This 2025 girls varsity badminton season was a great success, and undoubtedly one worth celebrating. The girls demonstrated endless hard work, dedication, individual growth, and victories. Most importantly, the team was knit together by their close relations and exhilarating positivity. The girls ended their season with an astonishing record, and even sent 2 athletes to state: the first ever badminton athletes in Niles North history to ever qualify for state.
The season was definitely a strong one, as the players were much stronger and better compared to the years before.
“Overall the varsity team this year is in the best shape since the program has started here at North,” Senior Samreen Khan said.
Senior Lauren Klaus, co-captain of the varsity team, feels likewise regarding the state of the team.
“This varsity season and team has been the farthest we’ve ever gotten and that has made me so happy,” Klaus said.
In addition to overall team success, several players exhibited immense personal victories.
“I received gold in conference doubles and silver in singles,” Klaus said. “I was also a sectional qualifier.”
The team also had a whopping 2 state qualifiers this year, Ashley So and Dasha Yu. Both athletes displayed outstanding skill and performance at sectionals, placing 2nd and 3rd which ultimately sent them to state. So and Yu were the first ever badminton players at Niles North to ever qualify for state.
With all these victories, several team members are already thinking about the future and legacy of the girls badminton team.
“Ashley is only a sophomore and has a very promising next 2 years ahead of her,” Klaus said.
“We also have a big graduating senior class so it’s exciting to see how the team carries on over the next few years.”
Being a senior, Khan is sad to leave, but wants all future players to experience the same success that she got to have.
“I think what’s super important for future players to remember is that this is a mental game where you need to tell your body to move despite how tired you are,” Khan said.
