Badminton Team Started at William B. Orenic School

From Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C:

JOLIET, IL — For the first year, William B. Orenic Intermediate School has its own badminton team. Coaches Kaitlin Curran and Alex Pokorny said they started small, with a short, co-ed intramural season this spring, and there was so much positive feedback that they may investigate expanding the program.

“I’m looking forward to the future of badminton at Troy,” Curran said. “I hope to be able to expand it to the middle school and get high school students and coaches to come see or demonstrate a game at one of our practices.”

Curran was a badminton state champion at Andrew High School in 2005 and said she loved bringing the sport to Troy Community School District 30-C.

Fifth-grader Josh Prosise said he enjoyed playing badminton at W.B.O.

“It’s really fun,” he said. “I’ve never tried badminton.”

Fifth-grader Tyler Moore said not many people know about badminton.

“I like how all of the teammates get to know each other and have fun,” he said.

Sydney Lukancic, also in fifth grade, said she had never heard of the sport.

“I signed up because my favorite teacher is Miss Curran, and she’s the coach,” she said, “and we can play with friends and meet new people.”

William B. Orenic Intermediate School students Ramon Rios, Spencer Chow and Christian Sandoval, here with coaches Kaitlin Curran and Alex Pokorny, are three of the 22 athletes who participated in the school’s first year of badminton. | image via Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C