*444. Fil-Am Olympian ERIKA K. VON HEILAND, Ace Shuttler from Angeles City

It used to be that badminton was a lightly-regarded sport, more fit for leisure than for competition. Only a few athletes—mostly from Asian countries—ruled the sport.  It was first featured as a demonstration sport in the 1972 Munich Olympics, but it took 20 years for  it to be included as an official medal-worthy sport—at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

In a sport dominated by Indonesians, Malaysians, Koreans and Chinese, a Filipino-American of Kapampangan lineage,  led the U.S. Olympic Badminton team, in their quest for a podium finish for America. All eyes were on Erika Ann Kennedy Von Heiland, the 27 year-old shuttler who beat all odds to qualify for the Barcelona Olympics.

For a gruelling 18 months, she made the rounds of qualifying competitions around the world to secure a berth in the U.S. team, paying part of the tour expenses, taking out loans to finance her trip and even putting her college scholarship on the line. But, after a year and a half of competing, Von Heiland was stunned to learn that she had made it as the highest-ranked American badminton player for the Olympics.

Erika was born in Angeles City on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1965 to parents Theodore Leopoldo (Ted)  Von Heiland (b. 11 Jan. 1941/d.15 Sep. 2011) and Georgia Kennedy. She came from a pedigreed family, one of the richest in Pampanga. Her great-grandfather was Florentino Torres Pamintuan (b. 14 Mar. 1868/d. 12 Apr. 1925) who built the famous Pamintuan Mansion across the Holy Rosary Parish, for his first wife, Mancia Vergara Sandico.

The Pamintuan-Sandico union produced 5 children; the eldest daughter, Maria de la Paz Eugenia (or simply, Paz) went on to marry Leopoldo Faustino who died young. Paz married a second time to an Honolulu journalist, Frank A. Von Heiland, and they would have a daughter, Bunny, and a son Ted—Erika’s father.

Ted graduated from Ateneo, and spent part of his married years in Angeles City, and in Manila, where his kids Frank (Chip), Debra (Babsie) , Erika and Trinity,  grew up in an extended Kapampangan household and went to school at the Colegio de San Agustin in Makati. But in 1985, he would eventually move his family to Anaheim, California  where his children completed  their education and later, pursued their own careers: Chip and Babsie  joined the military, while Erika stayed in college to take up Criminal Justice at  Arizona State University  on a badminton sport scholarship.

Erika had been fascinated with racquet sports in her younger years, taking up tennis at age 17. But when she learned that she could propel a shuttlecock up to 200 miles per hour, she felt the rush and shifted to badminton, considered as the fastest sport in the world. It is amusing to know that she once got hit in the right eye with a shuttlecock and couldn't see for a week. 

Eventually, she became so highly- skilled at the sport that in 1989, she was chosen to represent the U.S. at the 6th International Badminton Federation World Championships held in Jakarta, Indonesia (she would make the team as well, in 1991 and 1993). The next year, in 1990, Von Heiland made it as a member of the US Uber Cup Team, qualifying again in 1992, and 1996.

But it had always been the Olympics that she aspired for, a dream that was fulfilled in 1992. At the inaugural badminton games, Von Heiland competed in the Women’s Singles but her heroic efforts were thwarted by Canadian champion Denyse Julien in the first round. She ranked 33^rd overall in a field that was ruled by Asians and topped by Indonesian Susi Susanti. Still, it was a good experience for Von Heiland , and vowed to come back stronger for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

In between Olympics, she trained relentlessly, and in 1995, she represented the United States at the Pan American Games in Mar de Plata, Argentina. Von Heiland was fielded in the women’s badminton doubles (with partner Linda French) and this time, she came home with a hard-earned Bronze Medal. She and Linda even fared better at the 1995 Bermuda International Open., winning runner-up honors in women’s doubles.

The rewards of joining these high-level international badminton tournaments were finally realized when, on 8 April 1996, the United States Badminton Association announced Erika Von Heiland’s nomination to the U.S. Olympic Committee for inclusion on the 1996 U.S. Olympic Badminton Team., along with Kevin Han and doubles partner, Linda French.

At this news, Von Heiland gushed, "Competing in my first Olympics in 1992 was awesome, but going to my second Olympics on home-soil is beyond words.” The 30 year old veteran then added, "This will be a great way to end my career."

Von Heiland marched proudly as part of Team America, during the opening of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics at the Centennial Olympic Park. When the badminton games got going, she valiantly gave her best to ward off  her Taipei opponent Jeng Shwu-Zen, in the Women’s Singles, but got eliminated in the first round with a score of 2–11, 6–11. Von Heiland ranked last in a field of 33 female shuttlers. In the Women’s Doubles where she and Linda French were ranked 38^th best in the world, they did slightly better, finishing in 17th place in a field of 19.

When the Atlanta Summer Games drew to a close, so did the sensational badminton career of Von Heiland. Hounded by multiple knee surgeries, she knew it was time to hang up the racquet. At 30, she was ready to enjoy her married life while hoping to begin a professional career.

She didn’t have to look far—right in Atlanta, she was offered a sales job by the Coca Cola Enterprises and rose to become the Amusement and Recreation Business Development Manager for 4 years. She tried other companies but returned to the Coca Cola Company as a Senior National Account Executive. After 7 years, she was named as Director of Community Marketing beginning in  2011 to the present.  

It’s been a long journey for this Angeleña—who, despite her prominent background chose to do things the old-fashioned way: working her way to the top through sheer hard work. perseverance and dedication,. At her prime, she was named as one of the best 100 women badminton players of the world. Erika Von Heiland was also blessed with the unique experience of living her Olympic dream not once, and now, as a successful corporate executive, she is truly on top of her game.

SOURCES:

Erika Von Heiland:

https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/vo/erika-von-heiland-1.html

Badminton at the 1992 Summer Olympics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badminton_at_the_1992_Summer_Olympics

From Badminton to Coca Cola: 5 Questions With Two-Time Olympian Erika Von Heiland Strader: https://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/true-passion-to-win-5-questions-with-two-time-olympian-erika-von-heiland-strader

For One Woman, the USO's Coca-Cola Connection Seems Fated, https://www.uso.org/stories/156-for-one-woman-the-uso-s-coca-cola-connection-seems-fated

HAN, FRENCH, AND VON HEILAND NOMINATED TO REPRESENT U.S. BADMINTON AT THE 1996 ATLANTA OLYMPIC GAMES. http://www.worldbadminton.com/usba.local/releases/960408.txt

PAZ: A 20th Century Chronicle by Ma.Paz Eugenia Pamintuan y Sandico vda. de Faustino y vda. de Von Heiland,1998