Badminton Bonanza

Alessandra Kraan (Class of 2004) is a quadruple "star" among JIS Alumni. She is one of the very few of us who can proudly boast of having played not one, not two, but four different roles in the JIS community: student/alum, JIS parent (of two Dragonlings at Pondok Indah Elementary), core member of the Dragon Store and Boosters, and most recently, IASAS coach.

As a student, she excelled in multiple sports, dedicating nearly her entire High School experience to Varsity Basketball, Soccer, and Badminton, which means she also represented JIS at IASAS events multiple times each year. If that wasn’t impressive enough, Alessandra also took on the leadership roles of co-captain of the basketball team, as well as captain and most valuable player (MVP) of Varsity.

“I think athletics is absolutely important in the development of your character, of your growth as a person. Participating in sports during my time at JIS gave me a lot of confidence. It was always a stable factor in my life; it gave me discipline and consistency, and it definitely pushed me to my limits,” she recalls. “I really think sports benefits you in every way — physically, mentally. It definitely strengthens you.”

After a brief time away to focus on a degree in international relations and management in the United States, Alessandra returned to Jakarta to pursue career opportunities. Through it all, her connection to the Dragon community remained strong, so when it came time for her children to start school, enrolling them at JIS’s Pondok Indah Elementary (PIE) was the obvious choice. Over the next six years, Alessandra would be a dependable sight at beloved celebrations such as Indonesia Week and Uniting Nations Day, taking part in parent-led performances or staffing a booth at the International Food Festivals.

Her commitment also extended to the Cilandak campus, where she plays a key role in the Dragon Store (what used to be the Booster Hut) as one of its core members, and as a regular participant in the JIS Open Badminton Tournament — which was started many years ago by her former badminton coach Mark Murnane.

"It's for everyone in the community, including alumni and parents. You can play in the mixed doubles, singles, women's, or men's categories. It's a great way to build community and enthusiasm for badminton,” Alessandra explains. “The competition includes faculty and staff members, and this year, the Dragon Store sponsored prizes for first and second place."

It was this experience at the JIS Open Badminton Tournament that opened the doors for her to step up as a coach for JIS’s Varsity Badminton Team, allowing her to give back to the Dragon community in a new and impactful way with her extensive experience and passion for sports.

“I saw how dedicated the students were to badminton and got to know a lot of the faculty. They needed a female coach for the Girls Varsity team, and I thought it would be a great fit. I was very proud of the team and had no hesitation in taking the role.”

Under her guidance, the team flourished. Although they faced a rebuilding year with many new players, Alessandra's leadership and mentorship helped the team exceed expectations to come in fourth at IASAS Season 3 hosted by International School Manila (ISM).

“It was very close! We had a completely new team with only two returning players. Many were freshmen and sophomores. We were optimistic but pleasantly surprised by how well they did,” she says. “I think my own experience with IASAS really benefited the season this year, but we also had a fantastic assistant coach, Melissa, who is ranked in Indonesia. We were able to put our skills together; she's really good with the technical side of things, and I was able to nurture the team as far as emotions go and how to have the mental strength to continue.”

Still, she credits much of her training approach to her coaches, both past and present.

"Coach Gene Magill was fantastic. He was very supportive and pushed us hard. Mark Murnane, who is loved by the community, has been a great mentor and helped me a lot this season."

So what’s next for this multifaceted Dragon? A big move to Houston, Texas, awaits in the very near future, which means the JIS community must say sampai jumpa — until we meet again — to one of its most active and dedicated supporters. While Alessandra will be missed, the parents of PIE, her badminton mentees, and everyone at the Dragon Store are hopeful her journey will bring her back to Jakarta and JIS once again.

You can also catch up with the other "Sporty Kraan Sister", Annemarie, and her support for JIS through the High School Careers Day, sharing her groundbreaking story in this edition of Dragon News. See Drone Diva!