By ALINA RAZVI
The Jericho Boys Varsity Badminton Team is 3-0 this year after finishing last year with another championship win for their 4th year in a row.
Coach Burkowsky who has been coaching the team for 13 years has had a total of 10 championship wins. Team manager and alumna Allison L. who managed the team for 3 seasons described coach Burkowsky as someone who “pushes all his players to play their best and at the same time is an easygoing coach.”
“He brings the best out of the players and the team loves playing for a coach who has shared the same desire to have fun but also be competitive when playing the sport,” added Allison L.
Last year Jericho’s biggest rival Great Neck South defeated them twice during the season. Coach Burkowsky said, “They beat us at home, 5-2 , and they beat us at their home, 6-1.”
Fortunately the team managed to come out at the top in the finals and beat Great Neck South 5-2. A big part of what helped the team win was the amount of teamwork and dedication throughout the team. There’s a strong camaraderie between the players and they all work extremely well together.
“The team played their hearts out, bonded as a team, and clinched that 10th overall county title,” said Allison L.
Health, Physical Education and Athletics Curriculum Associate Mr. Mankowich said, “We were truly a team, our kids battled out there. It’s not that we didn’t have one dominant player. They all really came together.”
Some of the team’s greatest strengths are their perseverance and communication. Whether they win or lose, the team never seems to fall back from trying their hardest. One of the most important qualities in badminton is communication. “It doesn’t matter if you play singles or doubles and if you are a starter or not, everyone is motivated to help each other do better,” said Allison L.
One of the biggest factors that helped the team come out on top was team player senior Anshul V. The team refers to him as the “clincher” because his wins during the finals were what helped the team win.
One of the biggest factors that helped the team come out on top was team player and senior Anshul V. The team refers to him as the “clincher” because his wins during the finals were what helped the team win.
Senior and captain Wesley W. said, “We needed one last win to get the championship title. It was 20-16 and once Anshul hit the game winning smash, everyone erupted in cheers. All the blood, sweat and tears we put in for countless months—from losing to Great Neck South all season to coming back the next morning working harder than ever—in that one shot it all paid off. ”
Coach Burkowsky is very proud of his team. They played a great season and managed to come out on top at the end. “They want to play. If I said practice was going to run until 7 o’clock instead of 6 o’clock, they stay till 7. They just love to be there. They work hard. They want to learn, they want to get better and they want to win,” he said.
Well done