Badminton may not be high in the Australian sporting consciousness, but for Maribyrnong College year 12 student Jacob Schueler it’s everything.
Schueler has had a steady rise through the ranks since first picking up a racquet at age 11, making it onto Victorian teams and winning tournaments around the state until, last month, he represented Australia at the under-19 Pan Pacific championships.
His strong performances there saw him selected on the Australian team for the world junior badminton championships in Spain in November.
It’s a journey that began back in his hometown of Geelong with an invitation to come and try the sport at the local recreation centre.
“Dad said I should give it a shot and I enjoyed it so I went back; it all started there,” Schueler said.
“I played tennis at that age, too, and I’ve just always liked racquet sports. It just sort of clicked together.
“I started competing in competitions when I was about 12. I made the under-13 state team and just went on from there.”
Steady progress through the ranks had Schueler joining the badminton program at Maribyrnong College, and the Pan Pacifics last month marked his first time in a national team.
“It was good to play against New Zealand and some other Oceania teams.
“I’ve played other international tournaments but haven’t gone that well. This time the team came third, which was good.
“I was pretty happy with how I played; that’s probably my best performance this year.”
Getting the chance to travel to Spain next month is an opportunity Schueler never expected, but he’s relishing the chance to test himself against the world’s best.
“I didn’t really know what to say when they told me I was on the team for Spain,” Schueler said.
“I rang mum to tell her and she was pretty excited, then I called my coaches to thank them for getting me to this point.
“Hopefully the team goes well over there and I can learn some more.”
Schueler is juggling his year 12 studies around 10 weekly training sessions to get himself ready for the world titles, something he says is difficult at times but ultimately worth it.
“It’s pretty full on.
“Trying to fit everything in and making sure I get enough sleep can be tricky, but the school has been pretty much the only reason I can do all my badminton and school as well.
“Being a sporting school means I can train and do my classes at the same place.”
With a home Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in just two years’ time, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics also a goal, Schueler is setting his sights high and letting his racquet do the talking.
