Swish. Swish. The birdie quickly flies back and forth across the court. Inevitably, the birdie falls to the floor of one side, granting an advantage to the player who was able to keep it in the air.

Senior Kevin Phan is very much familiar with this sport, which he calls badminton. This may only be his second year on the team, but according to him, he has always wanted to join since freshman year. “I had no ride after practice so when I got my license, I quickly tried out.” Now, finding a ride home is no trouble for him.

At the top of his class, some may wonder how Phan is able to balance school work and practices. Yes, it does take away time from doing homework and other activities. Nevertheless, he still finds a way to complete his duties. “I just have to work around it, sometimes that means staying up late.”

Last year, when Phan first joined, he played as a doubles player. Now, as a second-year player, he has changed from a doubles player to a singles player. Phan very much enjoys the switch and has excelled as a player. “I find it fun and challenging because I’m always trying to climb up the ladder and get better.”

The team experience is also beyond great, as Phan describes his team as an encouraging one. “As a team, we all try to get each other to do better and push each other during games. When things get rough, we play and joke around with each other.” Phan also enjoys what the coaches have to offer. “Even though there’s only two of them, they’re always there when we ask them for help!”