Port Badminton Faces New Set of Challenges in 2010

For the Lady Vikings badminton team, the upcoming season should prove to be an interesting one. Coming off a successful season, where the team missed out on a conference championship by one game, the Lady Vikings under the leadership of longtime coach and social studies teacher, Dr. David O'Connor, faces an unprecedented amount of variables heading into match play this year.

Dr. O'Connor explained that except for the nets, rackets and birdies, the team is facing an entirely new set of challenges this season. "It's a big change this year," O'Connor said. "We are in a brand new conference, and we have lost seven starters."

The coach said that even returning all-conference players, like senior captain Ani Levine, are making the potentially uncomfortable transition from doubles to singles, a difference which in badminton, a sport filled with subtle movements and complex strategies, is a seriously profound one.

"I think everyone is going to do really well in their new spots and I am hoping I get better," Levine said. "It is a big jump moving from second doubles to first singles. Singles is a completely different game, but I think with a little bit of practice that I am going to end up doing really well. So far everything has been really fun and I love playing."

All three of the team's singles players, Levine and juniors Payal Doshi and Alex Tung, never played a singles match prior to this season. However, Dr. O'Connor emphasized the girls' past experience in the doubles sphere will lead to positive results in singles. "I am confident that they will make the transition effectively," he said.

Many of the upperclassmen are hoping to do well, regardless of the team's relative inexperience.

"I am confident that we are going to have a strong season," Doshi said. "The newcomers are learning quickly and we have the potential to make it to counties. I know our team has a lot to learn about the game, but our team shows so much potential."

Senior Zoe Blicksilver added, "Many players who got spots this year did not have spots in previous years, so I think that people are still getting adjusted to playing new positions and new partners."

Despite the numerous challenges the Lady Vikings face entering this transition year of sorts, hopes remain high for a successful season.

"The girls get along well, and are pretty athletic," O'Connor said. "I'd love to see us win the conference."

The team was welcomed to the new conference with a tough loss to Roslyn, but bounced back in its second match of the season with a 6-1 win over Valley Stream South. The Lady Vikings head on the road to take on Jericho on Wednesday, April 7, and face off against Bethpage at Schreiber High School on Friday, April 9.

"We were off to a rough start our first match because everything was very new, but we won our second match," Levine said. "I think the team is going to do really well this year."

Ultimately, only time will tell if Port Washington's varsity badminton team can survive and excel in this new and unfamiliar environment. However, returning all-conference players, a conference ripe for the taking, and a young, hungry roster will hopefully result in a highly successful season for the Lady Vikings.

"I'm very excited about our season," senior Jackie Werner said. "We started off our first match rough but got back on track and have a very successful season ahead of us. There's many new changes that will take a while to get adjusted to, but after playing and getting used to the new roster we will continue to be a competitive team to our new division."