Sports
Athletes of the Week: Badminton Partners Aaron Yang and Joycelyn Gee
"They are extremely consistent and dedicated to the team"—Ruby Smart, head badminton coach.
San Leandro High School’s badminton mixed doubles pair, seniors Aaron Yang and Joycelyn Gee, have been a force to be reckoned with this year. They ended the regular season with a record of 10-2.
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Watching these two play in a match against Moreau recently, it was easy to see why they win so much. They approach the game with fierce determination, and not just to win—in badminton sportsmanship is as important as winning.
“Gracious losers, humble winners” is what head coach Ruby Smart, drills into every player, Yang and Gee tell me. This was evident in their match against Moreau as they maintained cordiality with their opponents in between each set.
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Though Yang and Gee have been playing badminton for a few years, this is their first season as a mixed doubles pair. They decided to play together after going to a badminton tournament over the summer together.
Yang and Gee “never stop trying to improve and be better individuals and players,” says assistant coach Tony Lau.
Both athletes credit their family as inspiration for excelling in life. Gee even mentioned she wanted to “be like her brother,” who also played badminton.
Yang chose badminton because of the “speed, smashing, and hitting” he says—something football players can relate to.
It is not all fun and games for these two.
Yang and Gee excel in the classroom as well as on the court. Both are in advanced placement and honors classes. Yee holds a 3.84 GPA (grade point average) and Gee a 3.6 GPA.
After high school, Yang will attend UC San Diego. He would love to work for Google someday. Gee will be off to UC Davis, hoping to become a physician's assistant. Both may play intramural badminton on campus.
Yang and Gee both grew up in San Leandro, making them some of our home-grown finest.
Favorites
Aaron Yang
- Favorite food—steak
- Favorite animal—cheetah
- Favorite teacher—Miss Smart
Joycelyn Gee
- Favorite food—sushi
- Favorite animal—rabbit
- Favorite teacher—Miss Smart
