RBHS seniors aim to advance to badminton state finals
Riverside-Brookfield Higher Faculty senior Claire Shanahan has the ideal sports set up in her backyard.
In the course of the summer season of 2019, she and fellow senior Alyssa Krivak employed the makeshift court docket for some severe badminton.
“In one week we played like 30 hours with 1 fowl,” Krivak mentioned. “The chook was all shredded to parts simply because we required to see how long we could enjoy with that bird.”
Just after a long time as close friends and gamers, the seniors will check out to share one more unforgettable badminton second — qualifying for their 1st condition satisfies immediately after lacking by a person sectional victory as a doubles staff in 2021.
The Bulldogs will compete at the Carl Sandburg Sectional this 7 days, wherever best-4 finishers advance to the IHSA state championships. Shanahan and Krivak are the team’s two singles entries. Seniors Alice Sylvie and Claire Harrison and senior Zona Evans and sophomore Katie DeJesus will engage in doubles.
“I’m extremely determined,” Shanahan said. “I’ve been actively playing given that I was 7. Just actively playing in my backyard was extremely aggressive. Playing below, I truly want to get at it and go to point out.”
“We’ve put in so significantly get the job done at practices and game titles and we had been so near last year. This year we’re so enthusiastic to set in almost everything for it,” Krivak claimed.
This is their 3rd whole varsity period. Scarcely into their original 2020 varsity year, the COVID-19 pandemic finished all spring sports activities.
During the normal period, Shanahan was mostly participating in No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles with Sylvie. Krivak was at No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles with Harrison.
At the 2021 sectional, Shanahan and Krivak received two of their initially three doubles matches, the 1st victory immediately after dropping the initially set. They dropped the condition-analyzing match 21-11, 21-10.
“I nevertheless mirror on it, but it is in the earlier and it just motivates us to transfer forward,” Krivak reported.
Shanahan’s backyard fuels her aggressive drive. Other than owning ample place to develop the badminton court docket, there is a fence the best peak to provide as web.
Shanahan and Krivak have played every single summer months considering that seventh grade. Shanahan also plays loved ones associates, mostly her father.
“Every single summer season, we’d just enjoy and play and he could by no means conquer me,” Shanahan claimed. “He gained the moment and I acquired so mad. Then I was like, ‘OK, no one’s at any time successful yet again.’ ”
At RBHS, the seniors started on the freshman stage. Shanahan was elated simply currently being able to follow with the varsity.
Midway by way of the 2019 time, Shanahan was promoted to junior varsity to enjoy No. 3 singles for an invitational.
She took to start with place. Krivak also acquired the JV phone and was 3rd at No. 2 doubles with Sylvie.
“I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh. I do not just get to practice with the varsity,’” Shanahan reported. “Playing with anyone on the workforce is a excellent point to do and connect with everybody in the system.”
