Wheeling Badminton Aims for Winning Season Under New Coach

Bruce Varela takes over the Wildcats program after serving as an assistant for 20 years.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 10:52pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a badminton match broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in navy blue, forest green, and burnt orange, conveying the dynamic energy of the sport.Wheeling badminton's new coach is aiming to lead the team to new heights with an aggressive, up-tempo style of play.Waukegan Today

Wheeling badminton is excited to hit the courts this season with a new head coach, Bruce Varela, who is entering his first year leading the program after serving as a longtime assistant coach for a variety of sports over the last 20 years. Varela was the freshman/sophomore coach the last few years but is now taking over the varsity head coaching duties. The Wildcats are coming off a 3-7 season but hope to build on the experience of key returnees like Rachel Simon, Audrey Justiniani, Allyson Ayala and Jasmine Medina, while also expecting contributions from new players like Ayobola Odeyinka, Lindsey Perino and Blanka Stolarczyk.

Why it matters

Wheeling badminton has struggled in recent seasons, finishing 10th in the conference last year after back-to-back last place finishes. The program is hoping a new coach can provide a fresh perspective and lead the team to greater success, including a winning record, a division title, and a strong showing in the conference and sectional tournaments.

The details

Bruce Varela is entering his first year as Wheeling's head badminton coach after serving as an assistant coach for the school across multiple sports for about 20 years. He was not originally planning to become a head coach, but stepped up when the previous two coaches stepped down. Varela was the freshman/sophomore coach the last few years and is now excited for the challenge of leading the varsity team. His assistant coaches this season are Ellie Welter and Maria Orellana.

  • Wheeling badminton's season begins on March 28 with a tournament appearance at Schaumburg.
  • The team will also compete in tournaments at York on April 11 and host their annual Wheeling Invite on April 25.
  • The conference meet is scheduled for later this season, after Wheeling finished 10th last year.

The players

Bruce Varela

Wheeling's new head badminton coach, entering his first year in the role after serving as an assistant coach at the school for around 20 years.

Rachel Simon

A key returning player for Wheeling who finished second in singles at the Schaumburg tournament to start the season.

Audrey Justiniani

One of Wheeling's experienced returnees that the team is hoping will contribute to an improved season.

Ayobola Odeyinka

A new player expected to step up and fill some gaps for the Wildcats this year.

Lindsey Perino

Another newcomer that Wheeling is counting on to make an impact this season.

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What they’re saying

“Our goals this season are to have a winning record, win our division and place near the top of the conference tournament. We want to make some noise in sectionals and send some of these athletes to state. The girls have very positive attitudes and the correct mindsets that we can compete with anybody and win on any given day.”

— Bruce Varela, Head Coach

“We have a positive mindset that this can be an exciting and successful season. The girls all have great attitudes and have been great to work with so far.”

— Bruce Varela, Head Coach

What’s next

The Wildcats will look to build on their early tournament performances as they aim to improve their conference standing and make a push for the postseason.

The takeaway

Wheeling badminton is hoping a new coach can provide a fresh perspective and lead the team to greater success this season, with the program setting ambitious goals of a winning record, a division title, and a strong showing in the conference and sectional tournaments.