THUNDER BAY – The sport of badminton is in its infancy in Thunder Bay.
But it’s growing, said Kayo Lake, competing for the Northern Ontario Badminton Association team at the Ontario Winter Games this weekend.
Seeing the sport at the provincial level is an amazing experience, expounded by the fact that he’s playing in his hometown, at Superior Collegiate Vocational Institute, just minutes from where he attends Grade 11 at Hammarskjold High School.
“I’ve loved every second of it. The team has been awesome and the competition has been so good,” said the multisport athlete, who also plays hockey and basketball.
“Badminton is pretty small in Northern Ontario still. We’re trying to grow it. There are people like my coach who have started clubs and inspired a lot of kids to get out and start playing the sport, which has started growing the sport a little bit,” Lake said.
“Stuff like hosting the Winter Games is certainly going to help grow the sport in our region.”
It’s the individuality of the sport that has drawn him to the game of badminton.
“I’m big on team sports. I play hockey and volleyball and basketball. I really like the individual-ness of badminton because I play mostly singles. But what I do love about the Games is we have a team and it’s a team sport too,” said Lake, who is 1-2 in his three matches to date at the Games.
Players are competing in a variety of different events, including singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Each team has five players and an alternate.
Thunder Bay’s Fergus Kerr is also a member of the NOBA team, and as a student at Superior Collegiate, is the only competitor with a true home-court advantage.
He’s loving every second of the Games.
“The experience has been great at the Games. My team has been super fun to be with. I’ve only met them once before, so it’s nice to get to see them again,” Kerr said.
“It’s nice to have the home advantage. Playing in my own gym, I get to know the gym, know the courts a bit better, so that’s always fun,” Kerr said.
Being around the top athletes in the province is a challenge, but it’s also why athletes work so hard, he said.
To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best.
“It’s just amazing to watch some of these athletes. They’re so cool and collected and everything they do is just so calculated. It’s great to play against them, you get so much experience.”
The medal-round matches are slated for Monday at Superior Collegiate, starting at 12:30 p.m.
