Meet Our Badminton Coaches

Our badminton coaches are always ready to help players learn and get better at the game. They know a lot about badminton and enjoy teaching students. It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting or already know how to play, they’ll guide you step by step.

One of those coaches is Mr. Yang, who also teaches chemistry at Hayward. He joined Hayward High’s badminton team four years ago, starting as an assistant coach. Now in his third year as head coach, he says the experience has been great. Mr. Yang’s passion for badminton started early, inspired by his own amazing coaches when he was younger including a professional badminton player from Shanghai who he says he could never beat. That challenge pushed him to keep improving, and it’s that same mindset he now brings to his team.

During the season, matches are usually twice a week. “Usually one home game, one away game. My goal for this team is really just to master some of the fundamental skills of badminton. My advice is that it’s a sport that requires a lot of practice and repetition. In terms of technical advice, definitely work on the footwork, definitely work on a big swing, work on that overhead hit.” Mr. Yang shared.

Another coach from Hayward High is Mr. Schenkleberg. He is the assistant badminton coach, and says the main reason he got into coaching is because of how much he enjoyed playing the sport back in high school. “I had a really good experience playing it,” he said. This is his second year coaching the team, and his background in both badminton and tennis helps him guide players since the skills are similar. What he enjoys most as a coach is seeing players improve over time. One challenge, though, is when players struggle with consistency. “It’s the best way to improve, but sometimes life gets in the way,” he said.


Mr. Schenkleberg’s short-term goal is to help the current team keep improving. Long-term, he hopes to grow the team so they can better compete with bigger schools. “We’ve got a great culture,” he said. “Players support each other and we really celebrate our wins.”

Badminton practices happen every day. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, they practice late, while Thursdays and Fridays are early sessions. During the season, games usually happen twice a week. one home game and one away game.

Hayward High’s Badminton may be one of the most underrated sports at Hayward High, but the athletes behind it are making big moves .During a typical practice, the team starts with conditioning to stay in shape. Then they work on technique, like different hits and shots. Practices are balanced between learning singles and doubles strategies, since the two play styles are actually pretty different.

“Players usually stick to one because they have a completely different movement and strategy,” Mr. Schenkleberg explained. The team meets most days after school. Some days are for conditioning, others are for skill training, and once a week they have a study hall so players can help each other with assignments.

Mr. Yang also gave a special shout-out to one of his players. “I wanna highlight one player in particular on our team who started last year as a beginner player last year, Eli, but this year he is doing really well. He is excellent for work and racket skills and I actually rely on him to coach some of our newer players.”

For students thinking about joining, his advice is simple: “Badminton is a sport anyone can start and get better at. It’s one of the most fun sports I’ve ever played.”

Written By: Atasha Mazon (Journalism Staff)