Lisa Davison would like to see her son soar to achievements she was unable to when she was a teenager.
"I never pressed my parents or asked for it, due to other circumstances," said Davison about not taking her badminton career to a post-secondary institution. "I never got to experience that and I'd really like to see him go do that because I think going away for school and then playing a game that you love to play can be a good thing."
The longtime badminton coach in Prince George was coaching her son Jonathan Goodkey, while playing in and organizing the North Central Open and Masters tournament, on the weekend at the College of New Caledonia for 31 competitors.
Goodkey played against adults in the open category in singles and doubles with partner Ben Cooke. The 16-year-old Kelly Road secondary student posted identical 1-1 records in his singles and doubles matches, being eliminated in Saturday's semifinals.
"I tried my hardest, but it wasn't enough," said Goodkey, adding his spring-break trip to Italy had him off his game. "It put me out of practice. It was 11 days with doing nothing but having fun in the sun where it was 25 degrees or higher all the time."
As for his mom's dream of seeing him attend a school like Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo or Langara College in Vancouver to play badminton, Goodkey is unsure.
"I don't know really it was just a thought," he said. "I might go do something else. I still don't have much of a clue right now."
Goodkey still has another year of high school before he has decide his future goals, but for now he's looking forward to joining 33 other Prince George students from KRSS, D.P. Todd, Prince George secondary and Duchess Park in high school badminton competition. The group will travel to Terrace from April 13-15 for the first tournament of the season before heading down Highway 97 to Kamloops the following weekend for a second tournament.
For Goodkey and his doubles partner of two years, Ben Cooke, the high school competition should be a breeze after giving men some good battles on the court. Goodkey was still kicking himself Saturday about letting a match against Lance Gordon of Prince George slip away a week earlier.
"It was pretty disappointing actually because I could of beat him," said Goodkey about losing the match in three games with the final one ending 26-28. "I lost on my serving, he was able to return it well."
Goodkey and Cooke were two of four high school players competing on the weekend, along with Jake Blix of Terrace and Oliver Bergen. Davison said the experience should help the boys when they play at the high school level.
"I think about the players that they're playing and they're good adults who have played for many years with a lot of wisdom," said Davison. "It's not like they're getting creamed, they're actually in it. That experience can carry them forward."
Goodkey's casual attitude towards the sport frustrates Davison at times.
"He's a very smart player," said Davison. "He has a lot of potential. He just has to believe in himself a little bit more.
"I've been coaching him since he was eight and we've had some interesting battles," she added. "But there's been some really good things to. I've been trying to figure out how to separate the mom and the coach thing - we've had to work really hard at that - but I just think of all the time I've got to spend with him. I don't think I'd change that, regardless of all the potential arguments, there's been good times to."
Davison may have "forced" him to take up badminton, but Goodkey admitted he wouldn't have stuck with it if he didn't enjoy it.
"I was good at it so I kept playing and going in tournaments," he said.
