The crisp “thwack” of a racket striking the birdie, a triumphant “C’mon!” from the players, and a roar from the crowd marked the moment the Great Neck South Girls badminton team clinched their third consecutive Long Island Championship. But the work doesn’t stop there. With new players stepping up for the next season, the journey begins with the same goal in mind: to defend their title and continue their legacy of success.

The girls badminton program is one of South’s most successful programs. About 60 to 80 students try out for the team each year (more students than any other athletic program at South). The Lady Rebels, alongside Head Coach Allison Gottfried, strive to achieve a competitive yet positive atmosphere.

Coach Gottfried emphasizes four important criterias on her try-out rubric.

“[The rubric] includes agility, different shots, clears, drops, smashes, low serve, and high serve. We have a footwork drill where I have them go to each corner [of the court], and then gameplay,” Coach Gottfried said.

As an experienced badminton player, Coach Gottfried highlighted the importance of playing with the correct technique.

“A student or player can grow depending on their technique, which is a huge factor when deciding who makes the varsity team,” Coach Gottfried said.

Before the season even starts, the girls already set themselves up for success. Most of the badminton players practice either at Long Island Sports Center or Long Island Badminton Center. Their intensive training prepares, both physically and mentally, for the upcoming badminton season.

“A lot of us play during the offseason, which translates to wins during the season,” said Senior Adora Cho, a captain of the team. Their dedication doesn’t just improve individual skills, but it also sets a strong foundation for the team’s training environment.

Cho, attributed the team’s success to how practices are intentionally designed to build both fundamentals and match-ready instincts.

“The younger players are developing their skill sets in practice as we work on their weaknesses, which will benefit us in the long run,” Cho said.

Each practice starts with fitnesses to improve the player’s footwork, followed by drills that work on the player’s consistency and accuracy. The drills feature specific shot combinations, such as drop shot (a shot that lands just over and close to the net), clear (a shot hit deep to the opponent’s backcourt), and smash (an attacking shot hit with power that travels downwards to the opponent), to benefit the players in a game-play situation. Along with drills, Coach Gottfried and the captains also remind players about fundamentals in every practice.

“We do different things repetitively, and repetition allows the students to become more accurate,” Coach Gottfried said. “We also try to enforce simple things. You will not see anybody who’s receiving a serve with their racket down in our gym.”

That level of discipline and attention to detail translated into intense practices. The lineup shifts based on challenge matches, fueling a drive among players to improve. For example, freshmen Emily Zhang and Elva Wong, originally exhibition players (players not on the starting lineup), defeated two starters—who then went on to beat players ranked even higher on the lineup.

“In the end, no player should be upset. Everybody’s raising our level of play and sportsmanship. This is everything we preach to be,” Coach Gottfriend said.

This culture of encouragement and steady improvement became a defining characteristic of the team. The optimism, Coach Gottfried believes, is a key reason behind the South team’s continued success.

“Having your teammates cheering you on helps us succeed,” Cho said.

The positivity carries over into high-stakes match situations, where the team’s composure and support for one another often make the difference. After each match and practice, Coach Gottfried posts an inspirational quote on the team message board, hoping to inspire reflection and reinforce the values that drive their success.

“Not being negative. I think that’s huge,” Coach Gottfried said. “There are different ways to approach it, but positivity and attitude has always been my belief in building up players and allowing our athletes to thrive.”

As the success of the girls badminton program continues at South, the team remains grounded in the belief that positivity fuels performance—and with the right attitude, every player has the power to elevate the whole team.

“I want our mentality to be we can, we can, we can, and we will again,” Coach Gottfried said.

Maksim Goodman contributed to reporting.