Marilee Garrett was determined to maintain a family tradition.
She is, with five friends.
Garrett, an Oswego senior, received her first badminton racket when she was 5 years old. Her older sister, Crystil, was a state doubles qualifier in 2008.
“I’d never been to state. It was a very big deal to get there,” Garrett said. “I always wanted to go.”
Garrett is indeed going to the state badminton tournament this weekend at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. She is leading a record six Oswego state qualifiers – both singles, and both doubles teams.
Garrett and junior Kate Pirc are singles qualifiers, with juniors Kiersten Lee and Jaidith Pick and seniors Adalynn Downing and Kylie Novak doubles qualifiers for the event that starts Friday.
It’s the culmination of quite a spring for an experienced group.
Oswego won its conference championship for the eighth time in 10 years, took first at the Glenbard South Invite and fourth at a 10-team tournament in Aurora.
“The team dynamic this year is the strongest it’s been since I’ve been here,” Downing said. “It’s rewarding to know that we’ll all be down there. I cried my eyes out, I was so proud.”
Downing and Novak had always played with doubles partners a year above them, but were paired together midway through last year.
Coincidentally, they also work together in retail at TJMaxx.
“It’s hilarious,” Downing said. “She’ll call me by my last name and they’ll wonder who she’s talking about. We talk quite often, have fun together. We get the job done at the end of the day.”
Garrett is convinced the girls can continue to get that job done this weekend.
“It will be tough, but we went this far – we have to finish,” Garrett said. “I think we can go far if we believe in ourselves, and believe in each other.”