Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon those entering the Seaview Gymnasium will find themselves amidst a lively game of badminton.

Daryl Yulianto leads the badminton club here at Edmonds Community College, which meets twice a week from 1:00 p.m to 2:30 p.m. Yulianto has been managing the club and it’s activities since September of this year after he took over from the previous club leaders.

“When thinking about sports, they often refer to sports like basketball, not badminton” stated Yulianto. He cites the sport’s novelty as a driving factor in his decision to continue the club.

Yulianto’s culture and his home country also play a big role in his love for badminton. After moving from Indonesia last year, he was surprised to find that badminton is not as popular here compared to how it is in Indonesia.

“In Indonesia, badminton is very popular and what they are known for,” says Yulianto. “Indonesia ranks No. 1 in the world for men’s doubles.”

Besides playing during club hours, Yulianto usually plans to play it every Friday and Sunday. He not only enjoys the sport because of its novelty, but also “because it is very fast paced”.”

While Yulianto is the group leader of the badminton club, he finds that the club is usually led by all the members. Since his Tuesday classes end a little late, his friends, who also are part of the club and play badminton, would help set up the nets and prepare the racks so that people can come and play.

Another member of the badminton club, Agatha Cynthia, is also from Indonesia. The sport was a very prominent aspect of her childhood.

“I have been taking lessons since I was 12 years old,” said Cynthia. “My dad likes to play badminton too and it made me want to learn and play more.”

One of Cynthia’s favorite memories that she can recall while playing badminton was the bond that she created with her father back in Indonesia.

When she was younger, she and her dad would always play badminton together. She would take her lessons on weekdays, and then she would play badminton with her dad on the weekends.

“I once thought I wanted to play professionally,” said Cynthia. “I ended up having a lot of school work, and it takes a lot of time and dedication.”

Cynthia prefers to play when she is only playing for fun, rather than competing. Yulianto intends on keeping the badminton club a club friendly group so that “everyone can have fun,” as being on a competitive team is a lot more pressure for the players.

The badminton club here at EdCC has allowed Cynthia and Yulianto to stay connected to their country despite being on the other side of the world. Whether you have a passion for the sport, you just want to make some friends, or you need to have some fun after a stressful day of classes, the badminton club might be the place for you!