The Peoria Unified School District is jumping into the badminton scene for the first time.

“It (badminton) has been on the radar for a year or two,” said Mike Sivertson, Peoria’s high school district athletic director. “We just got through the process internally and got it in place for all seven high schools.”

With Peoria now in the badminton picture, a new section was added to Division I, which will now have seven sections competing for one state team championship in the fall sport.

Each of the Peoria schools will check on-campus first to see if they can fill their badminton coaching positions, Sivertson said.

Section VII badminton Peoria schools and enrollment

Cactus (1,397)

Centennial (2,128)

Ironwood (1,996)

Liberty (1,967)

Peoria (1,682)

Raymond S. Kellis (1,878)

Sunrise Mountain (1,580)