Freya, a second year classicist at Univ, has the all consuming task of leading O.U.Ba.C to greater successes this year. She has had a very busy first year with the club, throwing herself into training , social events and leading baking sessions for the squad; all of which has culminated in a bitter, bitter rivalry with Pippa for 'best mum' of the club. With a steely attention to detail and excellent organisational skills, I'm sure she'll thrive in her new role, whilst ensuring she still has time to bake chocolate brownies for me to pilfer.
Equalling the club record of 3 concurrently held committee positions, Lucien, a second year Physicist, has wasted little time in concentrating power in his youthful hands. Such an agglomeration of responsibilities has led some in the club to question how exactly he will find time to focus on his problem sheets, and more importantly, his doubles serve! A keen Arsenal supporter, Lucien presumably came to terms long ago with the fact that he might never again celebrate clinching a Premiership title. While that looks unlikely to change for the time being, in both Football and Badminton, his strong BUCS performances for M1 last season helped the team finish comfortably inside the top 4, highly unfamiliar territory indeed for a Gooner!
Alex, a 2nd year Economics and Management student, has decided to begin his long career of staring at spreadsheets and persuading people to part with their money by becoming the treasurer of OUBaC. Alex is known off-court for his happy demeanour, although a year chasing debts may end that, and on-court for his Liu-dicrous jump smash!
What could be more mind-numbing than having to sort out all of OUBaC's local league matches across three different leagues? That's right, having to do it twice because the club suddenly had most of its external court time cancelled. It's a situation that Matt, a third year Physicist at St Anne's, dealt with admirably last year and his return to the OUBaC office lends some much needed experience to this youthful committee. On court, Matt combines dogged determination with a *cough cough* effective flick serve with remarkable success - local league opponents beware!
Sam is a third year physicist at St Peter's (I'd never heard of it either) who enjoyed being M1 captain so much that he decided to reprise his role for a second year. A skilled man-manager, minibus driver and the only living person who knows how to operate the BUCS Play App, Sam is the man tasked with leading M1 to BUCS Premier glory (read: mid table mediocrity) and retaining the varsity trophy in 2021. Having recently become vegan, he will be working to ensure that both his diet and score sheets are devoid of eggs for the foreseeable future; experience shows that can be easier said than done!
Hailing from Cheshire is your newest W1 captain, Sophie Taylor. As an incoming second-year engineer, she’s well versed in the mechanics behind the behaviour of the badminton shuttlecocks. Additionally, fuelled by the nutrients of chocolate soya milk, it comes to no one’s surprise that her singles, doubles, and mixed games are all unmatched. Sophie appears to be unfazed in many aspects of her life, despite the many different sources of pressure Oxford requires. How does she do it? Well, when asked, she attributes it to “having a banana and sitting outside for a while”, a motto she carried with her to BUCS league matches and Varsity. Thus, we’re confident in Sophie’s ability to lead the next W1 team to victory (and most importantly, victory against Loughborough 2).
As one of the club's most skilled singles players, Anuj knows the importance of good movement on court. It's why he never fails to practice his footwork on the Cheese floor at Parkend on Wednesdays, before heading down to Iffley for additional shadow at the 0630 open session. When not playing Badminton, or reminiscing about that time he beat his brother in a BUCS match in 2018, Anuj can apparently be found studying some interesting (doubtful) and useful (extremely doubtful) mathematics. He takes charge of an M2 team which has enjoyed surprising success in BUCS in the last couple of seasons but has been starved of varsity glory - for now, at least.
A 2nd year Law student at Corpus Christi College, Sampada has taken on the role of W2 captain with the huge support of both the team and the club. She is undoubtedly of a strong and reliable nature and will certainly keep W2 in good shape with her charming smile and amazing girl power. The toughest challenge she faces will be to fight off the other captains who want court time, because it's not rare to find every court occupied by unstoppable, very committed W2 players. Sampada leads a team whose thunderous performance (and cheering!) at Varsity shows that they're a force to reckon with.
Yuhang, a third year PhD student, is an extremely committed member of OUBaC. Having taken massive strides in his own development, he is looking to pass on his motivation to the rest of the M3 team, who are looking to reclaim their Varsity title. With his boundless energy and constant smile, he is looking forward to the challenges of stimulating M3- let’s hope he can push them to future glory!
As unconventional as it might be, it's hard to argue with Ian's patented 'you only have to start trying in February' philosophy, as he backed up a Full Blue-earning run at BUCS Individuals with a dominant performance in the varsity match, winning all four of his matches. Ian's penchant for last-minute preparation won fewer admirers in the club when it came to organising matches in his first season in charge of the mixed team, with the words 'I forgot we had a mixed match tonight, who can play?' appearing in group chats on a fortnightly basis. His agreement to return to the role sparked confusion in many quarters, with some commentators pointing to blackmail as the likely cause.
Taking the helm as purveyors of organised fun, Becky and Lucien are both second years who can boast an excellent, and mostly incident free, record at socials throughout their first year. Their election marks a dramatic (and welcome) reduction in the average age of the Entz team, prompting speculation that the club will be transitioning from Brunch to Bridge for its staple social activities! Their main duties this year are to help ensure that the club remains a welcoming and friendly place to be and organise the Annual and Varsity Dinners. Pizza Express, anyone?!
In what is believed to be the first major change to have taken place in Oxford since the 1550's, we welcome Siam and Pippa to the committee this year as the first ever Welfare Reps! Siam is a third year Chemist who balances his free time between Badminton and Ballroom (we're still waiting for evidence of improved footwork tbh), whilst Pippa is a 3rd year DPhil student who can normally be found explaining why plants are so great. Their job, and interest, is to signpost appropriate welfare resources offered by Sportsfed and the wider university for the benefit of our members. They're also happy to talk, in confidence, about any Badminton-related issues that you might want to discuss.
A first year DPhil student in Chemical Biology, Michael is never more in his element than when running clubnight sessions at iffley. Michael's calm, welcoming and organised presence off-court belies his tenacity on court, as previous opponents of the Jesus cuppers team will attest! As the primary representative for Clubnight on the committee, he is also the first point of contact for anyone looking to get involved in recreational Badminton at Oxford.
After narrowly missing out on the title of OUBaC’s biggest liability, Andrew, a third year chemist, is taking on the role of OUBaC’s most liable. Known on-court for his reverse-slice-dropshots and off-court for talking about his reverse-slice-dropshots, Andrew will be working hard as President to help the club excel, and to pilfer some of whatever you are eating.
With his 7th (yes, 7th) year at Oxford now well underway, Tom is continuing his quest to occupy every OUBaC committee position before he heads off into the real world. As a Maths DPhil student, and therefore presumably the owner of a calculator, the club can have confidence that the accounts will prosper under his watchful eye. On court, Tom employs a cautious style which is as effective as it is tedious, whilst off court he can usually be found using yeast to make his two favourite things: Bread and Beer.
Sam Wilson, a 2nd year physicist at Peter’s, is the M1 captain this year. Sam immediately gained popularity within OUBaC in his first year when he showed us his dedication, his grit, and most importantly, his abdominal muscles. Sam will attempt to lead M1 through the minefield that this the BUCS Southern Prem, as he seeks victories against other against Universities, and moral victories against Bath. A genuinely lovely guy, he can always be relied on for a good chat. Just be careful to not get him started on talking about his favourite food: eggs! He sometimes even brings them on nights out with him.
Coming to the club from Singapore via California and Minnesota is Eugenia, a second year MPhil student in International Relations. Following on from W1’s league-and-cup-and-varsity winning campaign last year, she faces a greater challenge this term than has ever been faced by an Oxford captain: Persuading W1 to turn up to 06:30AM training sessions. Nevertheless, armed with superb organisational skills and a bewilderingly fast net game, we can have confidence that Eugenia will do a stellar job of leading W1 (those of them who turn up, at least) this season.
A third year Biomed student at Teddy Hall and the youngest member of last year's M2 squad, Josh will no doubt be well placed to advise his experienced (read: geriatric) charges on how to best recover from the succession of injuries which are waiting for them. Mortally allergic to emails, facebook messages and written communications of any kind, it will be interesting to see how he handles the greatest opponent of any BUCS captain: a moderate amount of paperwork. Apart from trivial administrative concerns, Josh, equipped with the best backhand in Oxford and a serve which could scarcely be less legal, is ideally placed to lead M2 to great things this season (just so long as he doesn't get us promoted!).
Hugo, a 2nd year Medic from Oriel, is a strong and stable character who faces the daunting task of whipping M3 into shape ahead of next year. His undeniable endurance both on and off-court is sure to set a sound example for all members of the squad to follow. Having as much success in Varsity as the local league matches, Hugo has only one task on his mind: win a rubber! Let’s hope he manages this and much more in the year to come...
After sitting on a table with basically no alumni and leaving the Annual Dinner early, Sabrina, a second year DPhil student, is the perfect candidate for Alumni Rep. Her main challenges this year will be organising the Annual Dinner and keeping the alumni informed of the club’s victories (and maybe occasionally our losses as well).
Michelle is a 3rd-year lawyer who has decided to add to what must be an insignificant finalist workload by taking on the all-powerful (and all-consuming) role of OUBaC President. After leading W1 to a resounding victory in Var-'its the only match that matters'-sity, she hopes to inspire the club to show at least as much commitment as her W1 team showed throughout the whole of last year!
Tom is in the 2nd year of a DPhil in Mathematics. As secretary, vice president and IT officer Tom is clearly trying to spice up the boredom of doing maths all day with a little bit of paperwork. On court, Tom wears down his opponents with solid, unwavering shots and a cool, tactical mindset, as evidenced by his mastery of all possible variations of the clear. When he isn’t picking apart algorithms, or the weaknesses of his opponent’s backhand, Tom can be found in his favourite place – the pub.
A steady, competent level-headed character whose commitment to the club is greatly appreciated. Hailing from the land of Cheshire, Jack’s pastimes include jazz appreciation, chemistry appreciation, and reflecting on his time as M2 captain. Some say his resemblance is somewhat of Jesus. Whether or not this is because he has been infected by his college is unknown, but what is known is that he will keep the club accounts in shape. What’s more, his previous treasurer has not left him with any chasing up to do, so Jack will not have to perform any miracles.
Having completed calculus, Andrew is looking to fill his abundance of free time by taking the helm of M1. Although his recruitment methods are unconventional, we hope wiichat will be able to provide strength and depth to the squad this year. His strong tactical (C) game, and resilience both on and off the court stand him in good stead for the upcoming season. Part teddy bear, part shark, let’s hope he lasts longer than his average time on a night out.
Since joining the club, Rachel has input valuable cheering at Varsity and boosted many a game with her iconic Scottish 'GO!'. Her Scottish nature, giving her enthusiasm both on court and while drinking, will undoubtedly make her a great and well-loved captain.
Visionary, encyclopaedia, M2 Captain. After securing 4 years of sweet DPhil stats funding, Tom ‘Ladfield’ Hadfield - as he is affectionately known by himself - is in the early embers of a OUBaC career surely set for the history books. An emperor of quantitative analysis, Tom’s number-crunching ensured he not only masterminded a narrow victory in his debut singles varsity match, but also calculated his way into our hearts. Yet, although Tom ‘smashed’ the Tabs, ‘served’ up great banter, and ‘lifted’ our spirits when we were down, 2017/8 was not all plain sailing for our favourite bespectacled Cheshire lad. This year Mr. H was forced to wrestle with the divorce from his first love - the University of Bath. But time, copious brunches, and shiny new Oxford stash, heals... Aside from wildly obscure golf trivia, expect more unwelcome updates from Exeter’s MCR, more poor chat, more nostalgia about all things Bath, more memes from an astonishingly endless supply, and more celebratory walks into the tramlines when he put a big right hand to the floor (wins a point). I think I speak for the club when I say I love Tom Hadfield.
Leasha takes over as this year’s W2 captain. A 2nd year medic at Oriel, her enthusiasm and dedication knows no bounds (as does her ability to do the splits when lunging too far). Leasha will be sure to keep the team spirit and commitment high and we know this team is in safe hands for local league matches and the all-important Varsity.
Anuj, a 2nd year mathematician, may love to go clubbing but badminton always comes first (sometimes he even has a shower in between). As his predecessor dumps M3 in the top division this year, Anuj looks to train up M3 quicker than he kills off tabs at Varsity dinner pre-drinks. Anuj would also like to invite everybody to his flute recital, stay tuned for details!
Following his shock return to the club after a brief sabbatical in Singapore, the excessively "northern" Adam has wasted no time in returning to the heart of OUBaC power. With the mixed team facing an uphill battle to retain their spot in the top division, he will at least be able to regularly call upon the assistance of one member of the women's squad to fulfil the fixtures.Known for his combativity on court and willingness to challenge a dodgy line call (and indeed make one), Adam will be a key player in M1s bid to retain both their BUCS premier league status and Varsity crown this season.
A political scientist in the 3rd year of his DPhil, Jacob will need to put his theories on Dictatorships into practice if he is to keep the alumni in line at the annual dinner. Whilst Jacob's tendency to play every point at 200mph and to mumble incoherently have lead some commentators to compare him to the Tasmanian Devil, make no mistake: He is a formidable presence on court and once his shoulder is fully healed will (so we hear) be a match for anyone. After his varsity was tragically cut short this year due to suspect floorboards, Jacob will be looking to nail down a spot in M1 and ensure it is the Tabs who recieve the knockout blow in 2019.
As captain of M3 and entz rep, Anuj’s enthusiasm knows no bounds. Though maybe overkeen at welcome drinks resulting in a night lost in Oxford, Anuj has more than made up for a shaky start by being present at every training, match and social - hence also taking on the role of OUBaC’s resident pushy parent. As entz rep Anuj will certainly impart his love of post-training pub sessions as well as rallying the squad with questionable drinking games, and not even his flute recital will keep him from club commitments. The enigma known as Grace is as committed to turning up to training as she is to handing in her work by the deadline. However you can draw her out very easily with a two bottles of red, a pub crawl, and a night out. This 2nd year history student is our Club’s "Wine Mom" and you can get on her good side fairly easily, by acknowledging that the Midlands exists. With her as entz, you can be sure that exciting, yet random social events are just round the corner.
Stepping up to OUBaC's most demanding role is Ser Jay, a third year PPE student at Harris Manchester College. Responsible for managing the notorious peg-board system at clubnight sessions and ensuring that members have paid their dues, Ser Jay is also the first point of contact for anyone interested in getting involved in recreational Badminton at Oxford.
Fresh off completing an open water charity swimathon, Michael will be looking to put those skills to good use to avoid drowning in paperwork as the new L&C Secretary! A third year chemist at Jesus College, Michael's duties include nagging college captains to get their league matches played and conducting the draws for the cuppers competitions.
Returning to the club straight from the beach off the last-minute acceptance of his application to replace Chris as OUBaC Resident, Alex has sought to consolidate his power by taking up the roles of M1 Captain and Club Vice-President. His notable achievements last season include the revival of a badminton fashion statement that was better off dead, the scaring-off of lesser challengers with said fashion statement, and finally bringing some left-arm into his badminton game.
Hailing from the north, 3rd year engineer Adam takes over as treasurer this year. Passionate, enthuasiatic, and unafraid to challenge a decision (typically against some debateable line calls-mostly his own), he is not one to shy away from conflict. Oubac's finances will be strictly governed by his iron fist, so be warned. Outside of badminton, Adam is partial to good ol' chips an' gravy, can be found shedding many a tear over Logan; and self identifies as Oubac's #1 road trip disc jockey.
Amy takes over as this year’s Women’s Seconds captain. A 2nd year mathematician at Corpus, her enthusiasm and drive will be sure to lead the team onto further successes. Along with Michelle, we know that the women’s squad is in safe hands and that Cambridge had better watch out for yet another Oxford victory!
As a break from his abode in the pub, Tom often chances to training, but afterwards he is quick to return to his natural habitat. It seems that his steady commitment to beverages is matched only by his consistent attendance at training. When he isn’t writing stupid animations or fixing the terrible code left by his predecessor and his predecessor’s predecessor, Tom will be keeping the website running in his third year as IT Officer and keeping M3 running as their new captain.
Moving from Entz Rep to Mixed Captain in the footsteps of her illustrious predecessor, Polly has shown that she has an unquenchable thirst for shots of all varieties. When she's not net killing shuttles like flies with a fly swat, you'll find her sliding into the splits to the horror of opponents and mixed partners alike. Her colourful personality (and hair) will ensure that the team stay bright, in the hope of securing the true 18-0 destruction of Cambridge in the upcoming Mixed Varsity.
Lisa is best known for her excellent minutes, the only 21-egg varsity victory and her frying pan grip. Rumours are she is secretly perfecting her recipe of pan fried eggs topped with varsity hype, in preparation for the furious challenges of organising a single match and leading the current squad team in the prestigious alumni rep role. Drawing from the experience of witnessing the Lisa’s special: a perfectly pan fried tab completed with a runny yolk cooked to perfection; the alumni might as well resort to making some baked beans.
New recruits Jacob and Tim join the entz rep of yesteryear Bertina to take the reigns of the OUBaC social scene. Jacob and Tim possibly made it to two socials last year between them, but that's all about to change! Bertina has been everpresent at OUBaC socials when not prioritising Lacrosse ones... Exciting times lie ahead for OUBaC.
Ben is a 3rd year biochemist at St Anne’s College. He achieved fame last year with his tight reign on the OUBaC finances throughout his time as treasurer, which he will no doubt benefit from during the coming year. With his rise to power, he may finally be able to convince people that Anne’s is the best place to hold badminton socials, and is certainly not too far away. Ben is looking to lead OUBaC to another 5-0 win over Cambridge in 2017.
Following a highly successful stint as Entz rep last season, leaving our M1 captain in various states of disorder, Ben has taken up the role of vice-president. We hope Ben can bring his diplomatic charm to the office, helping to grind down SportsFed and cast a wise, experienced eye over OUBaC’s youthful committee.
Alan, a third year mathematician at Trinity, will be taking charge of the club’s finances this year. With a relentless charm off-court and a jump smash to be feared on it, we hope Alan can transfer those skills to be equally ruthless in sorting receipts, collecting payments and ordering shuttles.
Lisa is a 2nd year lawyer at oriel college. Fresh off a stellar performance at the Varsity Match, which included collecting the only egg from all the matches, she'll be looking to channel some of that success towards managing OUBaC's paperwork. With Lisa responsible for organising local league fixtures, Badminton England registration and other administrative matters, the club will be in good hands this year.
Since joining OUBaC in Michaelmas 2015 Jun-An has had an immediate impact both on and off court. He gained a Full Blue in his first year, went deep in BUCS Individuals and played a key role in M1's dominant Varsity performance. Notable performances off-court include gaining a drink named after him in his first year, failing to go deep in the Varsity night out and playing a key role in securing the club a ban from Baliol MCR.
Jack Hayward-Sloth are tropical mammals that live in the UK. They use their long reach from their arms and rackets to reach shuttles that are far away from them, enabling them to reach shots that other animals can only dream of. Unfortunately for the sloth, their long reach make lunging difficult, so they spend most of their time sliding around instead so they have to move less. For the most part, a sloth's life revolves around running training sessions. The only times these mammals leave their natural habitat will be to shoe the tabs at tabland.
Following on from a great Varsity result, Christine takes over as Women's Seconds captain. A fourth year medic at Green Templeton College, she is always cheerful and her enthusiasm shines through both on and off court. Christine will be sure to keep the team spirit and commitment levels high as the Seconds aim to continue their streak of six Varsity victories.
Stepping up the the mantle for the 3rd team this year is Mike. He played a key role in gaining a third consecutive varsity victory for the 3rds last year. Mike is known for his tremendous commitment, knee high compression socks and obsession for footwork drills. Mike will be looking to secure a fourth consecutive varsity victory and a promotion to the premiership of the Oxfordshire league. With Mike as captain, the 3rd team can look forward to using less shuttles during training and more footwork drills, but more importantly, a great leadership and friend. Also, during his free time from badminton, he does Physics as a subject and is in his fourth year at St Hildas.
Bertina's steady hand at the wheel will surely keep the mixed team on the road this year. Her boundless enthusiasm for badminton will drive the team forward; her hunger for victory is surpassed only by her passion for food. Cambridge had better ditch their hopes for Mixed Varsity already!
Although Kunz has sidestepped the traditional route to the pinnacle of OUBaC power, the position of Alumni Rep remains in good hands. Though a successful combination of newsletter writing (or just words in general) and being an engineer is not oft found, Kunz has proven himself to be no ordinary engineer with an ability to pilot anything with 2 wheels, 4 wheels, rotors or wings AND the ability to lead M2 to a double figure victory in Varsity once again. Viva la Kunz!
The OUBaC social scene looks set for a fantastic year in the hands of this trio. Alex and Polly have been invaluable additions to the social side of the club this year, boasting seriously impressive attendance records at OUBaC events. Melody's there sometimes… But to be fair, she knows her way around Oxford's clubs. Exciting times in store.
Although he claimed to 'Already have too much to do, and not enough time', Branoc couldn't turn down an opportunity to tell people when and where to play badminton. Often found on the floor cursing his knees at the end of points, it's a miracle he's never actually damaged them.
With outlandish claims that he 'understands how the website works' and is 'at least as good as last year’s IT Officer' Tom, a 4th year mathematician at LMH, is looking to fix the mistakes his predecessor made. For his second consecutive year in OUBaC’s most important role Tom is looking to beat the Tabs in both badminton and the Alexa rank.
JoeSko is a 4th year chemist at Magdalen who will bring his unique brand of power badminton to the President's office as he aims to grind down SportsFed and Cambridge over his three terms. Known for his ability to unwittingly charm friends and enemies alike in a dazzling whirlwind of Chardonnay, breakfast tea and machismo, Joe is the man looking to lead the Club to a 5th consecutive Varsity win at Iffley Road in 2016.
Alex is a 4th year biochemist who is affiliated with the home of badminton, Brasenose College. Hailing from such a prestigious college in the badminton world, Alex certainly had great pressure on his shoulders right from the very beginning. However, he has not disappointed. His flourishing career as part of OUBaC has progressed at an almighty speed, and following his stint as a captain last year, he now finds himself in this illustrious role. Alex and Joe will work together to make sure OUBaC goes from strength to strength this year.
Ben 'BMW' Mynors-Wallis, a second year Biochemist at Annes, will be looking to keep a tight rein on the clubs finances this year. On the court Ben shows no mercy with a cannon smash and demoralising opponents with persistent drop shots. This year he is hoping to transfer these skills to the OUBaC office, hopefully being just as ruthless in collecting payments, ordering shuttles and sorting receipts.
Sarah Toh is a third year geographer at Jesus College. After successfully leading the Women's 2nds last year, she's swapping squad sheets for spreadsheets as this year's secretary. She organises local league fixtures and Badminton England registration, as well as sorting out the wealth of paperwork that comes OUBaC's way.
Fresh from missing every BUCS match last season through injury George, a fourth year EEM student, has been given a second chance as captain to right his wrongs... and play. The squad can look forward to many more runs and circuit sessions, whilst George can look ahead to the challenge of dealing with an ageing team!
Rachael takes the reins of the Women's Blues team this year and with it all the fluctuating luck that comes with the squad. An exceedingly northern third year geographer from Mansfield, she's fresh from huge success as mixed captain last year, obliterating Cambridge at Mixed Varsity and narrowly missing out on top spot in the Oxfordshire league. Now a new, improved Kersh with an almost fully-functional shoulder joint, she will be looking to bolster the team's position in the league, bubble wrap most of her players and, most importantly, take on new recruits with at least a year's driving experience. No doubt she'll whip the ladies into shape and carry on the tradition of massive Varsity wins.
Kunz is a third year engineer at Teddy hall. With a helicopter licence under his belt, rumour has it that he has plans for a Second team Chinook (let's hope Ben doesn't put the subs up!). We can expect head flicks, high lifts, one sleeve rolled up and bodged duct tape wing mirrors (but trust him, he's an engineer). Kunz looks to build upon a 'solid' mid table finish; let's hope he plans trainings better than his own route to Park A.
Louisa, a 3rd year chemist at Magdalen College, is a cheerful and friendly member of the team who has shown great commitment throughout the past year. Fresh off a great result at varsity, we are sure she'll do a great job leading the team in next year's league and varsity campaign.
Taking charge of the Men's 3rd team this year is Shaun 'Whey' Tang, a 4th year engineer at Univ. He played a key role in both the successful promotion campaign in the local league and a second consecutive varsity victory for the 3rd team last year. Shaun will be looking to cement the team's place in the top flight of the Oxfordshire badminton league and push for a 3rd varsity win in a row using his now familiar strategy of wearing t-shirts that are far too tight and spending more time in the gym than is conceivably necessary for any badminton player.
Claire, a 3rd year Medic at Univ, was born ready for mixed captaincy. Weavs is best known for her undefeatable record and an adeptness for collecting eggs from her opposition that rivals the Easter Bunny. Fuelled by her legendary baked goods, the team will no doubt have a very successful season with Claire to lead them.
Chris "Tetchy" Lim is the Mona Lisa of the badminton club; he not only keeps a close eye on all aspects of OUBaC business, but he is also significantly smaller than expected in real life and really, really old. Known for his consistency on court and his love of the lash off court, Chris will once again be following in the footsteps of OUBaC legend Al (Reedo) Reed. With big shoes to fill, Chris will be managing all things alumni related including the annual match and dinner.
Ben and Bertina are no strangers to the OUBaC social scene. With an impressive record for attendance and enthusiasm, this duo will make sure that Badminton becomes the most desirable crew date on offer for any other sports team. However, let us all hope that the bar crawls neither start nor end at the mighty Anne's. With these two at the helm, members of OUBaC are in for an exciting year!
I started playing badminton when I was in high school and my enthusiasm for it has been growing ever since. I think club nights are a great way to meet new people and enjoy many fun games with players of all varieties. Here in Oxford I am doing a two-year MPhil in political science. During my leisure time, I like to eat chocolate, meet with friends, and play badminton (of course!).
When the SJC/MC college co-captaincy had to be reluctantly relinquished, Joe Manktelow's power-hungry brain began looking for other victims to “organise”. Armed with a potent arsenal of strongly worded emails, a ruthless new era of militant efficiency shall dawn upon the league and cuppers system. College captains beware!
Looking for something to do between playing badminton and trips to the pub, Tom, a 3rd year mathematician at LMH, has taken up the role of IT Officer. A strong critic of websites cutting corners and missing the small details, it will be interesting to see how he fares when he has to maintain one himself.
Chris Lim, a DPhil Engineer, now in his 6th year at OUBaC has stepped up to take the reigns as a way to fill up his days, since he is rarely seen in the lab. Hot off a superb half-marathon run he hopes to whip the club members into shape and lead them to further victories through his own two-pronged approach:1. jazzminton; 2. shunning socials/heavy drinking sessions.
Laura McClaren now takes up the role of overseer and purveyor in truth, justice and fairness within the world of an OUBaC committee meeting as its second ever VP.
Since the emotional rollercoaster of last years varsity where Ab captained the 3rds to their first ever victory over Cambridge in a number of years, Ab has been informed by the health and safety rep that he should take more of a back seat office role this year. Therefore as our new treasurer he shall be in charge of the bank account, buying shuttles, sorting receipts and be a bit more ruthless getting Cambridge to pay their debts than his predecessor.
Clinton "Chairman" Lau is a part-time Biochemistry DPhil student, part-time revolutionary. He enjoys diving across the court and doing the splits against weaker opponents, making his matches more equal. However against anyone who poses a threat, Clinton shows no mercy. He has been instrumental in the past success of the club with two successful years as captain under his belt and we hope he will continue this forward on the long march to restoring local league dignity. A partnership with Clim Il-Sung at the helm of OUBaC is a frightening prospect.
George is a 3rd year studying engineering, economics and management at the home of badminton, Wadham College. His incredible determination and calmness under pressure are assets of a true leader, and he will be sure to bring the best out of the team in every match. George will look to replace 'the windmill', a legacy of the previous captain, with 'the hammer', which I hope we will all get a chance to work on in training. I am sure George will lead the team to an extremely successful season. They don’t call him Supermann for nothing!
Emily, a 3rd year historian at Queens, is never seen without a smile on her face. However do not let this chipper and bubbly personality mislead you. Gremily makes the most of her full 5ft in height to dominate the net earning the nickname 'net ninja'. Fresh from a huge win captaining the two mixed varsity teams, we have no doubt Emily will lead the ladies to the promotion they narrowly missed out on this year.
Alex is a 3rd year Biochemist student who will be looking to apply his admirable dedication to Park End Wednesdays to the men's 2nd team. Known for his signature cross-court net shot we are sure he will be able to deliver another successful league and varsity campaign in deceptive badminton style.
Sarah Toh is a second year geographer at Jesus and is a sweet and lovely individual, on and off court. But do not let her soft temperament lull you into a false sense of security....the power that this girl can produce is surprising even to those of us who have been playing with her for the past year. It's a trick that will catch you out more than once. A little gem with a big heart.
Joe, a third year chemist at LMH, will be looking to carry on from a very successful year for the thirds. He is known amongst the team for his sharp net kills, ability to thrive under pressure and for carrying the beloved team towel. Throughout the year he has shown commitment and dedication, and we are sure that he will be able to lead the thirds to another solid performance in the Oxfordshire league and Varsity.
Having been OUBaC's stalwart supporter for some time now, a no-longer-injured Rachael is a second year geographer looking to make her hotly anticipated debut this year. She'll be taking on the captaincy of the mixed team and whipping it into shape, no doubt with great success. Something also tells us that the first team men's captain will be playing a lot of mixed this year...
Al (also answers to the call of Reedo) is a veteran of 4 OUBaC committees who has once again stepped up to the joint responsibility of Alumni Rep and Health and Safety Officer. Renowned for coming up with creative reasons (usually some sort of injury or previous night drinking escapade) to explain his latest loss or absence at training, this excuse-generating, perma-injured "machine" is the person trusted to maintain our links with former alum and to keep us all safe on court. Heaven help us all.
Robynne is one of the most lively members during squad socials, that is until she has to be taken to bed at 9:30. A remarkable lightweight making her endless fun on the dance floors of Oxford. Aiming to prolong her joyous presence at welcome drinks to 9:45 this year.
JoeSko loves Park End. JoeSko loves free champagne in Park End. Expect Wednesday squad socials to follow his tried and tested formula of Iffley, Red Star, cup of tea in Spoons, Park End. Rumours abound that he is targeting a full 2 glasses of wine and 3 cups of tea at welcome drinks. Watch out Freshers!!
I have started playing badminton since I was in High School, and keep playing it as my hobby since then. I am now studying towards a DPhil degree in Organic Chemistry. For leisure, I enjoy cooking Thai food and of course playing badminton.
I've been playing badminton occasionally for many years. I joined clubnight because it is a great way to play badminton under no pressure, to keep fit, and to meet lots of new people.
Hey guys, my name's Rory and I'm a second year physicist from St Anne's. I've been a part of our college badminton club for the last year and play in the inter-college matches every week. My role in the university club is to establish the leagues for the forthcoming year and to regularly provide the college captains with useful information.
Stephen is a 7th year veteran of the OUBaC committee making him a true stalwart of the club. Having held the majority of the positions on the committee at some point in time, rumours abound that he has started creating new positions on the committee just so he can fill a new role at the club. His job this year is primarily to deliver breaking news in a timely manner to our thousands of expectant fans on Twitter.
Alina "the python" Gerasimenko is a second year lawyer from Univ. Her Russian heritage allows her to down huge quantities of wine with no ill effects (not true). Known as a real ‘go-getter’, Alina is not afraid to take on any challenge, no matter how resilient/unwitting.
Tim was our Entz rep last year, but he still struggles to down a beer, On court he’ll put up a fight, but his chinos are way too tight, We saw him chunder in a bin and that’s why we all love Tim!
George, a second year engineer from Wadham, has inherited this position from his "mother". He intends to be just as efficient in this role though by implementing a decidedly lighter touch, effectively ending the previous reign of terror. The committee merely hope that his bromance with a certain captain will not cloud his judgment in allocating club funds.
Josh is a 3rd year Maths student at Wadham. He takes over the role from an eminent member of the club and will have to do his utmost to keep the club in order to avoid a Cherian-esque local league disaster this season. Is he up to the task of battling with Badminton England? Only time will tell...Previously a General of the Mauritian army, don’t let Josh’s boyish good looks fool you. Known for his militant use of cross nets and his arsenal of useless facts, Josh is hoping to keep the OUBaC squad in perfect formation.
The nicest guy in badminton, Joesko has been known to charm his opponents into submission. If that doesn’t work, he draws on two other options: run them to the ground or bore them to death with his relentless consistency. Follow the tradition of ‘interesting’ badminton styles set by the previous captain, Joe encourages the use of ‘the windmill’ at all times.
One half of the infamous 'pain' twins, Sarah has quickly familiarised herself with her fellow committee members. A second year earth scientist from Worcester, she hopes to take full advantage of the new entz budget (/rep) next year once she's drinking again.
Stephen may sometimes look as though he's made of rubber, but his nerves of steel will undoubtably lead the Men's 2nd team to victory this year!
Robynne is a 2nd year medic from LMH following in the proud family tradition of captaining despite being too injured to play. A renowned lightweight, her achievements include winning a boat race at initiations, bringing a bottle of wine to formal and leaving with it unopened and such insightful declarations as 'lights are light'. As ditsy as she is adorable and loved by all.
Ab, a 2nd year medic at Balliol, hopes to continue the upward momentum of the thirds team and establish them in the 2nd division in the Oxfordshire league. It'll be a tough job, especially having lost his doubles partner Ben to the 'real world', but we're sure he's up to the task.
A 2nd year historian from Queens, Emily may seem sweet and quiet but she's a silent killer at the net. One of the few non-scientists who has ventured onto a badminton court, the mixed team is in good hands!
Sexy Maus/Angel Face/Justin, after a meteoric rise through the ranks has reached the pinnacle of OUBaC: Health & Safety Rep. He will also be our President. Al will make use of his renowned organisational skills to delegate work as much as possible and though his 'badter' needs working on, he is guaranteed to put us in the 'zone' for a fantastic year of badminton. We beliebe.
Nick enjoys the finer things in life, wining and dining on the high table, but he's not afraid to get his hands dirty. Rumoured to run 10 miles a day and destroying marathons, our IT officer is a fitness machine who can outlast any opponent. And with a keen eye for photography, he knows what looks good and how to look good on court.
Alina "the python" Gerasimenko is a second year lawyer from Univ. Her Russian heritage allows her to down huge quantities of wine with no ill effects (not true). She is looking forward to her duties this year and aims to be the most effective and intimidating treasurer the club has ever had.
Stephen has been Men's 3rd team captain, treasurer and now secretary. Usually a quiet and thoughtful gentleman, on the court he is a tough competitor with a ferocious smash. Stephen is looking to use his experience to keep the new president in check.
Mike 'the grit' Senior is a post grad at Lincoln. Mike is an ex-rower and fitness freak (times have changed since Buffham was captain) and plans to work the squad into some kind of shape. When he is not in the gym Mike spends most of his time doing his hair or forcing the freshers to drink too much wine...
Kathryn is a 2nd year medic at Magdalen who is looking forward to driving the team to matches with considerable more punctuality than her predecessor and having a doubles partner for longer than the day before Varsity.
Back for another bite at this now auspicious apple, Chairman Lau returns to lead the 2nd team onwards on court (not just to the pub) and upwards (hopefully) in the league. In his spare time Clinton enjoys the company of his beloved guitar, in fact one could say he has a bit of a thing for playing with strings. Although, unlike past members of his team, not wearing ones that begin with a 'G'.
Nick enjoys the finer things in life, wining and dining on the high table, but he's not afraid to get his hands dirty. Rumoured to run 10 miles a day and destroying marathons, our 3rds captain is a fitness machine who can outlast any opponent. And with a keen eye for photography, he knows what looks good and how to look good on court.
Rachel 'still a perv' Kenny has become the Mixed Captain after running the team last year alongside her minor role with the Women's 1sts. The once reliable 21:00 Kenny train is considered to be well and truly de- railed after badminton socials have resulted in her "years in Oxford : times ejected from clubs" ratio at an impressive 1.0 . Next stop: the back door via the cheese floor.
To Be Written
Tim's a 4th year Christchurch chemist and last years OUBaC president,This year he's responsible for socials and general OUBaC merriment.His dedication to the cause is definitely true,As last year during varsity he dyed his hair bright blue.We look forward to crewdates followed by drinks at park end,So three cheers to Tim, OUBaC's very best friend.
Ivan is a first year MPhil in Economics, originally from Bulgaria (insert witty East European joke here); he's been using clubnight badminton as a procrastination device for a year now and is looking forward to being even more successful through the Director position.
Akash studies Material Science at St.Cross, and he's going to be employing all his organisational skills to ensure that clubnights are run in the best spirit of enlightened despotism.
Rachel is a third year biologist at Hilda's, famed for her vivid combination of pink strings and grip. She's returning to the position of league and cuppers secretary for the second year running, having successfully kept the college teams in line last season.
With the deadliest flick serve in the game, the shuttle will be over your head before you can say 'Civaram Sivakumaran'. And with a 100% pulling record when he adorns those fishnets, he's a man's man when in women's clothing...watch out ladies, its's simply impossible to resist this guy's seductive charm.
