MID-WINTER BADMINTON IN WISCONSIN

28 February 1987

by Brooks Brenneis

In spite of badminton's obscure profile as a competitive sport and frequent confusion with the summertime outdoor version, there are small pockets of intense interest and devotion to the indoor sport. While some of these pockets are made up of high-level players associated with clubs on the East and West coasts_{, there} are other pockets, hidden away in the Midwest, of club level players who make up for in enthusiasm what they may lack in decisive strokes.

One of these pockets is in Madison, Wisconsin. The commitment of people like Sandy Norton and. the influx of gifted Asian and European students has reinforced interest beyond the University to a community which has had a recreational indoor badminton program for over 30 years. The Badger State Games, one of the few Olympic-type state games to include badminton, has also demonstrated an Impressive degree of popular interest in badminton and drawn in more players, especially juniors.

Consequently, it is not a complete surprise that one of the most popular events of the Wisconsin badminton season is mid-winter tournament for novice and intermediate players sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Badminton Club. The second annual Brooks’ Badger Badminton Bash, held at the University on 28 February 1987, was designed to give club players a taste of tournament action and also a chance to face higher-level competition without feeling intimidated. Seventy competitors from Madison, Milwaukee, and even Chicago and Rockford, Illinois entered the tornement, filling a draw of 16 in Open Singles and Doubles, and Mixed Doubles.

Highlights were many and varied: In the open singles, the steady and error-free play of David Neves took him to the top. Two juniors were also impressive in their play. 16 year old David Brenneis, after losing to his doubles partner Neves in a spirited match, entered the B finals to face his Mixed Doubles partner Amy Lubeck. Brenneis showed little sympathy in a strong victory. In addition, Paul Collier, a 13 year old, impressed many with his scrappy play and pushed C finalist Fred Coleman to the limit in three games in the C semis.

Four good teams played close semi-finals in the A Open Doubles, setting up a 3 game match between Mohan/Samu and Robinson/Meade. Deftness and deception characterized the play of the former while the latter worked with Meade’s flawless frontcourt play and Robinson’s smashes and drops. Trailing 8-13 in the third, Robinson refused to lose and overpowered everything Mohan /Samu put over the net. The team of Black and Gu, although they fell in the C semis, covered the court with tireless dashes and dives to the pleasure of the audience.

In a closely fought 3-game match, self-proclaimed “beginner” Mary Blandino took charge of Women’s Singles and ended her first tournament by winning the As. In the doubles, Amy Lubeck and Leslie Mueller were the class of the competition and advanced easily to the A championship.

While many matches in other events were tight and even, the Mixed Doubles finals produced three close matches which could have gone either way. The day’s action closed out with an epic 3-game match in the C finals with the team of Dan Kosierowski and Margie Wanta defeating Gilbert Melendrez and April Buol. Spectators, as well as competitors, enjoyed this kind of spirited even play.

Results: Brooks’ Badger Badminton Bash

Open Singles:

A: David Neves def. Ghaffa Hamzah, 15-9, 15-9

B: David Brenneis def. Amy Lubeck 15-4, 15-11

C: Chor Lim def. Fred Coleman 6-15, 15-10, 15-1

D: Dan Kosierowski def. Rick Wollin 15-11, 15-1

Women’s Singles:

A: Mary Blandino def. Jessica Dempsey 7-11, 13-12, 11-3

B: Marge Gozdowiak def. B.J. Whitlock 11-5, 11-4

Open doubles:

A: Robinson Meade def. Mohan/Samu 15-12, 9-15, 17-14

B: Wang/Lee def. Engle Kookasemkit 15-10, 15-9

C: Chan/Zagrodnick def. Hepworth/Walton 18-15, 15-11

D: Kosierowski/Troesch vs. Wehnes/Fabos (no score)

Women’s Doubles:

A: Lubeck/Mueller def. Duncan Shallcross 15-2, 15-7

B: Wanta/Gozdowiak def. Baker/Cartledge 8-15, 15-12, 15-11

Mixed Doubles:

A: Verghese/Blandino def. D. Brenneis/Lubeck 15-5, 15-9

B: Duncan/Walton def. Peterson/Kookasemkit 11-15, 15-3, 15-9

C: Kosierowski/Wanta def. Melendrez/Buol 9-15, 15-9, 15-9

D: Woodruff/Lackey def. Esdale/Warren 17-15, 15-11