Badminton Captains: Sohum Hulyalkar, Chris Clemm, & Anneline Pederson

Interviewed by Jessica Blough

Produced by Sophie Kroesche

Jessica Blough (JB): Hello, LGHS. I’m Jessica Blough, and I’m here with Sohum Hulyalkar, Chris Clemm, and Anneline Pederson, who are your 2017 badminton captains. They’re here to give you a little preview of what’s to come in their season. Thank you for being here.

All: Thanks for having us.

JB: So guys, you have to be leaders on the team. Who are your role models, as leaders? They can be alive, dead, or fictional.

CC: I look up to Mr. Bollhorst as a role model, because he was my English teacher last year. He’s a really great guy.

SH: I look up to Mr. Dan Burns, he never makes any mistakes and he teaches physics really well.

AP: I look up to my parents.

CC: That’s a good answer.

JB: What is the most crucial character trait of a badminton player?

AP: Being really friendly and nice to all the players.

CC: You need to like boba a lot, because we get lots of boba.

SH: You need to be talented, because winning matters.

JB: What are your aspirations for this season?

SH: Winning at least two games.

AP: Just to have a lot of fun.

CC: Uh, beating Gunn High School, because they’re good.

JB: What are your deepest badminton-related fears?

SH: Getting bageled.

CC: Which means scoring zero points against the other team.

JB: Do you guys have a pre-match routine?

SH: We usually start off by doing clears, then net-drops, then drops, then smashes. And then we just start rallying.

CC: When Sohum and I were partners, we’d roll up our right sleeve when we played.

AP: We also do stretches before the matches.

JB: What is a badminton player’s favorite snack?

CC: Boba and victory.

JB: Who are your predicted MVPs on the team this year?

CC: Anneline.

AP: Grace Sells.

SH: Cameron Sootodeh.

JB: Can you describe the feeling of euphoria when you win a badminton match?

SH: It’s an indescribable feeling.

CC: I feel bad for anyone who can’t experience winning a badminton game.

AP: I just feel really happy and relieved.

JB: A common belief is that anyone can be on the badminton team. What do you guys have to say about that?

SH: Well, this year, we cut a record high of 17 boys on the team, so it’s a very prestigious sport, not many people make the team. Only the elite can play.

CC: It wasn’t a record high. Last year was more.

SH: We urge many people to come out year after year, it’s a very fun and rewarding sport.

JB: What does it take to be an elite badminton player?

SH: You have to have a love for the sport. You can’t just play because your friends tell you to play, or you want PE credit. You have to have a desire to improve, and you want to make the  people around you better as well.

JB: What would be your advice to anyone hoping to play badminton?

SH: Anybody can play, it’s a great sport, it doesn’t take much to become great. You just have to play, respect the team, and you have to have a love for the sport.

JB: Do you guys have a problem with respect?

SH: Occasionally.

CC: Don’t try to overthrow the coach. That doesn’t go well.

JB: So are you guys worried that drama will affect your team dynamic this year?

SH: I think it enhances the team dynamic, makes us stronger.

CC: Yeah, we’ve overcome that, now we’re just a stronger team.

AP: There’s not that much drama anymore.

SH: Who knows?

JB: What are you guys most looking forward to?

AP: Being together with the team and having a lot of fun at matches.

SH: The practices are gonna be fun, the games are going to be even more fun, I just want to see the team build and improve throughout the year.

JB: Anything to add?

SH: Come watch the badminton games, they’re pretty intense, like nothing you’ve ever seen before.

JB: Thank you guys for being here! Come out and support your LGHS badminton team as their matches start at the beginning of March.