As a part of my CAS experience, i collaborated with 2 students at FS, Kevya Mangukiya -G11 and Param Agarwal-G12, to organize an in-school Badminton Tournament. This tournament was not just limited to competition but also inclined towards making an impact. We catered towards multiple age categories- including singles, doubles and even mixed doubles to ensure inclusivity and a good level of participation. Having organised this tournament we aimed towards gathering funds for children battling cancer, and with collective and dedicated efforts we successfully raised over Rs 30,000. Although organizing this event came with several challenges, from structuring fair match schedules with specific time slots allocated and managing last-minute player changes to handling logistics efficiently, we ensured to organise a well-executed tournament of quality and we were successful to do so through teamwork, communication skills and adaptability.
LO3: Initiate and Plan a CAS Experience
We, as a team initiated this tournament to create a meaningful impact by raising funds for children battling cancer. Beyond just a sports event, our goal was to use badminton as a platform for social change, encouraging participation while contributing to a greater cause. With this vision, we carefully planned the tournament structure, managed logistics, and ensured smooth execution, making it both a competitive and purpose-driven event.
LO1: Identify Own Strengths and Develop Areas for Growth
By organising this event i realized my strengths, which included event coordination and problem-solving and hence leveraged on that, but along with that I also had to improve in areas such as time management and adaptability to handle unexpected changes.
Being a team of 3, we had to coordinate the planning process efficiently. With many aspects to manage,like match scheduling, participant coordination and promotion, it was quite difficult to distribute tasks productively. From the very start we didn’t put much efforts in assigning tasks which aligned to each of our personal strengths which led to inefficiencies and overlapping responsibilities. Initially we assumed that we could handle everything together but this was a big misconception we all had. For instance, all three of us were focused on participant confirmations while no one was managing the provision of certificates and medals. We later, having realised this, allocated tasks based on personal strengths to make the most of the time we had to plan the event.
LO5 – Demonstrate skills and benefits of working collaboratively.
We had enrollments of over 50+ students at FS, and being a group of only 3 organising committee members, it was quite tough to manage everything. Handling a large number of players across different categories became overwhelming, and without a structured division of tasks, there were delays in match coordination.
Recognizing the need for better collaboration, we divided responsibilities strategically. This division allowed us to tackle unexpected challenges and helped us to make timely and precise decisions without disrupting the planning of the event.
Through this experience, I learned that effective collaboration goes beyond simply working together. It requires trust, clear communication, and an understanding of each team member’s strengths. One instance was such were all of us completely forgot about the medals and certificates, assuming that one of us might have had handled them, only to realize a day before the tournament that they hadn’t been arranged.
Thankfully with the help of our coach’s vendor contacts, we managed to arrange the medals a day prior, while one of us designed and printed the certificates.
As a team we did start with an unstructured approach but with the ongoing process we adapted to the various scenarios knowing that even if one of us ends up making a mistake there’d always be the other two to assist.
Through this we ultimately executed a well-organized tournament, proving the value of teamwork in overcoming challenges.
LO4: Show perseverance and commitment in CAS experience
Organizing this badminton tournament required continuous effort and commitment, especially keeping the registrations updated when they came in. I also had to juggle between updating and listing the cash payments and the online payments independently, which required serious commitment. From managing registrations to finalizing logistics, I had to stay persistent despite time constraints.
Organizing this tournament was a challenging yet rewarding experience that enhanced my planning, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. It made me realise the importance of clear communication, adaptability, and perseverance, whether in handling last-minute logistics, dividing responsibilities, or overcoming unexpected hurdles. Most importantly, it showed me how an initiative can go beyond just an event and create real impact, as we successfully raised over Rs. 30,000 of funds for children battling cancer, finally deepening my understanding of collaborative effort and social responsibility.