First Singles Title

This past weekend, I won my first singles title at the San Diego Dave Freeman Open.  I won four rounds in two days to capture the D-level mens singles draw.  In 2012, I've lost in the first round, lost in the semis, and lost in the finals.  Winning was very satisfying.  It wasn't easy.  In the final, I lost the first set, and was down two match points in the third set before winning 25-23.  It is the best result that I've had in singles.  I've very proud.  At the same time, I am humbled by the experience.  I know how fortunate I am in many regards.  There's much room for improvement, as evident by losses in the first round and in the consolation finals of the C-level mens singles draw.

For the past 18 months, I've been reshaping my body.  The two years of graduate school was hard on me physically.  I ate junk food and slept insufficiently for two years.  Just when I completed my masters program, a badminton club opened midway between my school and my home.  I rekindled my love for the sport.  With the help of my personal trainer/coach/friend Alistair Casey, who is a world-class singles player, I've trained hard to improve my singles game.  Although 18 months isn't a very long time, I felt that I've put in much work.  I've lost over 20 pounds and have improved my conditioning tremendously.  The training sessions were exhausting and grinding.  But I've enjoyed the process. Now, it's time to set new goals and work towards them.

I've shared this experience with my students.  They were very happy for me.  I've shared with them the power of writing down goals.  I hope that not only can I teach them math skills, but they can also learn other lessons from me.  Mainly, take care of your body and work hard towards pursuing your personal dreams.

Link: D-Level Bracket/Result

Link: C-Level Bracket/Result