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Girls badminton: DeKalb badminton continues successful season led by group of four Barbs

DeKALB – Holly Trapp first picked up a badminton racket during sixth grade in physical education class, where she met Hui Zhu. As the saying goes, the rest was history. Trapp and Zhu instantly clicked on the court, and the pair became best friends. Zhu, who learned the sport at 4 years old, gave Trapp pointers during each class session, and their friendship continued to grow off the court.

During their freshman year at DeKalb, they both joined the badminton team and played together on the same doubles team. Zhu remembers her and Trapp lost a handful of matches that season and success was harder to come by.  Trapp and Zhu’s hard work has paid off as seniors. DeKalb’s lead doubles team currently boasts a record of 22-0 and a combined singles record of 22-0. Their success has been contagious around the team. Fellow senior Helene Collin and sophomore Enzo Liou, DeKalb’s second lead doubles team, is also undefeated at 13-0. Liou, Collin, Zhu and Trapp are a combined 55-1 in singles play and 35-0 in doubles.  What’s the secret ingredient to an almost flawless season?  “We’re just having fun,” Trapp said. “It’s our senior year so we have to do it big.” (Photos by)

By JOSH TOLENTINO

During their freshman year at DeKalb, they both joined the badminton team and played together on the same doubles team. Zhu remembers her and Trapp lost a handful of matches that season and success was harder to come by.  Trapp and Zhu’s hard work has paid off as seniors. DeKalb’s lead doubles team currently boasts a record of 22-0 and a combined singles record of 22-0. Their success has been contagious around the team. Fellow senior Helene Collin and sophomore Enzo Liou, DeKalb’s second lead doubles team, is also undefeated at 13-0. Liou, Collin, Zhu and Trapp are a combined 55-1 in singles play and 35-0 in doubles.  What’s the secret ingredient to an almost flawless season?  “We’re just having fun,” Trapp said. “It’s our senior year so we have to do it big.” (Photos by)

Fun isn’t hard to come by for the DeKalb badminton team. On Monday during a dual meet against Larkin, Trapp won her single match in straight sets with a pair of 21-1 victories. Even after her wins, she kept the mood light, immediately running over to the opposing player to give her a high-five and say thank you.  Trapp’s teammates followed her lead, as DeKalb was nearly perfect in singles and doubles matches against Larkin, winning, 14-1. The Barbs’ top two doubles teams also won a bigger tournament last weekend at York.  “We’re cherishing the moments during these last few months together,” Zhu said. “Every single day, we practice for two hours, and I’m trying to make the most of it and have as much fun as possible."

While Trapp, Zhu and Collin have enjoyed the luxury of playing together for the past three years, Liou is a foreign exchange student and only competing for the Barbs during her sophomore year before she moves back to Taiwan next season. Similar to Zhu, Liou began playing badminton at a very young age when she was 3 years old. The team has thrived off her success during her lone season for the Barbs. “We wanted Enzo right away,” Trapp said. “The first day we all instantly became friends. She’s taught us a lot more drills. She’s a sophomore and she’s younger for us, but she’s having a lot of fun. She brings the bubbly aspect to our group. “That’s how it’s worked all around. (DeKalb badminton) has allowed me to make so many new friends. It’s made me such a better person. I’m more outgoing and more sociable because of my teammates.”

First-year DeKalb badminton coach Zachary Effler applauded his top four players’ performance and said their impact goes beyond this season. “Their record speaks for itself as far as what they bring to us to make us competitive,” Effler said. “What is less obvious is what they contribute away from the winning record. They’ve brought up and helped younger players who will replace them when they leave.” Trapp, Zhu, Collin, Liou and the Barbs continue their season Saturday when they travel to Thornton Fractional South to compete in a six-team tournament. Asked if the quad’s combined record of 90-1 record adds any extra pressure heading into the next match, Zhu just laughed.  “I don’t think anyone is perfect,” she said. “We all have our flaws. But we work hard during our practices and our games and the hard work has paid off. We’re having fun.”