Condors Badminton Season Preview
The Conestoga College badminton team is gearing up for an exhilarating season with some key changes and a greater focus on overall team development. There are several new and exciting prospects to look forward to, including a new Head Coach and a team philosophy transformation.
New Head Coach Valliappan Padmanabhan Takes the Lead:
The team is welcoming new Head Coach Valliappan Padmanabhan, or as they call him, Coach Valli, who is joining the Condors after previously being on the coaching staff at Fanshawe College. As he transitions into the new role, he expresses his gratitude for support from the entire coaching staff as they look to transform the ideals of success for Condors Badminton. Coach Valli is thrilled to have a strong coaching team to support the players and guide them to success.
A Shift in Focus:
Reflecting on last season, Coach Padmanabhan believes that the badminton team had a very different structure that was more focused on individual success. This time around, the focus is on building a complete team of 16 athletes who will work together to grow collectively. The big goal is to use this year to create an attitude of development and support on the team to help build a platform for both short and long term success for this Condors.
Season Structure:
The Condors badminton team will be using invitationals as means to determine the ideal singles and doubles formation prior to the OCAA West Regional in February. The team’s first test will begin on November 17th, when the whole team will attend the Fanshawe Invitational in London, ON. The hope is that this weekend with be the start of our Condors building a strong foundation for the season as they continue to learn to be versatile in various situations on the court.
Returning Players and New Athletes:
Two key returning players are OCAA Champion and CCAA National bronze medalist Devika Santhosh Kumar and veteran leader Sadik Ali, this powerful duo will provide experience and leadership to the team as they develop a new dynamic. Additionally, this year the team will be welcoming numerous new athletes that will be looking to prove their skills at the upcoming invitational. The addition of new talent will bring fresh energy and a lot of potential to the team.
Individual Goals:
In addition to the goal of overall team growth, the squad also has individual goals for this season, with the aim to build on the successes of last season by having as many athletes as possible advance from the regionals stage to provincials. The OCAA format allows for the top 3 players or teams to advance to provincials in each event (women’s singles, men’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles). The team hopes to have multiple athletes qualify for nationals this year, displaying their strong expectations.
Conestoga College To Host Regionals:
Conestoga College is extremely honoured and excited to be hosting the OCAA West Badminton Regionals on February 2nd and 3rd. This is a significant event that will allow for the team to have a home court advantage, as well as a chance to showcase their talent and dedication in front of our fans!
Stay Connected!
As the new season kicks off, fans can look forward to a series of exciting matches and outstanding performances from these dedicated athletes. Make sure to stay connected on all the action by following us on Instagram @cc_condors. You can also find the complete schedule and previous results by clicking HERE.