James S (13JTe) is now a U19 English National Open Doubles Champion, alongside his partner David Ng (OR 2023–2025), after an extraordinary weekend at the National Badminton Centre.

What makes this victory special isn’t just the title.

James hadn’t been training heavily. His focus had been on A-levels and university applications. The partnership itself was a last-minute decision and expectations were low.

And yet, under real pressure, they found calm. They found resilience. They found a way back.

After speaking with James this week to ask him what advice he would give to younger students involved in competitive sport, he shared:

“Always try your best in training, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Enjoy the sport. Winning isn’t the reason you start, you start because you love playing. That’s something people often forget.”

This is the kind of quiet grit, perspective and sportsmanship we value at Reading School – excellence that grows out of balance, trust and character.