’ll never forget and utilize it to motivate himself to do better, be better. This might be the push he needed to level up his skill and boost his morality for his love for this sport.