Badminton Looks to Swat The Competition Away This Season

By Patricia Baldwin

In preparation for the new season, City College’s women’s badminton team is finding strength in community despite a shrinking California badminton landscape.

“Badminton is addictive,” said second-year player Yoyo Tam. “You want to play, play, play, and get better, learning skills and picking up tricks.”

Head Coach Tiffany Mariano had the team hard at work on Tuesday, Feb. 10, in the middle of the preseason ramp-up that included drills to improve on footwork, strokes and endurance.

Second-year player Joey Chen is excited about getting better this season, focusing particularly on footwork and clearing. A clear is a high, deep shot aimed towards the opponent’s back baseline. It is used both offensively and defensively.

Coach Mariano credits the players with “building a strong sense of team [chemistry],” especially since the 2024 season, when City College’s badminton team won the state championship.

First-year player Mylen Cruzado is also focused on improving her footwork, which is foundational to the game. 

Another goal Cruzado has this season is to build endurance. “[I’ve been] working on the cardio side to get faster,” said Cruzado, “Improving [my] footwork to cover the court to be faster.”

Chen wants to help the first-year players like second-year players helped her last season. “The second-year players would play the first-year players for fun, offering feedback and tips from their personal experience,” said Chen.

Most players came to the team more experienced with doubles matches, according to Coach Mariano. During practices, players will get opportunities to work with their doubles partner in order to build chemistry.

Tam, who often partners with Chen, said she “enjoys playing doubles because of the teamwork and encouraging each other.” Tam continued: “We communicate a lot.  We talk after each game to identify any problems and focus on that going forward.”

Despite the players’ enthusiasm, the number of women’s teams statewide is dwindling. The California Community College Athletic Association has lost 4 teams. One of those was from the Coast Conference that City College competes in.   

That translates to two fewer games against a different opponent. Now, the players face teams three times, giving opponents more opportunities to learn Rams players’ tendencies and go-to moves, according to Coach Mariano.

City College will travel to Fresno City College to open its season on March 8 at 3 p.m. Their first home game is also against Fresno City College on March 24 at 5 p.m.  

Coach Mariano is calling all City College students to come out and support their women’s badminton team. “Badminton is a great sport to watch," according to Coach Mariano.  

“Badminton involves more skill and strategy than most people realize. The matches are fast-paced. Badminton games are faster than they look,” she added.