NAIT’s badminton team had a successful national run, bringing home four medals. At the 2026 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Badminton Championships in Saint John, N.B., the Ooks earned bronze in women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. The men’s doubles team captured gold — their first national title in a category since 2022.
It was a promising end to a great season for the team. They qualified seven athletes for the tournament after winning three silvers and a gold medal at the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) provincial championships in late February.
Head coach Alan Chow says the team had an idea of where they might stand entering the tournament, but emphasized that performances during the competition ultimately determine the outcome.
“Did you give them a run for their money? Did you make them earn their points? That’s the goal.”
“You kind of know a little bit going in,” Chow says. “Then from there, once the competition starts, you gauge and then you reassess goals throughout the tournament. And then from there, you have to perform.”
“Even though you think you should win or you might lose, you still have to be able to perform.”
Chow also credited his team’s resilience at provincials as a critical point in helping the team manage the expectations at nationals and putting the team in the “right mindset.” And when faced with tough competition, including battling three players from the national team, the goal changed from winning to enjoying the experience and offering competition.
“It’s more about how you feel at the end. Did you give them a run for their money? Did you make them earn their points? That’s the goal,” says Chow.
“And then enjoy the experience when you do play them.”
The wins also help create a stronger image on the national stage, which Chow believes could help the team with recruitment next year.
“I think all in all, getting four medals is definitely a boost to NAIT’s college badminton,” he says. “Hopefully it spreads word about where college badminton is.”
The Ooks’ badminton season is now finished, but the task of fielding a team for next season is just heating up. Chow explained the team will see “a lot of changes,” but expressed optimism for the new players set to join the program next year.
“We are losing some really good players, but we’re also gaining some really good players,” he says. “I want to say that it’s still a little bit early, but I’m still confident about the ability of the people that are going to be coming in and representing NAIT for next year.”
Feature image via NAIT Ooks
