Riverside-Brookfield High School graduate Claire Shanahan has the perfect sports lineup in her backyard.
During the summer of 2019, she and colleague Alyssa Krivak used an improvised field for extreme badminton.
“We played 30 hours with one bird in one week,” Krivak said. “The bird was all chopped to pieces because we wanted to see how long we could play with that bird.”
After years as friends and players, the seniors will try to share another memorable moment in badminton – qualifying for their first state matches after missing one win in the segment in 2021 as a doubles team.
The Bulldogs will compete this week at the Carl Sandburg Sectional, where the top four players will advance to the IHSA National Championships. Shanahan and Krivak are two individual team entries. Seniors Alice Sylvie and Claire Harrison and seniors Zona Evans and sophomore Katie DeJesus will play doubles.
“I’m very motivated,” Shanahan said. “I have been playing since I was 7 years old. Just playing in his backyard was very competitive. Playing here, I really want to achieve that and go to the state. ”
“We put so much work into training and matches and we were so close last year. This year we are so motivated to invest everything for that “, said Krivak.
This is their third full university season. Barely in their inaugural university season in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic ended all spring sports.
During the regular season, Shanahan primarily played No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles with Sylvie. Krivak was 2nd in the singles and 2nd in the doubles with Harrison.
In part 2021, Shanahan and Krivak won two of their first three doubles matches, the first win since losing the first set. They lost the deciding game 21-11, 21-10.
“I’m still thinking about it, but it’s in the past and it just motivates us to move forward,” Krivak said.
Shanahana’s backyard encourages her competitive desire. In addition to having ample space to create a badminton court, there is also a fence of perfect height that can serve as a net.
Shanahan and Krivak have been playing every summer since seventh grade. Shanahan also plays family members, mostly her father.
“Every summer we just played and played, and he could never beat me,” Shanahan said. “He won once and I got so angry. Then I said, ‘OK, no one’s going to win anymore.’ ”
In RBHS, seniors started at the freshman level. Shanahan was thrilled to simply be able to practice with the university.
In the middle of the 2019 season, Shanahan was promoted to junior university to play 3rd singles on the invitation.
She took first place. Krivak also received a call from JV and was third in No. 2 doubles with Sylvia.
‘I was like,’ Oh, my God. I can’t just practice with the university, ‘said Shanahan. “Playing with everyone on the team is a great thing to do and connect with everyone on the program.”
