Dougan hangs it up after nationals

By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter

Strathmore’s Kaitlyn Dougan got to enjoy the perfect ending to her badminton career, even if that meant she didn’t win gold.
After competing provincially all her life, the 22-year-old Dougan just wanted a shot at the big time in a nationally-ranked tournament.
Dougan graduated Strathmore High School in 2013, where her badminton skills really flourished, as she placed in the Top 5 twice at provincials.
Post-secondary life immediately after leaving the halls of the high school wasn’t for her. Dougan took her time working on the farm and figured out her next move. She wanted to attend Olds College to enroll in the land and water resources program, with the dream of getting into environmental reclamation projects one day.
Packing her bags for class once again, she made sure to pack her badminton racket for one more shot at it.
“I had always competed provincially, from high school and even including both my years at Olds,” said Dougan. “I just always wanted to experience nationals.”
Last year, in her first year with the Olds College Broncos, Dougan placed ninth during the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference provincial playoff, leaving her well behind from a chance to attend nationals.
Entering her second and final year of the land and water resources program, this was Dougan’s last crack at it.
The current format sees the top two seeds qualify for nationals. After the individual event wrapped up Feb. 11, Dougan was sitting in fifth. But because of the other competitors qualifying in other events, she slid into the second and final spot for nationals.
“I definitely got a little lucky there at provincials, but it doesn’t matter. I finally get my chance to go,” said Dougan. “After I finished up my games, I saw the other girls kept climbing up the standings in the doubles programs and I started cheering for them. I knew that they needed to make it in the double to give me a chance to go in singles.”
It never hurts to be a little lucky sometimes.
“I was so excited when I saw how the rest of provincials went,” said Dougan. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
The former Spartan got to enjoy all the bright lights of nationals upon arriving at Concordia University of Edmonton. At the banquet, which pre-dated the tourney, she got to mingle with all the other coaches and players from across the country.
Once the competition started, she realized she wasn’t in Olds anymore.
Faced with the eventual national champion Takeisha Wang of Concordia right out of the gate, Dougan lost in straight sets 2-0 (6-21, 7-21) March 3. From there, things didn’t get much better, as she was defeated 2-0 (11-21, 8-21) by Christina Woo of Vancouver Island University. She closed out the first day of competition with a 2-0 (11-21, 11-21) loss to Fanshawe College’s Riley Hogan.
With nothing to lose on the final day, Dougan started with a 2-0 (21-14, 21-12) victory over Emma Hughes of Holland College.
“Yeah, I know it didn’t go well, but it was really nice to pull one out on the final day,” said Dougan. “It made the trip worth it.”
Competing for fifth place in her final game, Dougan was bested by Ann Hoang of George Brown College 2-0 (10-21, 9-21), in front of a rocking crowd.
“That’s the biggest thing I’ll take away from my time at nationals, was how much the crowds and athletes from other provinces were cheering on the players at the tournament,” said Dougan. “They were getting pretty loud in my final match and it was a little nerve racking, but totally fun. It was a fitting way to end my badminton career.”