Athlete Profile: Jackie Dai

Jackie Dai is a senior in Berkeley International High School (BIHS) and captain of the boys badminton team. He discovered his passion for the sport after taking a badminton class at Berkeley High School (BHS) his freshman year and found he was “naturally kind of gifted [at badminton].” Dai improved on techniques such as grip, footwork, and angling at his local gym and on the BHS badminton team in order to elevate his game. To his dismay, he found that people didn’t consider badminton a real sport, a conclusion he linked to the lack of people in the class and on the team. Determined to change that, Dai started BHS’ Badminton Club and promoted it through social media, flyers, and a documentary. This year, Dai’s hard work paid off, the gym packed with excited people. As graduation approaches, Dai said that “I will leave Berkeley High with the gift of badminton.”