The Yorkton Regional High School (YRHS) hosted the regional senior high school badminton playoffs. Tournament coordinator, YRHS team coach Randy Schuster says the region took in four surrounding districts. The local East Central District covers the Good Spirit School Division. The Southeast has Oxbow, Weyburn, Estevan, Yellow Grass and area. The Fort Qu'Appelle area has Notre Dame, Whitewood, North Valley, Southey and Balgonie. The Horizon district has players from Englefeld, Foam Lake, Annahiem, Raymore and the surrounding area.
There were 64 athletes competing in five categories, says Schuster. Competition involved boys' and girls' singles, boys' and girls' doubles and mixed doubles events. The top two winners in each of the events advanced to the provincial badminton championships in Biggar next weekend.
YRHS had three teams competing in boys' doubles, girls' singles and boys' singles. Sacred Heart High School also had three teams competing in boys' doubles, girls' singles and mixed doubles. "They're number one and we're number two to them in mixed doubles," Schuster notes.
One team from Melville, two from Esterhazy and one from Canora rounded out the East Central District contingent, Schuster adds.
Because of a shift in the athletic Calendar this year, the badminton season hasn't really been much of a season for his team, Schuster states. The YRHS squad had total of nine practices and five tournaments this year, he points out. Interest in badminton was fairly high with 32 participants. "We were successful as far as tournament play went. The season was relatively short and kind of what the kids brought with them into the season was what they ended up with," he explains.
Schuster thanks Emma Lockhart and Tato Crisanto for their help running the tournament. "I do the score sheet and look after the scores and they run the tournament," he closes.
