Sophie Allen | The Chronicle
Rackets, rallies and shuttlecocks bring a new lively energy on the courts, thanks to Mason High School’s (MHS) brand-new Badminton Club. Since the club’s formation only a few months ago, it has quickly become 50+ members strong with a mix of seasoned players and those who had previously never touched a racket.
Badminton Club began as an idea for MHS sophomore (and current club president) Amey Tilkari as early as middle school, though his freshman year was when he began formally pursuing the club. This year he has finally made headway and in January the club was opened to students.
“I wanted to teach others who were interested in playing [badminton],” Tilkari said. “I wanted to gather a community in which everyone can understand each other and can create a kind of bond from the sport itself.”
Tilkari has been playing badminton on his own for over eight years and shares this pastime with his father, Santosh Tilkari. Through extensive background checks and cooperation with the Student Activities Office, Santosh was able to work with his son and become the advisor for the club.
“There was no teacher who was [available] to give their time,” Tilkari said. “I was looking for mainly sport teachers who would [be able to help], but I never found one. So in order to progress forward, I decided to ask my dad.”
Finding an advisor was not the only hurdle Tilkari faced. Other issues like equipment costs had to be addressed first, as Tilkari said he worried the fees might drive away potential members. Most recently, Tilkari has faced the added challenge of finding other teams to play against.
“I did some research to find schools that play badminton and unfortunately, there isn’t any near us,” Tilkari said. “There weren’t a lot of people around [Mason] who play, and that’s something that hurts, because that’s the fun part.”
Despite being limited in who they are able to play against, the dynamics within the Club have been just as competitive and fulfilling for the members. Tilkari said he encourages them to branch out from their usual social groups and meet new people through club events and tournaments.
“When you play doubles, which is 2v2, that [forms] a strong relationship,” Tilkari said. “Sometimes more people play, like 5v5 or 6v6, and that’s really how connections start building.”
The large influx of beginner badminton players joining the club came as a pleasant surprise, said Tilkari. With his extensive background in the sport, Tilkari has a strong interest in teaching others how to play. The balanced mix of new and experienced players is conducive to the learning environment.
“I really was thinking that we would have around just like 10 to 15 people, but I did try my best to get as many people as possible,” said Tilkari. “We didn’t expect a lot to come in. But now, there are nearly 50 people who come to the Club [consistently].”
Much of this growth can be credited to their social media and outreach managers Sree Sagiraju and Mithra Manoranjitham Gajendran. Both are MHS freshmen with prior badminton experience, which they said motivated them to sign up for leadership positions and help grow the club.
Since becoming leaders, Sagiraju and Gajendran have explored various mediums and platforms to advertise the club: social media, workshops, and even reaching out to students at Mason Middle School (MMS), which they said they hoped would give incoming high schoolers a place to look forward to. Sagirju said they have found the most success in hosting badminton Connect sessions.
“After the initial rush of people joining, I felt like there was nobody,” Gajendran said. “But after we started up the Connect sessions, we started getting a lot more [members] frequently, so I think they do a great job.”
Now, weekly Connect session meetings have become a staple for the Badminton Club. Located in the Field House, Sagiraju said that they provide an opportunity for new players and potential members to try out badminton and get a feel for the club’s atmosphere before diving in.
“You can join whenever you want, and even if you’re a beginner, it’s totally okay,” Sagiraju said. “That’s why you’re here—so you can learn.”
Rather than being an official sport of MHS, Sagiraju said that keeping it as a club helps things stay casual and approachable, a focus for the leadership team. President Tilkari said that whether a member is a beginner or a seasoned player, the club’s main goal is to provide connection and community.
“It’s been rewarding to see the Badminton Club grow so quickly and spark interest among students,” admin Santosh Tilkari said. “Amey worked hard to bring this vision to life, and his passion has driven its success. I look forward to the leadership team continuing to grow the club, develop their skills, and keep it inclusive so everyone feels welcome.”
