Did you know that Champlain College has a badminton team? And our team is co-ed!
To begin with, badminton is not an “anglicisme” (thanks to my French course UF0). Badminton is the fastest racket sport in the world. The current Guinness World Record for the fastest shot is held by Malaysian superstar Tan Boon Heong at 493 kilometres per hour. According to the International Federation of Sport for All, badminton is also one of the most popular sports in the world and, since its inclusion in the Olympic programme in 1992, has been widely practised throughout the world, with more than 200 million participants. The sport is characterized by high-intensity intermittent activity in five disciplines (men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles) and requires specialized preparation in terms of technique, mental control, and physical fitness. Playing badminton has a significant impact on physical health, such as improving physiological functions (increased motivation and HDL cholesterol, lowering blood pressure and resting heart rate), improving basic physical fitness, and improving the psychological and social health of individuals according to Doctor David Cabello-Manrique.
Across Quebec, Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) has two leagues at the CEGEP level: Ligues Nord-Est and Ligues Sud-Ouest. The Champlain Cavaliers Badminton team participates in Ligues Sud-Ouest. In Ligues Sud-Ouest, there are two divisions which are Division 1 (D1), and Division 2 (D2). For 2023-2024, six CEGEPS are competing with the Cavaliers, including Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, Dawson College, Cégep de Valleyfield, Cégep Gérald-Godin, Collège Montmorency, and Cégep Marie-Victorin. Currently, the Cavaliers are in the third position after Dynamiques (representing Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf) and Blues (representing Dawson College). Three tournaments are down, and three more to go (feel free to come and support us)! After the Cavaliers won both League & Regional Titles in 2021, what will the Cavaliers accomplish? Let’s wait and see! For more information or if you want to join our team, please contact our head coach, Ethan Wu, and follow our Instagram account: Champlain Cavaliers Badminton. Last but not least, the golden retriever from the confessions is on the badminton team!
Yue Ning Wang (left) and Loreen Chen Kuang Piao (right) playing women’s double.
Noah Tanguay playing men’s single.
Clayton Tzin Kwan Cheung (left) and Vassante Mattéo Monany (right) playing men’s double.
Andrew Tanguay playing men’s single.
Nathan Comeau playing men’s single.
Photos by Chi Zhang