On one side of the gym, students casually take a swing at the birdie, high-fiving each another after scoring a point. On the other side of the gym, one student quickly slams the birdie, creating the crisp sound of birdie smacking racket, and waits focused and attentive for his opponent’s return.

“Badminton is a fast-paced, nonviolent sport that is played by a lot of different countries in the world,” said Spanish teacher Ric Calleja, the badminton club’s adviser. “It allows students from different backgrounds to come together and do something physical and fun.”

The club was founded in 1990. It has about 40 registered members, with about 20 members that come eager to play badminton each X-block.

According to Calleja, even if you are a beginner at badminton, you can acquire the skills quickly and get exercise right away.

Senior Sen-Kai Yang, the club’s president, believes that one of the benefits of badminton is that you do not have to be athletic to be good at the sport.

“It’s a fair sport, not like basketball where you have to be really athletic,” said Yang. “Just practice and patience. And it’s fun.”

There are three courts at the club. Advanced players, intermediates and beginners each take one.

“Other people just want to come hit the birdie because it’s a nice relaxing thing to do,” said Calleja. “That’s what’s nice about the club: it allows for different kinds of skills and different kinds of students.”

Freshman Robert Mast uses the Badminton Club as a fun activity to do with friends during X-block.

“It’s really low-key, and that’s what makes it fun.” said Mast.

Other members like senior Leon Li go to Badminton Club for the fun of competing against fellow members.

“If you play people at the same level as you, and you win a game, you can have a sense of achievement,” said Li.

The Badminton Club meets every X-block in the Tappan Gymnasium, but some members believe that there should be more time for the club to play.

Members like Li want to open a gym after school so the club can have more time to play. Alumnus Tevin Texeria, a four-year veteran of the club and its former president, visited during winter vacation because he loves the exciting atmosphere. He also wants the club to meet more.

“If it met more, so many people would be exposed to badminton, and I assume they would love it as much as we do,” said Texeria, currently a freshman at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.

Right now, however, the club is still limited to the time it has during X-block.

“Hopefully down the line, schools will have it like the way we have volleyball or tennis,” said Calleja. “But right now, we don’t have that.”

Jennifer Sun can be contacted at [email protected].