Aaron Bai ’27 participates in the life sport, Badminton, which features a “Friday Game Day,” where students play doubles matches that accumulate points for the entire term.
In the four years of its existence as a life sport at Andover, badminton has attracted a diverse group of students. Some join looking to relax and play with friends after a long day, while others seek to dominate, climbing the rankings system in hopes of being badminton champion. Badminton, played with a racket and shuttlecock over a high net, is one of the world’s most popular sports: it boasts around 339 million active players and has been an official Olympic sport since the 1992 Barcelona Games.
Following the Covid-19 pandemic, Lixia Ma, Instructor in Chinese, prompted Lisa Joel, Director of Athletics, to create the life sport, seeking to provide students an opportunity to engage in a sport that was meaningful to her.
“[Badminton] was a simple activity that kids in China played. You didn’t need a formal court, just rackets and an open space. I never played on a school team. I just played for fun because I loved sports. When I came to the United States, it was my first time playing indoors on a real court, and I loved it immediately,” said Ma.
Ma continued, “After the [Covid-19] pandemic, it was difficult to play many sports. I wanted something light and easy, and since I’ve loved badminton ever since I was young, I suggested to the sports director that we try it. She agreed, so we got some nets and rackets. Playing outside didn’t work because of the wind and weather, so we moved into the Snyder Center.”
To add a competitive aspect to badminton at Andover, Ma introduced a rankings system to the sport. Exclusive to Fridays, players team up to play competitive matches and earn points toward the ranking system, with the first-ranked player becoming the badminton champion.
“Because it’s a life sport, I try not to make it too academic or overly structured. I give tips only if someone asks, and often, experienced players help the new ones. To keep it interesting, we introduced Friday Game Day. Players pair up, play matches, and keep scores. Each win counts as a point. Strong players get very competitive, while new players gradually start winning points by the end of the term. It’s a great way to build confidence and community. The person with the most wins by the end of the term is the champion,” said Ma.
Last year, Brian Wong ’27 emerged victorious in the rankings. However, he is currently injured and is unlikely to match his incredible feat this year. While he looks forward to watching his peers battle it out in the rankings, he elaborated on his 2024 victory, in which he overcame Derek Labadini PG’25 and Samuel Whitehurst PG’25, two former Boys Lacrosse athletes.
Wong said, “Technique was key. My opponents, off-season lacrosse players, had more raw power, but I had better badminton-specific skills. Timing especially mattered. You can’t just smash every shot, or you’ll tire yourself out. I conserved energy, played strategically, and used my smashes only when they would be most effective. That balance helped me edge out a close win.”
Comparatively, João Carreiro ’27, whose competitive partner is Sebastian Montemayor ’27, explained that chemistry is a key to placing well in the rankings. Carreiro and Montemayor have been friends and even roommates, demonstrating the connection that helps them dominate in badminton.
“Chemistry is huge. If you don’t know what your partner is doing, you’ll both go for the same shot or end up in the same spot. That’s a disaster. Sebastian and I have great chemistry. We were roommates last year, and I’ve known him since Freshman year. That bond helps us play as a team,” said Carreiro.
Andover’s diverse student body includes many students from Asia, where badminton is more popular and widespread. The future of badminton as a life sport, Ma explained, lies in its potential expansion into interscholastic competition.
“Many students from Asia know how to play and want to continue. Some students even ask about forming a real team. We haven’t been able to do that yet, but the interest is there. The next step would be moving beyond a life sport to form a team for interscholastic competition. I’ve heard [Phillips] Exeter [Academy] had a badminton club in the past and wanted to play against us, but our facilities weren’t suitable for safe matches. Once we solve that, we could make it more competitive,” said Ma.
While still maintaining the casual aspects one might expect of a life sport, badminton has also become a hyper-competitive battleground at Andover, with a plethora of duos hoping to reign supreme once the term ends. With teamwork, strategy, technique, and athleticism all playing crucial roles in one’s rise to elite champion status, time will tell which duo can claim victory and etch their names into Andover badminton history.
