The Smasher

Name: Lukas Chang

Grade: Senior

Height: 5’10”

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Brown

Date of Birth: 08/06/2005

When and how did you start playing badminton? How long have you been on the Stuyvesant’s badminton team?

I started playing badminton when I was eight years old, and that’s because my dad was a very [frequent] player. He actually got me into training when I was eight, but I didn’t take it seriously until I was 10. I started on this Stuyvesant team in freshman year. In freshman year, I was already first singles. Then quarantine happened, so there was no season sophomore year, and junior year, which was last year, I also was first singles for them, as well as this year.

Do you participate on an outside team? If so, how does your experience on the Stuyvesant team differ?

It’s not necessarily a team. I go to a club that trains and represent that club when I go to tournaments. The major difference is honestly just the skill level. Everything else is normally the same. I train on the weekends for around four hours a day. That’s just private training for an hour and group training for three hours. Private training is one-on-one between you and the coach, and group training is you with a bunch of teammates. That’s the only difference. Training is often sparring and feeding. Feeding is when you have multiple shuttlecocks and they feed you at the same time.

Do you prefer singles or doubles, and why?

I prefer doubles, because I’m more nimble than raw strength on the court, and doubles really takes advantage of speed. Not only are there multiple people, but the rotation and the quick thinking that you need for doubles [are also] what I am strong at.

What is your most memorable/proud moment with the team?

Definitely when we won championships not so long ago. We lost in the finals two years in a row, so that was kind of a bummer, but this year, to finally win that championship was kind of amazing.

How has being a captain changed your outlook on badminton? What lessons have you learned from this position that you can apply to life?

Before being captain, I’d never really had the responsibility of managing other badminton players, assessing their skill levels, and helping them basically with training. Before, I was just a player, so I would focus on myself, and my teammates were mostly my friends. Once I became captain, I became responsible for selecting the team members and looking at their strengths and weaknesses, especially for doubles, since we have two doubles, seeing who could pair with whom depending on if they’re compatible, like if they’re both really fast or both really strong. That was something I never really had to look at before. I guess I haven’t really gotten to apply that to everyday life, but just the responsibility of managing a team is something that I believe I can take further into the future, especially in college or when I’m in a friend group and assessing that. But that’s really different, and I’ve never done that before.

Do you have any plans to continue badminton in the future or in college?

Yes, I plan to join college badminton teams as well as after college. I want to keep it as a lifelong hobby of mine.

Do you have any pre-match superstitions or rituals?

My doubles partner and I won my first major title (fifth in nationals) back in 2017, and we both accidentally had money in our pockets from purchasing bubble tea, so from that point on, we always played with money in our pockets.

What are the best and worst parts of badminton?

The best part is actually playing against strong opponents/people you’ve never played before, since everyone has a different style and you have to figure out what works against them. The worst part is training for badminton, especially physically. All the running, jump-roping, and general stamina training feel terrible.

What does a typical practice look like?

Before we get on the court, we always start out with 15 to 20 laps around the gym, followed by a quick stretch. This ensures all our players are warm and reduces the risk of injury when your muscles/tendons are warm instead of rigid/cold. Then, we set two courts aside for starters to play against each other and the remaining court for the rest of the team to have fun. Usually, our practices last one or two hours, but on the rare occasions when we get the whole three hours, we will have some form of conditioning before we pick up a racket.

How did you adapt after losing a year of badminton playing due to the COVID lockdowns?

It was really heartbreaking to spend so much time away from the sport I loved, especially since there was little I could do to keep the feeling of my shots. After around two months of sitting in my chair playing games all day, my parents allowed me to use the small gym at my apartment, as well as the stairs, to get myself moving. If I couldn’t do anything to improve my skill, I could at least maintain physical fitness at home before I went back on court.

Funniest Teammate: Giridhar Bonu

Favorite Professional Badminton Player: Viktor Axelsen

Playing on Full or Light Stomach: Singles: Light Stomach; Doubles: Full Stomach

Favorite Sports Drink: Alienergy

Favorite Post-Match Snack: Bananas

Favorite Hobby: PC Building

If You Could Play One Other Sport: Fencing

Motto to Live By: Life is like getting pregnant. Everyone says congratulations, but they don’t know how many times you got screwed.

Fun Fact: I hate ketchup.

Racket Brand: Astrox

Favorite Shoe Brand: Yonex