Student Council’s newest event includes a badminton tournament, where students and teachers will battle it out in the gym during advising. Starting Nov. 11, all participating teams will play their first round of the tournament.
Stuco has taken it upon themselves that they would like to expand their planning this school year past dances. They are aiming to plan a fun event for students and staff to take part in every month.
They came up with the idea of a badminton tournament as it would be something to look forward to as school reaches its final stretch to Thanksgiving break. “We wanted to plan an event for the fall and were going back and forth over which sport we should do, and we landed on badminton,” said Student Council member Delaney Reuter. Stuco was deciding between dodgeball, volleyball, and badminton. They ultimately chose badminton because it was the quickest set-up and take-down. They also thought that it would gain the most interest from students and staff.
Stuco created a bracket with all teams signed up, and then scheduled games to be played during advising. The schedule is spaced out over the next two weeks, as only six courts can be going at once. The bracket is single elimination, so all students are guaranteed at least one game. The final two teams will battle it out in the championship the Thursday before break. Stuco has built this game into the fall assembly, allowing for the entire school to watch the finals.
Stuco put flyers up and announced the tournament two weeks before the deadline. There was no telling how many teams were going to sign up, as Stuco had never done an event like this before. They were pleasantly surprised though with over 40 teams signing up to participate. These teams consisted of mostly student teams, but some of them included teacher duos.
Many students were excited upon hearing the news of the tournament, and the fact that it was held during advising. Students usually have free time during this period, so many were excited for something to look forward to during this time. “I thought it would be really fun,” said Evelyn South (26). “We also had just done it in P.E. so I was already dialed in.” South’s confidence is not unique, as many teams have the utmost confidence in their badminton abilities. This tournament seems to be not only a test of badminton talent but also trash-talk. Teams have already begun using this tactic in hopes to “psych” out their opponents.
The badminton tournament required a $5 entry fee, and this money is going to be put to use by Stuco. Since the school already had badminton nets and rackets, there was no need for Stuco to purchase the supplies. The only money that had to be put back into the tournament was for the birdies. The profit Stuco gained from this tournament will be used for a later event they have planned. They are currently thinking of using the money for a hot cocoa bar the week before Christmas break.
The first badminton tournament planned by the Student Council will definitely leave a positive impact on students and teachers’ days. It will also benefit them because their money will be put to good use. Stuco’s creative ideas are helping make the school a fun place, and it’s interesting to see what they will come up with next.
