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Congratulations to SPBA’s 2025 Illinois High School Association State Champions! SPBA players Anvi Harish and Charlotte Richards of Stevenson High School defeated their opponents Luna Han & Kanyanat Vajworarat of Neuqua Valley 21-16, 24-22 in the finals. In order to win the championship they won 6 straight matches in dominant fashion, never dropping a game, and up until the finals only twice letting a team score double digits! 

Anvi trained with the SPBA for 8 years, starting badminton at the age of 10 in the beginning younger classes and quickly ramping up to 3x a week regular classes and then bronze team by the age of 11. She continued to push herself and often was training 6 or 7 days a week.

Her consistency and hard work seriously paid off, winning 2 State Championship Doubles titles with different partners, one State Champion Doubles Runner-up medal, and 2 State Championship Team medals, and 2 State Team Runner-up medals . With 7 state medals across 4 years she became the most decorated SPBA player in history. This wrapped up an amazing high school performance for Anvi Harish and we wish her all the best of luck in college at Case Western University!

Anvi Harish
State Champion Doubles (2025) (2023)
State Runner-Up Doubles (2024)
State Champion Team (2023) (2022)
State Runner-Up Team (2025) (2024)
4 x State Qualifier
Sectionals: 1st Place Doubles, 1st Place Team
Conference: 1st Place Varsity #1 doubles
2nd Place 2025 Egret Midwest CRC U19 GD
2nd Place 2024 MBC Midwest OLC U19 GD, 3rd Place U19 XD
1st Place 2024 North Shore Open WD A , 2nd Place XD A
Senior, Stevenson High School

Jimmy is originally from Indonesia, where badminton is the national sport. As an 11 year old, he left his family to go train full time in badminton while going to school.  At age 16, he lived with the Indonesian National Team and medaled at several Jr. international tournaments in Asia including winning gold at the Asian Junior Continental Championships in boys singles. He placed 2nd in men’s doubles and 3rd in men’s singles at the Indonesian National Team Trials.

He has represented Indonesia, Switzerland, and the United States in international competitions including winning two international titles, one in men’s singles and one in men’s doubles. He also represented the United States in the Sudirman Cup (the World Mixed Team Championships) with his men’s doubles partner Halim Haryanto (former World Champion in Men’s Doubles, also from Indonesia) (see photo below). Between 2001 and 2003 he won a string of national tournaments across the country, including the Boston Open where he beat two National Champions and the 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist on his way to earning the title. Jimmy was formerly the #1 ranked men’s singles player in the United States.

Jimmy came to the SPBA 6 years ago after coaching 8+ years at two of the most prestigious clubs in the country in Northern California. He has coached all levels of players, from beginners playing badminton for the first time, to players on the international tour. He has a passion for teaching and learning his craft, and as he puts it, “I expect my students to be a student of the sport and keep learning and I expect the same of myself”  Badminton is quite simply in his blood. And the results of his students speak for themselves.

Photo Credit: Badmintonphoto
USA #1 Jimmy Pohan and World Champion Halim Haryanto
representing the United States at the 2013  Sudirman Cup

Here are a few highlights:

• Gold Medal at the Junior Pan American Championships (That is the championship of North and South America) in Under 11 Boys Doubles (2013)

• Gold and Silver Medal at the Junior Pan American Championships (That is the championship of North and South America) in Under 11 Mixed Doubles (2013)

• Bronze Medal at the United States Junior Nationals in Under 17 Girls Singles and Doubles (2019)

• Silver Medal at the United States Junior International Trials (JIT) in U19 Mixed Doubles (2019)

• Qualified a student for the World Junior Championships in U19 Mixed Doubles (2019)

• Triple Crown Winner (Gold Medal in all 3 events ) at the SPBA Midwest Open Regionals (U17 Boys Singles, Boys Doubles, and Mixed Doubles) (2019)

• Coaches an international player who is currently top 200 in the world in women’s singles (2021)

Jimmy Pohan, Former #1 Ranked
Men’s Singles Player in USA

USA Badminton’s Shannon Pohl was unveiled as a one of three finalists for the United States Olympic Committee’s 2012 Developmental Coach of the Year Award. This was the only  time a badminton coach has been selected as a finalist for this award. Finalists were selected in five categories, including National Coach of the Year, Paralympic National Coach of the Year, Developmental Coach of the Year, Volunteer Coach of the Year and the Doc Councilman Science Award. The Developmental Coach of the Year Award is presented to a coach at a youth club, high school or junior level, or a coach who is directly responsible for training athletes to reach the junior and/or elite level. Read USA Badminton’s article here!

Shannon’s dedication to the sport of badminton earned her a trip to the 2013 National Coaching Conference in Colorado Springs, where all five USOC award recipients will be announced during an awards dinner.. Shannon also spoke on a panel at the conference on the subject of athlete development. Hosted by the USOC in association with the NCAA, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and National Association for Sport and Physical Education, the annual conference focuses on enhancing coaching knowledge and disseminating the latest research, trends and innovations in order to develop beginner to elite athletes for optimum performance.

U.S. Olympic and Pan American sports organizations selected their 2012 Coaches of the Year as part of the USOC Coach of the Year Recognition Program. The finalists in each category were chosen by a panel of coaching and sport education professionals. More information on all 2012 finalists can be found in the U.S. Olympic Committee’s press release.

Exciting news! I was selected as the 2012 USA Badminton Developmental Coach of the Year. This is a great honor that wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and sacrifices of so many wonderful athletes, parents, coaches, vendors, sponsors, volunteers and family members. Thank you so much to all of you who nominated me. I was moved to tears by many of the parents who sent me copies of their nomination letters. I’m so delighted that I have been able to be a positive influence your children and I’m so grateful to be doing what I love every day!

I’d like to specially thank all the coaches and players who have introduced me to the world of badminton and taught me how to play and coach this sport over the past 18 years. Your support in my athletic career and now my coaching has allowed me to pursue my passion. Thank you all for spreading the word about my academy and helping to grow badminton in the Midwest!

USA Badminton has now nominated me for the US Olympic Committee Developmental Coach of the year. Each Olympic sport submits a nomination for this prestigious award, and the winner is selected at a future banquet at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. I’m not aware of any badminton coach ever winning this award before. It’s an honor just to be considered!

Thank you all so much for all your support!

Warm Regards,
Shannon