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Badminton squad continues pursuit of excellence

BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW [email protected] The Cambrian Golden Shield badminton team is on the hunt for more provincial and national glory.
BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW

The Cambrian Golden Shield badminton team is on the hunt for more provincial and national glory.

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Glendon Thomas and Stacey Michaels will be looking for back-to-back national mixed doubles titles this season. They?re two of several outstanding players on the Cambrian team this year.
For the last nine years, the team has captured at least one medal at the provincial championships and for the last eight years, the team has hoisted at least one medal at nationals.

It is, by far, the most prolific athletics program in Cambrian College history.

Last year at the provincial championships, the team won the overall team points championship, three gold medals, one silver, and one bronze.

At the national championships, Golden Shield members took home one gold medal, one silver and one bronze.
The team is looking to continue its excellent performance this season.

With returning national mixed doubles champions Stacey Michaels and Glendon Thomas, national women?s singles silver medalist Christine Guillemette and a strong supporting cast, head coach Rob McCann is sure another outstanding season is in the cards.

?We want to win a provincial team trophy again,? said McCann. ?We also want to qualify as many players as possible for nationals.?

The team is ranked third in the country, the same position they?ve been in for the last three consecutive years.

McCann is hoping to improve the ranking.

?We have the talent to reach number one,? said McCann. ?To accomplish that, we would have to win three gold medals at nationals. I think we have the team to do it this year.?

There will be stiff competition for the Golden Shield.

?In Ontario, Seneca College is our rival and they have a strong men?s team this year,? said McCann. ?Nationally,
Mount Royal College is the competition to beat. They?re right beside the national badminton training centre and get a lot of great players from there.?

McCann feels a bit of pressure to continue the excellence.

?There?s pressure because you want to keep streaks going,? said McCann. ?There?s pressure to get players in that will improve the current players we have. You don?t want to go backwards.?

The team is lead by veterans Thomas and Michaels. Both want back-to-back national success, but know it will not come easy.

Thomas, 22, is more hungry this year and is looking forward to playing with Michaels again.

?We?re looking for a repeat performance and nothing less,? said Thomas. ?I attack a lot and Stacey?s great on the net, so our game comes together naturally.?

Thomas, a Toronto native, is honoured to be part of Cambrian?s rich badminton history.

?I am very proud to be part of this team,? said Thomas. ?It?s the reason I came to Cambrian and it?s been great.?


Michaels, 22, is also hoping to recapture a national title.

?It?s hard to beat last year,? said Michaels. ?Our goal is first to make it to nationals, and then try our hardest to win again. It?s all you can ask for is to repeat.?

Michaels, a Calgary native, is proud to play for the Golden Shield.

?It?s special knowing they?ve done so well over the years,? said Michaels. ?The reputation of the school is well known and it?s nice when you go to tournaments.?

Ryan Rows hoisted a bronze medal at the provincials last year and is looking to improve.

?My main goal is to win provincials and go to nationals,? said Rows. ?It will take a lot of training on and off the
court to achieve it.?

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