Student athletes Emmerson Wilson and Avery Horner will fly the Hal High flag at OFSAA next week, continuing the school’s long history of success in badminton.
The Grade 12ers will travel to Port Hope for the four-day competition May 10. They will compete in the senior pairs bracket against the best up-and-coming talent in the province. Fresh off a silver medal at COSSA – the regional championships – last week, the two are excited to hit the court and test their mettle against their fellow shuttlecock enthusiasts.
“This is my first full year of playing badminton – I’ve loved it. It’s been a really exciting season for us. When we first started, we were just hoping to make it to the Kawartha championships. But we meshed well, started to find our groove as a team and then the belief kicked in,” Wilson said. “It’s so amazing to make it to OFSAA.”
Given this is the duo’s first year playing together, The Highlander asked about their secret to success.
“It probably helps that we’re best friends, so working together on the court hasn’t been a problem,” Horner said. “We’re able to play to one another’s strengths really well and help and encourage each other when we’re out there.”
The girls won three of their four games at COSSA, at St. Peter’s Catholic School in Peterborough April 27. They secured a silver medal with a hard-fought win over a rival school from Belleville.
Wilson said the pressure was on heading into the final set, with a place at provincials on the line.
“That’s when I perform at my best, though. I love the pressure, the big moments. I was excited for us to show what we could do,” she said. “I didn’t let myself overthink it, we just focused on the basics, playing our game, and seeing where that took us. It was probably our strongest performance [of the season].”
The pair have been coached this season by Mike Gaffney and Bob Schmidt, with Jason Morissette assisting. Morissette said he was proud of the girls for achieving something they didn’t think possible at the beginning of the season.
He noted qualifying for the provincial championships sets a good example to the school’s younger players.
“It’s huge for the junior group, seeing what’s possible if you really put in the work. Emmerson and Avery have been excellent students of the game. They’ve put in the time during practices, and we’re seeing that pay off now. I couldn’t be happier for them.”
While securing another medal, this time at the provincial level, would be the stuff of dreams for the pair, Horner said they’re just savouring the moment and putting any ideas of winning to the back of their minds.
“I just want to see how we stack up, if we’re able to compete,” she said. “At OFSAA, we won’t be playing against other schools our size, we’re playing against the best players from the best schools. It’s going to be a great challenge.”
“I just want to see how we stack up, if we’re able to compete,” she said. “At OFSAA, we won’t be playing against other schools our size, we’re playing against the best players from the best schools. It’s going to be a great challenge.”
OFSAA kicks off in Port Hope May 11, hosted by the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association. For more information, visit ofsaa.on.ca/championship/ badminton.
