NOTE: Arizona Interscholastic Association reporter Don Ketchum takes a brief look at some of the badminton teams from his coverage area, which includes north Scottsdale and all points west in Phoenix, the southwest and northwest Valley, northern Arizona, northwest Arizona and northeast Arizona.

By Don Ketchum

Badminton season is here for the 2011-12 school year.

More than 50 teams who participate in the sport will vie for one championship.

Which team will win it?

Will it be Scottsdale Chaparral, which captured the last Class 5A crown last year? Or maybe it will be Phoenix Greenway, which earned the Class 4A title.

The Deer Valley District has added badminton as a sport in order to comply with Title IX.

Among the top players returning is the Chaparral doubles champion team of Courtney Foltz and Alex Hoffman.  Stephanie Vermillion, the state singles runner-up from Goodyear Millennium, also is back for another season.

The Phoenix Union District hopes to have some competitive teams, and one of them is Phoenix Central, coached by Lettie Jovanovic.

The Bobcats are led by junior Dezarae Garrison and senior Giovana Regino.

The Glendale District has been strong, with 4A finalists Greenway and Phoenix Sunnyslope. Add Glendale Apollo to the mix. Apollo, coached by Rudy Aguilar, finished 11-3 last season.

The team championship will be held Oct. 20 at Glendale Independence. Singles and doubles title matches are set for Oct. 22 at Independence.