Eyes locked on the birdie, junior Prajwal Avadhani leaps forward to execute a perfect jump smash, securing first place in U17 Boys Doubles at the 2025 Yonex Synergy NorCal Open Regional Championships. Over the past seven years, badminton has shaped Avadhani’s schedule, mindset and identity.
After exploring football, soccer, basketball and baseball in his childhood, Avadhani eventually attended a summer camp and demonstrated natural talent for badminton. He began to take classes regularly at Sunnyvale Sports Center in the summer of 2018.
“My friend played it a lot, which influenced me quite a bit,” Avadhani said. “I had a really fun time playing — I just liked it for some reason.”
Avadhani’s commitment to badminton grew as he joined a competitive Milpitas team in 2020, where he progressed through training with more advanced students. Before entering high school, he switched to a Campbell location closer to Lynbrook.
To date, he has attended about 30 competitions. As a freshman, he earned bronze for Boys Singles at the California Interscholastic Federation tournament — the first Boys Singles medal in Lynbrook badminton history. His skill prompted varsity badminton coach Nhat Nguyen to name a signature move after Avadhani: Prajwal-ing, or allowing an opponent to gain a large lead before making a quick comeback. With this technique, combined with years of skill, he accumulated around 30 medals.
However, Avadhani’s dedication is not without its challenges. Practicing four times a week can be both mentally and physically draining. Although quitting crossed his mind multiple times, he remains committed, having dedicated so much time and effort to the sport.
“You get really sore to the point where your body just doesn’t want to do anything,” Avadhani said. “That way, I’ve learned to be okay with pain, to just go about daily life and not complain.”
Despite the intensity, Avadhani has always had a support system backing him up. His father, Narasimha Prasad, plays a key role in Avadhani’s growth, cheering his son on throughout his badminton journey.
“Prajwal is a patient person on court,” Prasad said. “There are players who might have more endurance and power, but Prajwal is a tactical player and makes strategic moves.”
Furthermore, Nguyen has supported Avadhani since he joined the team in his freshman year. Nguyen notes that Avadhani’s love for the sport is evident through his self-motivated practices, coaching him by cultivating Avadhani’s strengths.
“He doesn’t have a superstar syndrome, knowing that he’s the best on the team — he’s very humble, very friendly, willing to help and be frank with his friends,” Nguyen said. “In freshman year, he would get frustrated when losing, but now he’s a lot more composed. I’m never concerned that he will give up.”
He also gained skills applicable outside the sport. Memorizing terminology and drills has given him a leg up at school, while his focus and dedication to training honed his discipline. Although he isn’t considering a professional career, Avadhani is still excited for his future in the sport, especially his remaining seasons in high school.
“Badminton has increased my self-confidence quite a bit, especially the things we’ve done in training,” Avadhani said. “They’re quite brutal, and it really pushes my boundaries and shows me that I still have places to go.”
