This season, varsity badminton is without three-time singles state champion Stephanie Lin ’15. Although the team still stands strong with seven seniors, Lin will be missed.

“Stephanie had a remarkable talent that will definitely leave a hole in our lineup,” varsity Head Coach Susan McClenahan said. “But we have some young girls who are eager to fill it.”

One of the team’s challenges is working on finding who best competes as a doubles team. Finding the right combination for five doubles teams and what gels on the court is important, McClenahan said. Within the first week or so of practice, the singles lineup is chosen, but the doubles teams take more time to put together.

Gwen Grodek ‘17 played on varsity the 2014-15 season with Lin in her final high school season. The goal is going to be coming together as a team and working hard as a unit to try to win games and tournaments, Grodek said. To be effective and achieve this goal the team has to work together.

“Even though only a few people can be on the court at a time in badminton, it is still really a team sport.” GrodFirst year member of the varsity team, Lauren Schissler ’18, hopes to learn from the more experienced girls on the team to improve her game. Since Schissler was on the freshman team last year, she did not have personal experience with Lin, but has heard lots about her excellence in the sport and her push for team bonding.

“I think that it is too early in the season to say who will be the leaders,” Schissler said. “There are different people on the team who are pushing the team bonding, and it isn’t just one person.”

Lin’s legacy continues to bring more popularity to the sport even after she graduated. This year, 40 girls went out for the freshman team, an all time high. The team hopes to continue its success and keep putting one foot in front of the other, McClenahan said. The team faces Riverside-Brookfield on April 18.