PIV is back at the Northern California Chinese Culture Athletic Federation (NCCCAF, 华体会) badminton team tournament. This time we came home with second place 🥈.
We went from regular weeknight games to lining up in this year's new PIV jerseys, with the whole bench shouting "PIV, let's go!" across the hall. And by the end of the day we were holding runner-up certificates.
Honestly, we just hoped to get out of the group
Going in, the goal was modest: get both PIV teams through the group stage. The Novice division filled up completely this year, and we knew plenty of strong players we play with around the Bay had entered. Part of us worried our teammates might buckle under tournament pressure.
Turns out we were overthinking it.
Maybe it was the team spirit. Every point came with a cheer from the sideline, and you could watch confidence build on court match by match. Everyone handled the pressure, played the level they actually train at, and took it one match at a time. Team one made it out of the group.
After that everyone was running on empty, and at least one teammate was on the edge of cramping. Nobody let up, and we played every rally right to the end.
The one that stings: our second team missed advancing by a single game. 😭 We're counting it as room to grow, and we'd love to see both teams back next year.
Practice If Vegetable
In Chinese there's a saying, 菜就多练. Roughly: if you're bad at it, practice more. Translate it literally and you get Practice If Vegetable, which is how PIV got its name. (The official version is Practice, Improve, Victory. Same idea.)
This tournament summed up why we started the club: practice more, play together, improve together, and step onto the court together. It was also a great chance for more of the Bay Area badminton community to get to know us.
Come play with us
PIV is still growing, and we'd love to meet more Bay Area players. To keep games competitive, we're looking for players who can already hold their own in casual rallies with some intensity. Sorry, we aren't set up for complete beginners right now:
Women: Zhongyu (中羽) level 2–5
Men: Zhongyu (中羽) level 3–5
Good sportsmanship and a friendly attitude matter more to us than anything else.
We play every Tuesday and Thursday, 8–11pm, at Can-Am Badminton. Check our club page for membership details, or get in touch if you have questions.
The next person wearing a PIV jersey at a tournament could be you. 🏸
关于PIV Club
The PIV Club coaching team — players, coaches, and volunteers building badminton in the South Bay Area.