Hansen wins All Ontario gold!

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Courtney Hansen has done what no other Rainy River High School student has done before; she won a gold medal at the All Ontario Badminton Championships over the weekend in Stratford, Ontario!
Hansen, who is only in grade 10, made a decision at the beginning of this season to play at the senior level even though she is still junior age. A decision she did not regret as she ended up winning the gold medal in the “C” Flight.
Her coach Guy Arpin said, “She made a good decision. After winning NWOSSA as a junior last year this made sense.” At the junior level players can only go as far as NWOSSA which is the region from Chapleau (east of Thunder Bay) to the Manitoba border.
By playing senior and winning NWOSSA she was able to play at the OFSAA level (All Ontario). Both Arpin and Hansen had psyched themselves with the idea that “If she wins one game we will be happy. That was our goal!” said Arpin this past Monday.
In her first match against M. Genier of NEOAA she lost the best of three (18-21 and 12-21) two games straight. “I was really nervous,” said Hansen and coach Arpin agreed, “Nerves did play a role.”
Arpin said that many of the 38 top players that were there had just returned from National Championship play the week before. “It is a whole nother world in Southern Ontario. Many of these players play only badminton and they play at that level all the time!”
Arpin said that Hansen has trouble finding a quality opponent in NWOSSA, so to play players that are all as good as her is nerve-wracking.
Her second match was against B. Tancredi who was ranked 11th at OFSAAA. She lost two straight, 16-21 and 14-21, but felt she did play better. “I kinda felt better and that I played better in the second game,” she said, having shed the butterflies.
Arpin said that she is the best female player he has ever coached and noted that she learns from every match and uses that knowledge in her game. “Down there you can’t just beat them with your smash. You have to play strategy and Courtney does that well.”
From her third match she never looked back defeating three opponents in a row, including two ranked players. Match three she faced 10th ranked M. Bernard of NEOAA and won 21-13 and 21-13.
Match four she beat E. Agnihotri of NOSSA 21-11 and 21-17.
Match five she beat 16th ranked A. Brennan of GBSAA 21-7 and 21-11. “As I kept winning I got more and more excited and proud of myself!”
Then she faced M. Jordan of WOSSAA for the gold medal of the “C” flight. “I was pretty nervous at first!” But her nerves quickly faded away as she handed her opponent defeat 21-13 and 21-11.
“I could not believe it had happened. It seemed like a dream and it took me a few hours before it sunk in!” said Hansen.
Friends of hers started a Facebook fan page that quickly gathered more than 70 friends! It was to say the least very exciting for Hansen, Arpin, her family and friends!
This is the second medal for RRHS from OFSAA badminton. The other one was an Antique Bronze in the “C” flight by Hansen’s sister Hillary and her doubles partner Chantelle Heyens.
Arpin said that many people were surprised that Courtney was only in grade 10. Most were seniors there so for her to play as a junior in the senior level was impressive. “She has two more years of eligibility to work at going back there!” said Arpin.
“This is an amazing accomplishment and we are all really proud of her!” concluded Arpin.
The school will be doing some fund-raising to help pay for the trip to OFSAA.
Hansen said her season is pretty much over, other than playing Friday nights at the Fort Frances Badminton Club where she also received mentoring from Lawrence and Manami Alexander.
She, unlike most of the athletes at OFSSA plays multiple sports. She competes in RRHS volleyball, basketball, soccer and badminton. Most only play badminton.