LOCKPORT – When girls badminton coach Denise Hadley started her career at Lockport, she might not have envisioned what it would become.

So far in 32 years, she has led Lockport to one state championship, two third-place finishes, one singles championship, one doubles championship, 21 state appearances and 17 sectional titles.

At the end of the year, the veteran coach and teacher will retire, but her team already is making it a memorable final season.

Last Thursday, Hadley watched her two singles players and two doubles teams battle in the sectional finals, and all six of her players will be at state for the last time this weekend.

So what does it take to build such a successful program?

“If you work hard with the kids and teach them the game, you get the support like we did from the Lockport administration, and you get those athletes out, you can compete with anybody,” Hadley said. “Now it’s just the icing on the cake.

“Sectionals are hard because if you don’t play well, you’re not going to make it. Will we win state as a team? Probably not, but as long as we play hard and have fun, it’ll be a great experience.”

When Hadley started her education career 33 years ago, she coached volleyball under Julie Hudson. She learned how to demand things from her athletes without pushing them too far, and she brought that attitude to badminton.

That resulted in big things for the program.

In 1988, Hadley’s first medalist, Jenny Ebenroth, finished second in the state, and in ’89, she finished third. In 1990, Tammy Bartley and Kerri Rak became Lockport’s’ first state champion doubles team, and the Porters got third in the state overall. Five years later, in 1995, Lockport won its state title, and the following year, they took third and Adrienne Davis won the singles title. The year after that, Davis took second.

“The kids bought into it, the parents bought into it,” Hadley said. “You demand things, and you work hard and get them on board with what you’re trying to teach them while having fun and that’s what I’ve done for the 32 years. It’s seemed to work. The parents are very supportive and they come back and love it.”

Andrew badminton coach Terry TerHaar – who won six state titles – was also a big influence for Hadley. TerHaar taught Hadley about coaching and like every coach in the SouthWest Suburban Conference, they had a friendly but competitive relationship.

Having that relationship with TerHaar might be the reason why Hadley remembered one of his singles players: Jill Albright.

Years after she played for TerHaar, Albright came to Lockport to look for a position as a coach, and she’s still coaching for the Porters 13 years later.

“I was able to come in under coach Hadley who’s been here for 32 years, and I really think it is a privilege,” Albright said. “I was with Andrew High School and was a part of their state championship team in ‘94. My senior year, I played singles and it was that year in ‘95 that Lockport won. When I got back in touch with Hadley, she remembered me from my senior year and playing her school. It was amazing to have that type of memory,

“It’s been an honor to work underneath her and learn from her and see how committed and dedicated she’s been to this school and what it takes to run such a phenomenal program year after year. I think that’s what I have to say about Lockport badminton, it represents the hard work that the head coach has put into it.”

Albright coaches at the sophomore level but also plays a role in coaching singles players throughout the program, while Hadley focuses on doubles partners.

Hadley and Albright are dedicated to coaching athletic players who are driven to get better. They also teach the players good technique so they can play either singles or doubles. Once they decide which game fits each player’s skills the most, both coaches do everything to make sure that everyone played to their highest potential.

Since they had success together as a coaching pair, originally, they planned to leave together. Now, there’s a possibility Albright might take the reins from her mentor.

“I would love to be able to stay with Lockport,” Albright said. “At first I thought that it might be best to leave with her and that was our initial intention, but there is a physical education position open at the school for the upcoming year. If I am able to get hired here, I would love to continue to work within the Lockport badminton program. I have my interest letter in for continuing to be a part of the program and possibly coaching varsity. I have a lot of support from the family and teachers and friends of the players, so I’m hoping that can continue. As far as my future plans, if I can continue at Lockport, I would absolutely love to.

“It’s become a community for me. It’s become a home. I just feel very passionate about it. Even as we’re talking about it now, I just can’t help thinking about all the different players and different people that I’ve met here at the school and how incredible it is to be in education.

“I want to take the program and continue the legacy that Hadley has with it, and because I’ve been with the program for so many years, I think I can do that.”

What a legacy it has been.

Even though it will be hard for Hadley to leave it behind, she plans to help coaches throughout the area with their programs. With her passion for the sport, it would be nearly impossible for her to completely leave the sport, but she’ll always remember her career with Lockport.

“I have great kids. They love badminton and it’s been a great career,” Hadley said.