“It was a tiring week, but it felt great to be in the company of amazing human beings I share the same passion with. And felt a thousand times better to see smiles on the 300+ kids and 50+ coaches and teachers we met. Priceless!”
– Roland Kraut (P6F International Coach Development and Education Coordinator for Philippines)
On September 28th, members of P6F Australia joined our Filipino P6F friends, lead by Roland Kraut, and conducted a week tour of free coach education workshops, coaching camps and clinics, and physical activity sessions across orphanages, schools, and various tennis clubs. In all, coaching over 300 kids and 50 coaches and covered more than a 1000km as we toured across various locations and regions including Manila, Agoo (La Union), Sta Rosa (Laguna), and Smokey Mountain.
P6F also handed over 3 Hot Shot Tennis Kits (kindly donated by Tennis Australia) to 2 tennis clubs and a school. Importantly, we made a commitment to implement a sports program with in an orphanage and school, facilitated by a qualified tennis coach and fully funded by P6F.
P6F International Director of Coach Development, Brett McLennan, was overwhelmed by the response and excitement of the students and children, some of whom had never played sport before or let alone tennis, while others were just grateful for the experience.
“It amazes me how much these kids and teachers engage and appreciate us being here, and importantly embrace the opportunity to explore and try something new – all of which they do with amazing energy and enthusiasm, and with a beaming smile”. Said McLennan.
“Importantly, our aim is to connect with the orphanages and schools in a real meaningful way that allows us to endure a long and productive partnership that helps develop these kids physically, cognitively, and emotionally long term, which essentially is what the foundation is about”. McLennan added.
One of the more emotional experiences for P6F members was the opportunity to visit and tour the slums of Smokey Mountain, one of the poorest locations in the Philippines, and in the world, situated on the outskirts of Manila, and is the site of the largest rubbish dump in the Philippines with some 400 families living on it, and over 10,000 living in close vicinity, who survive by scavenging through rubbish to earn their living.
It was a stark and powerful reminder of the poverty and daily struggles of the very poor who must try and survive each day, but who amazingly are also the most resilient and seemingly happiest people P6F have come across.
It was a tiring week but also an incredibly productive and fruitful one, as P6F made strong progress in its commitment to providing sustainable long term programs within impoverished and disadvantaged communities and regions.
We would like to sincerely thank our stakeholders, supporters, sponsors, donors and community connect partners, in particular High Performance Tennis of Adelaide and East Torrens Kensington Gardens Tennis Club in Adelaide, for helping contribute towards this tour. With out your support and amazing generosity we could not have achieved what we did – thank you.
We would also like to thank the various committee members across the tennis clubs we visited, the staff at the orphanage, the school teachers and administrators, and the coaches who welcomed and hosted us with so much love and generosity. We are incredibly grateful for your help and support, and equally inspired by your passion to help your communities.
We look forward to visiting again soon!