Kyleen Jan is a junior here at Naperville North, and she is a three-year varsity badminton player and a captain on the team. Jan also competed at the state tournament for badminton this season, and her team placed eighth in state.

Q: What’s the best thing about your sport?

A: I think the best thing is how easily I am able to see improvement. When you have a court sport where there is a net between you and the other person and the court is slightly smaller, it’s very obvious to tell improvements such as agility and accuracy and everything.

Q: What’s the worst thing about your sport?

A: It’s fast. Your reaction time needs to be so high, but it’s kind of like a hate-it, love-it thing where you love it when you’re hitting fast and the game goes so well, but sometimes it’s just so quick that you can’t get it. It’s one of the most frustrating things.

Q: What’s the biggest contribution you make to your team?

A: Just being a friend. I’ve been captain for a few years, and when you’re stuck in a leadership position all the time, it’s kind of hard to get personal with your coaches and with players. But the best part about being a captain and a leader is to be an example on and off the court and provide help when they ask for it and provide an example when they don’t.

Q: How far do you want to go with your sport?

A: Unfortunately, badminton is not an NCAA sport. I mean there is club badminton in college and tournaments outside of school, and I will be going to nationals this summer so there are tons of opportunities. It’s not a college sponsored sport but there are still ways to get involved.

Q: What coaches or mentors have inspired you throughout the years?

A: At North, coach Shield. Coach Shield all the way. I mean coach Funston is great as a head coach, and he teaches me a lot about life and about mind set. But coach Shield has not only been a mentor in the sport but a mentor in life. She has taught me to never give up and to always fight for every point and to really just go at it every game.