A Whakatāne High School badminton team claimed both gold and silver at the Bay of Plenty Championships in Tauranga last weekend. The squad was made up of 16 junior and 8 senior players, with many experiencing competition for the first time.

Faith Xeia Panganiban, one of the few players to compete in the junior and senior sections, has been playing the sport for only a year.
“This was my first time competing and a lot of fun. I’m pretty stoked to come away with a gold medal,” she said.

The senior girls’ division one competition proved particularly tough, with Whakatāne High battling John Paul College for the top spot.

Coach and sports coordinator Renske Forsyth said she was thrilled with her teams’ performance.

“For the newer players, the whole experience was a real eye-opener. Both the junior and senior teams played exceptionally well, especially the senior girls. They went beyond expectations to claim the gold medal, so I’m super proud,” she said.

Forsyth also acknowledged the strength of the badminton programmes at Awakeri and Whakatāne Intermediate School, run by Will Doney, which continue to feed talented players into the high school level.
“We have a really young team, so we won’t be losing too many players next year. I’m hoping we can keep building on what they’ve already learned but it’s so good to see players arriving at the school who already have a good idea on how to play,” she said.

This week, Forsyth is leading a team of five juniors and five seniors at the Secondary Schools’ Championships at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua.
“We’re here for the experience. It’s a chance for our players to see what badminton looks like at this level. Some of the competitors have professional coaches and a lot of resources, so it’s fantastic to bring a group from our small town to Wellington and show them what the sport has to offer.”

Never one to rest, Forsyth will head to Auckland once the tournament finishes to pursue her own ambitions in the Masters competition.