When current senior Erwin Sarmiento first entered his freshman year, few, including himself, would have predicted his all-star caliber badminton skills and high school career ahead of him.
“I was supposed to try out for the tennis team,” says Sarmiento, “but my friend [senior Arrizon Cristobal] told me to try out for the badminton team, so I did.”
Surprised that he made the team, Sarmiento played boys doubles during freshman and sophomore year. He came to play singles after training outside of school and realizing how much he enjoyed the sport at the Bay Badminton Center (BBC) in South San Francisco. He became increasingly invested in the sport as he competed regionally, nationally, and internationally in the junior division, going on to become a nationally ranked athlete who represents the United States in international tournaments.
Normally, Erwin can be found training approximately four hours a day for practice, increasing to five to eight hours when a competition nears. To prepare for his matches, he always makes sure to listen to tranquil music, drink warm water, and wear his favorite Yonex socks.
“I also drink this special, secret tea,” says Sarmiento, “but I don’t tell anyone what kind of tea it is. My friends don’t even know what’s in it — I like to keep it my little secret.”
Pregame rituals aside, Sarmiento feels that the pressure of the competition was a positive influence in his life as he it pushed him to achieve more and reach his potential as an athlete. When competing in the 2014 Bing Tang regionals, Sarmiento experienced one of the most bittersweet moments in his career. During the quarterfinals, he lost an especially close match with his competitor.
Sarmiento says, “The match was close enough where I should’ve won. Ever since that loss, I’ve been working hard to get better and go farther with badminton.”
Another memorable moment happened at the Junior Nationals two years ago and reminded him of how significant the mental components of the game are to being successful in badminton. After a long and exhausting day of matches, Erwin found himself having to test his mental endurance, even as he was physically exhausted running up and down the court to keep up with his opponent’s hits and smashes.
“Lots of people are skeptical about how important the mental game is,” explains Sarmiento. “You have to be able to think on your toes and out-think your opponent’s strategy.”
Placing 8th in the BBC Super Regional tournament in 2015 allowed him to become ranked 21st in the nation in his division. He looks forward to representing the United States in the Mexico Open and Brazilian Open this year, and accredits most of his success to his coaches and mother.
“My mother invests a lot of time and money [in] me,” says Sarmiento. “My coaches help me get better and push me to give it my all during practice.”
Sarmiento’s perseverance and relentless work ethic is something that his friends notice both on and off the court. Says Cristobal, “It doesn’t matter if people are judging him as long as he’s doing what he loves to do. His tenacity motivates a lot of his friends, and that’s what I really like about him — he never gives up on his goals and dreams.”
Sarmiento is looking forward to attending the College of San Mateo in the fall. Even though CSM does not have a badminton team, he hopes to continue to compete and train with BBC.
“I don’t really know what I want to do yet, but film is definitely a subject of interest for me,” says Sarmiento.
Regardless of what the future holds, one thing remains certain — badminton has left quite the impression on his life and serves to be one the most life-changing choices he’s made in his life.
