According to the United States Olympic Committee, over 1,362,000 people in the U.S. frequently play badminton. Each year, seven of those athletes (0.00000514% of all badminton players) receive the hard-earned honor of representing the U.S. on its olympic team. 

Rumor has it that Liberty PE teacher Darren Tremblay was an alternate for the Olympic Men’s U.S. Badminton Team back in 1992 for the Barcelona Summer Olympics. But is it true?

“I was this close to representing my country on the national stage,” Tremblay said. “All I needed was someone to get the flu, but I never got the call to substitute in for anyone.”

Although Tremblay has no physical evidence of his status as an alternate for the Olympics, his coworkers believe his badminton talent in gym class is enough proof.

“If you saw him play badminton, you would know he was at the very least an alternate for the Olympic team back in his day,” PE teacher Kelsey Foote said. “He is older now, has had some big knee surgeries, and he still destroys everyone. Imagine him in his prime.”

Tremblay has, for years, been a bull-dozing force in games.

“Out of hundreds of badminton matches against students since I began teaching at Liberty in 2000, I have only ever lost one game,” Tremblay said. 

Some of his former students can attest to the talent they have seen from him.

“I believe the fact that he is so good now—destroying me in badminton matches even though I’m one of the best players in my class—proves he would have been that much better in his prime,” junior Morgan Ringwood said. “He was an Olympian for sure.”

Despite Tremblay’s badminton dominance in PE classes, however, some students have their doubts.

“I don’t know what to think because I was best friends with Tremblay’s daughter, Emma, and I never heard his badminton story until I joined his PE class,” senior Olivia Briggs said. 

Foote, PE teacher Brad Anderson, and varsity head football coach Steve Valach are all quick to defend Tremblay’s claims, but not all of his fellow Patriot sports coaches have bought the story.

“I don’t believe him,” Liberty swim coach Kris Daughters said. “Where’s the evidence?”

It seems the case for whether Tremblay’s claims are true comes down to ability versus evidence. Tremblay’s staunchest supporters cite his unprecedented dominance in class against students as proof enough for his Olympic sized claims, while his doubters point out his lack of solid proof. Now you have to decide: is Tremblay an Olympian or a phony?