On Saturday, November 15, 2025, seven dedicated athletes from the Albatros Badminton Sports Club journeyed too Moral de Calatrava, a town in Ciudad Real, Spain, to compete in the Castilla-La Mancha Badminton Club League. Under the guidance of coach Jesús de la Mata, the team also saw two of its members participate in a parallel National Parabadminton and Inclusive Circuit event held in the same venue.
The Castilla-La Mancha Club League offers a unique and exciting format, diverging from the typical individual and doubles play seen in badminton.Here, clubs battle it out as a collective unit. The competition comprises five matches: Mixed Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Singles, and Men’s Singles. The club that clinches the majority of these five matches emerges victorious. A key rule is that each player can onyl participate in a maximum of two disciplines, adding a strategic layer to team composition. This year, Albatros Badminton Club faced challenges in fielding full teams for the U13 and Absolute categories due to various circumstances. However,they successfully entered two teams in the U17 category.
The U17 contingent, a formidable force frequently enough referred to as the “Albatros army,” consisted of Jimena Alonso, Kristina Stanislavova, Samuel Rodríguez, Marcos Romero, and Mateo Higueras. These young athletes, already recognized for their talent on a national level, lived up to expectations. In a series of hard-fought matches,they secured the U17 REGIONAL CHAMPIONS title for the Club League,triumphing over Badminton Drop toledo in the final. This victory marks their fourth consecutive championship, a testament to their consistent dominance, much like a dynasty building its legacy in American sports.
Adding to the club’s extraordinary showing, a second U17 team from Albatros competed. This squad featured Daniela Rodríguez, Raquel Lozano, Jaime Perona, and Pablo Cirujano, who was on loan from Badminton Drop Toledo. Remarkably, all these athletes are still within the U15 age bracket. Against all odds, they fought their way to the contention for third place, ultimately finishing in a commendable fourth position. Their performance was a true underdog story, reminiscent of a Cinderella run in March Madness.
In the concurrent National Parabadminton and Inclusive Circuit, Albatros Badminton was represented by two athletes who teamed up with players holding parabadminton licenses. Jesús de la Mata, embracing the competitive spirit, partnered with Álvaro Martínez from Badminton Provenfray. Their journey concluded in the quarterfinals. Simultaneously occurring, Albatros’s Jimena Alonso joined forces with maya Alcaide, a wheelchair athlete from Badminton Drop Toledo. This dynamic duo showcased remarkable skill and teamwork, reaching the final and ultimately earning the title of SUBCAMPIONS in the INCLUSIVE DOUBLES.Their achievement highlights the growing inclusivity in sports, mirroring the spirit of events like the Paralympics.
