Condors Name Valliappan Padmanabhan as Head Coach of Badminton
The Conestoga Condors are excited to announce Valliappan Padmanabhan as the Head Coach of the Condors Badminton team. Coach Padmanabhan brings with him a wealth of experience and a passion for the sport that we hope will ignite our varsity badminton program.
Coach Padmanabhan has an impressive background in badminton, having competed on the Fanshawe varsity team. At Fanshawe, where he studied GIS and Urban Planning, he was honoured as the Rookie of the Year in his first year on the badminton team and MVP in his second year. After two years of competing, he joined the coaching staff and has been coaching since 2016. Coach Padmanabhan is a Trained Provincial Coach – Level 2 with the National Coaching Certification Program and is an accredited Badminton Ontario Coach.
Valliappan grew up playing cricket and soccer, and it wasn't until his university years that he began playing badminton competitively. He acknowledges that he started late compared to his peers, which required him to put in extra effort to learn the technical aspects of the game. Valliappan says he was drawn to badminton's physical and mental challenges. Describing it as "playing chess on a court," he embraced the game's intricacies and invested considerable effort into mastering the fundamental skills.
In addition to his coaching experience at Fanshawe, Coach Padmanabhan has been involved in various badminton clubs, training athletes of all ages, and serves as a tournament director in Woodstock, Ontario. It was his experience coaching youth that inspired him to pursue coaching as a career. He finds immense joy and inspiration in watching his young students implement his coaching strategies.
Transitioning to the Head Coach role at Conestoga is a natural fit for Coach Padmanabhan, aligning with his personal life and coaching aspirations. His coaching approach sets him apart, as he does not focus on results. Instead, he prioritizes training athletes to develop their skills and technical understanding of the sport, empowering them with the knowledge and confidence to excel. He firmly believes that with these fundamental skills in place, the desired results will naturally follow.
In accepting the Head Coach position Coach Padmanabhan said, “I am thrilled to join the Conestoga badminton team as Head Coach, eager to share my passion and experience. I aim to develop a culture of growth, excellence, and teamwork, focusing on skill development and strategic gameplay. I will foster a positive and inclusive atmosphere, promoting physical fitness, mental resilience, and sportsmanship. With updated training methodologies and fresh perspectives, I aim to enhance the team's performance. Together, we will strive for success.”
With many exciting prospects already on the Conestoga team, Coach Padmanabhan's main objective is to further build and grow the program. He aims to harness the existing enthusiasm for badminton within the Conestoga College community and channel it into our varsity program, keeping badminton thriving at Conestoga.
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to our new Varsity Badminton Head Coach, Valliappan Padmanabhan!
