The spring sports season is midway through, and athletes are training hard to compete at high levels. Consisting of singles and doubles matches, badminton is a popular sport among many spring athletes, and it comes with many challenges. From mastering the serve to training reflex movements and hand-eye coordination, every player must begin with the fundamentals to achieve excellence. Anyone who wishes to play the fastest sport in the world must start at the bottom and work their way up the technique ladder. As an advanced player, FHS junior Christopher Kao has been a core team member for many years. As one of the only freshmen to pass the varsity tryouts in the 2022-23 school year, Kao has played badminton at the Varsity 1 level – the most elite rank in high school badminton- since he joined the team.
Starting badminton at a young age, Kao has spent years honing his technique.
“I was inspired to play badminton by my parents,” Kao said. “I remember them taking me to a badminton gym when I was little, and I stood in awe watching my parents clearing [the birdie] above my brother and me. I started training soon after, and stuck with it through middle school and now high school.”
Work hard, play hard. That is the motto of Kao’s game. Kao focuses on training his fundamentals and uses them to turn the tide of a losing game. FHS senior Hyunjin Kim, who has played doubles badminton with Kao since 2023, enjoys playing with him because of Kao’s incredible assistance abilities in games.
“Chris is the game changer,” Kim said. “Whenever we are losing, he always manages to find a way to bring us back into the game. He gives me confidence [so] that even if I make a mistake, he [has] my back and will cover it for me.”
The reassurance that Kao can give Kim and the rest of the badminton team is due to his impressive work ethic. Although his time after school is packed with the team’s intensive training schedule, Kao is also the president of the FHS Robotics team, which holds meetings every weekday from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Despite his demanding schedule, Kao maintains a positive attitude and works hard to keep his win streak.
“With my busy schedule, I try to make time every week to play, usually two to four hours of practice,” Kao said. “To make the most of my time, I’m always self conscious of my foundations to make sure that I am constantly improving. I make sure my peers are coming as well so I can get good rallies in, and make sure my partner shows up so that we can work on rotation.”
No matter how talented or skilled someone is, what matters most about them is their character. Even if one has the skill to play badminton on the same court as professional athletes, being overly egotistic or arrogant means they are no better than beginners to the sport. Fortunately, Kao has a strong reputation for being gentle and thoughtful. Whether it be to opponents or teammates, he is always a great role model and an approachable person.
“Chris is a very pure and genuine guy,” Kim said. “He is honest with his feelings and doesn’t fake anything. Basically he is a great guy to just spend time with.”
Badminton is a physically demanding and technically challenging sport, and as matches often last over an hour, it requires players to have high levels of aerobic endurance and speed. While its physical requirements may seem daunting to newer players, its appealing characteristics, such as the fast-paced gameplay, draw prospective players onto the court. It is a sport that attracts people of all skill levels, and even those who are not at Kao’s level can enjoy the sport to its fullest.
“Badminton is a very fun sport with a tight community around here,” Kao said, “I encourage all of you to give it a shot!”
