JOLIET, Ill. – Joliet Central High School badminton is entering a recent era under the leadership of Gia Gomez, who has stepped into the role of head coach. The Steelmen, coming off a seventh-place finish at the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Finals last season, are aiming to maintain their competitive edge despite the departure of key players and their previous coach.
Gomez isn’t new to the program, having served as an assistant coach for the past several seasons. She inherits a team with a strong recent history, but too one facing the challenge of replacing graduated talent like Analiese Gudeman and Audrey Rodriguez, a doubles team that reached the Top 12 at state last year. The transition also marks a change in leadership, as Lisa Luangsomkham, the long-time veteran coach, has transitioned to an assistant athletic director position at Joliet Central.
“It’s been excellent, but I have huge shoes to fill,” Gomez said, acknowledging the legacy she’s stepping into. “Lisa is a great presence, and I owe it to her and the school to supply it my all and put in all the hard function that she did for years. Lisa knows the community and is such a big figure here. Last year was a great season for her to go out on, and she’s been available to help me.”
The team recently showcased its early-season form at the 16th annual Birds of Steel Tournament, hosted by Joliet Central on Saturday, March 21. This year’s tournament featured a particularly strong field, including the Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA), a team that finished fifth at the state finals last season. Metea Valley and Joliet Central also competed among the top ten teams from the previous year’s state competition.
Metea Valley ultimately claimed the tournament title with 31 points, followed closely by IMSA with 30 points. Joliet Central secured a respectable third-place finish with 25 points. Plainfield South (20 points), Lincoln-Way West (17 points), Romeoville (11 points), Joliet West (3 points), and Plainfield East (3 points) rounded out the eight-team competition.
Despite the competitive field, several Steelmen players demonstrated promising performances. Senior Daisy Heredia, who moved up to the No. 2 singles position last year, expressed optimism about the season ahead. “Last year, I started at No. 5 singles and moved up to No. 2,” Heredia said. “This (Birds of Steel) was our first tournament, and I was pretty impressed, even if I didn’t finish where I wanted to be. Coach Gomez was my JV coach, so I know her and I expect good things. This tournament gives me experience. I just want to win more medals, acquire better, and hopefully get to state.”
Senior Sarai Contreras, a state qualifier last year after winning the sectional singles title, also competed at Birds of Steel, finishing second in first singles behind IMSA senior Dhivija Challa. IMSA sophomore Catherine Wang secured the second singles title. The Steelmen didn’t achieve a top-two finish in second doubles, with Metea Valley’s Charis Lee and Joanna Romauld taking the championship.
In first doubles, the Joliet Central team of Ja’Mya Chestnut and Erika Saenz-Lata finished as runners-up, having advanced to state last season. They were defeated by Metea Valley’s Saanvi Gupta and Medha Kotagiri. Metea Valley continued their success by winning the third doubles title with the duo of Sameera Waghmare and Sofia Pirzada, defeating Steelmen seniors Alyson Contreras and Jael Vivanco.
Alyson Contreras, who is cousins with Sarai Contreras, highlighted the strong partnership with her doubles partner. “We only lost the one match all day,” she said. “My partner Jael and I have experience playing with each other, and we picked up where we left off. We had played together as freshmen, and now we’re back after two years. We were excited to be back together. We are very compatible with each other.”
Building on their performance at Birds of Steel, Joliet Central continued to compete, achieving success at the Rolling Meadows Doubles Delight Tournament on March 21. The Steelmen secured first place in both the first and fourth doubles categories, with their second, fifth, and seventh doubles teams each finishing in second place.
Gomez, who celebrated her 26th birthday on the day of the Birds of Steel Tournament, emphasized the importance of the program’s foundation and the dedication of her players. She previously played varsity badminton at Lincoln-Way Central and credits her high school coach, Ryan Pohlmann, for his influence. “I’ve been blessed to be around so many supportive people,” Gomez said. “I experience very lucky to be here with this amazing group of student athletes, who get here at 5 AM for practice. I’m really just trying to continue the strong foundation here. We want to rise to the occasion and keep that same level of success.”
The Joliet Central badminton team will continue its season with upcoming matches and tournaments. The team’s schedule and further updates can be found on the Joliet Central High School Athletics website.
The Steelmen will glance to build on their early-season successes and continue their tradition of competitive badminton in the Southwest Suburban Conference and beyond. The program’s ability to navigate this transition period will be a key storyline to watch as the season progresses.
