Stories from Coach for College
These kids taught me that everything is possible when you have
motivation and dreams, even when you don’t have many resources. I
learned that these kids had to wake up very early and help their
parents at work and then they had to go to school prepared to be the
best in their classes and sports. They were really good friends and
teammates, and I saw this through their constant support and
motivation for one another. Their optimism created dreams for many
of them, including to one day be doctors, teachers, engineers, and
nurses. Their energy and their hope for a better future than their
parents had before them was seen in their eyes and their smiles. They
showed me their paintings and crafts which intensely illustrated their
short lives. There were no limits or barriers for them because they
were willing to work hard in order to be successful. The kids were
very poor, however, they wanted to share with you everything that
they had, without asking for anything back because they simply
enjoyed the act of giving. They loved in an unconditional and an
innocent way, being very honest and caring. This is what made me
change my perspective of life…Promoting education in third world
countries has become my number one priority.
Alicia Casillas, Univ. of Miami Women’s Swimming & Diving,
CFC Coach Summer 2011
At twenty-four years old, I have had a wide variety of experiences and successes: I
have been a national champion as a Junior Olympic athlete; I transitioned my
competitive trampoline career to walking on to the UNC diving team and
eventually becoming a scholarship athlete despite no prior competitive experience;
I have traveled to more than thirty countries; I have had the opportunity to impact
three global companies through my consulting career; I have been to the Olympic
Games; I have climbed the Great Wall and Eiffel Tower, seen Panasonic’s version
of the future in the headquarters in Japan, and spent a winter weekend in Moscow;
I spent eight months traveling the world with 44 counterparts from 6 countries in
a tri-continental business exchange program. Yet despite my bevy of experiences,
the three weeks that I spent in Vietnam in the summer of 2009 are the three most
impactful weeks of my life…The most telling sign of the program happened on
the final day and afterwards. As we concluded the final awards presentation and
began saying our goodbyes, the Vietnamese students burst into tears. They had
truly embraced our presence during those few weeks and were sad to see us go.
Likewise, most of us Americans had a hard time holding back tears as well; it was
sad to leave knowing that we would not likely know how they progressed with
their lives. Yet we had underestimated the impact that we had on the students. By
the time I had arrived back in the United States, I had more than one dozen emails
waiting for me. The students had set up email accounts and written me in
Vietnamese, and through online translating sites, I responded. For months these
conversations kept up, and to this day, I still have Skype phone calls with one of
my students.
Alex Kenley, UNC Men’s Swimming & Diving, CFC Coach
Summer 2009
I felt like I learned a lot from the Vietnamese coaches, but spending time
with the kids every day gave me so many more lessons. Even though we
could not communicate verbally, the children would point at things, use
body language, or even use your own body to show you things you
normally would have missed. One day a storm came through that halted
our outdoor basketball class. As we started to run under cover one of
my students, Tho, grabbed my hand and pulled me to the side to look at
some patches of grass. Tho took my pointer finger and ran it down one
of the pieces with several leaves attached. As my finger touched the
grass, each leaf on the blade began to close to protect itself. She then
pointed at the rain and showed me how the grass protects itself from the
rain, or “mua” (one of the several terms she taught me)… I fell in love
with the kids and with Vietnam. I wanted to come back. I had to come
back. And I did. This past year I served as the Director for the same
camp I participated in the year before. I realized that working with kids
and learning how to help underprivileged individuals was more than just
a hobby, it was a passion. In January I signed up for the Peace Corps
because I wanted to become a part of something bigger than myself. I
wanted a permanent Coach for College position.
Anna Roberts, UNC Softball, CFC Coach Summer 2010, and
CFC Director, Summer 2011
[In Coach for College] I got to travel abroad with some of my friends and I had the
opportunity to meet other student athletes from ACC schools who became my friends and
who I still keep in touch with via Facebook. I also had the chance to work with some of the
sweetest and most intelligent Vietnamese college students who also became friends and
congratulated me when I got married. As you can imagine, on the day we left, there wasn’t a
dry eye in the house. I was able to work with rising 9th graders and I was able to share with
them something that is so important to me, working towards a higher education and playing
sports. Athletics is something that I have been involved with since I was 7 years old. Sports
helped me achieve my goals of a higher education and they helped me learn about team work,
leadership, confidence, and the importance of being a part of something bigger than myself.
Those same things that sports and soccer in particular provided for me, Coach for College did
as well. I was able to learn about patience, about leadership and team work, and about the
importance of giving back and working towards a common goal. The great thing about CFC
is that all of those things I learned during my experience in Vietnam I use every day and I will
continue to use in the future. I am currently in nursing school and when I work with clients, I
think back to my years at VT and at those three weeks I spent in Vietnam. It enables me to
provide more culturally sensitive care to those clients. I am patient with my clients, I work
better with the health care team because I know how important it is in helping a patient reach
their goals, I am constantly working towards providing my clients with the most holistic care
possible, and I always try to maintain that smile and eagerness those kids showed me the first
day I stepped into a classroom in Vietnam.
Ashley Owens Rand, Va Tech Women’s Soccer, CFC Coach
Summer 2009
The kids never told me directly that I changed their lives, but I could see in their eyes that I did. I
am very positive they changed my life and the lives of the other coaches and teachers I was with
as well. Leaving Vietnam and the schoolchildren in Hoa An was one of the most emotional
experiences of my life. Looking back, it’s crazy to believe I was able to form such a close bond
with these kids when we couldn’t even speak the same language. My experience taught me that
actions speak louder than words—that you could learn so much about people by just spending
time with them, playing games with them, and by living how they do… Canh, one of the 8th
grade boys was a quiet and down to earth boy in my morning class. He came in everyday with his
workbook in hand ready to listen to whatever I was ready to teach that day. One afternoon, we
encouraged the kids to “reach for the stars” and told them they could do anything they wanted if
they set their mind to it. With this lesson, we told them stories from our lives at school that
would relate and help promote higher education. We told them that it might not be easy, but that
the best things in life didn’t come easy. I told them the story of how my rowing team at UVA
trained and practiced everyday and finally after all our hard work we ended up winning a huge
national competition. That competition was NCAA’s, and because of that my team got to meet
President Obama and then we got classy championship rings. Canh thought it was the coolest
thing ever— he stood up and gasped. He immediately wanted to shake my hand because he
knew that President Obama, ten months earlier, had also shaken my hand. His face said it all. I
could tell from that moment on he was determined to make something like that happen in his
life. I thought about Cahn for a long time, and realized that he probably has never heard real
stories like that before. I have never seen a child so genuinely happy for someone else’s success.
Betsy Nilan, UVA Women’s Rowing, CFC Coach, Summer
2011
Amy Sargeant, FSU
Women’s Tennis,
CFC Coach,
Summer 2011
In the middle of the second week, Kahn, an excellent student from the yellow team, and I
started something very small and meaningless at the time, but is now something I will never
forget the feeling of. As coaches, we would cross the bridge and walk through the gates towards
the school for the afternoon session. Immediately Kahn would stop playing with his friends and
run full speed towards me. I would also run towards him and we would embrace in the biggest
hug. We would speak the only English he knew, “Hello, how are you?” and “I am fine.”
Although a hug and these few simple words are so meaningless in our daily lives, they brightened
my day then, and they still do today.…I knew the language barrier would be a difficult task to
deal with while being in Vietnam, and I was right. I thought I would not be able to connect or
build relationships with the people in Vietnam due to the language barrier, and I was wrong. It is
so easy and rewarding to connect with someone simply by giving a hug or high five, learning a
few words in Vietnamese, teaching them a word or two in English, or even just smiling. This
taught me that actions really do speak louder than words and speaking is not always our most
effective way of communication…. Since returning home from my experience in Vietnam, I feel
that I have changed so much as a person. A simple example would be that I try to complain a lot
less. I’ve always been known to be quite the complainer, but the small problems I have that I
used to complain about seem not worth it. These problems are so small and meaningless in the
big picture. My complaints about not being able to decide what to eat for lunch would be a gift
to these children. Another change I have noticed about myself is that I am always thinking of
ideas and ways to help these children. The other day I almost threw away a pair of sneakers that
I found useless, but quickly thought to save them and see if I can somehow collect shoes to
bring to the children in Vietnam.
Brittany Burns, Clemson Women’s Rowing, CFC Coach,
Summer 2011
As an aspiring high school math teacher, I am so fortunate to have
been able to receive the opportunity to teach in another country. It
has not only made me appreciate all the resources we have at our
fingertips here in America, but I learned skills in teaching I could
not have learned any other way. The first two weeks I taught
physics and I would say a phrase or two and Van, Linh, or
Russnan would translate it to the kids for me. I had learned what
to write and how to animate myself, as well as the kids had
become accustomed to how I worked, that by the end of the third
week we were able to understand each other. I said something,
turned to look for someone to translate it, and instead I got a head
nod, a smile, and a “they understand.” The kids were all looking at
me nodding that they did indeed understand what I had written on
the board. I have never felt so proud and accomplished in my life!
That moment was amazing, that even though we didn’t speak the
same language we were still able to fully understand each other.
Truly amazing!
Erika Alpeter, NC State Women’s Track and Field, CFC
Coach Summer 2011
I believe I have been successful in inspiring my Vietnamese students to follow their
dreams, and in motivating them to achieve more. By the end of the camp, all of the
kids could easily answer the question of what they wanted to be. Some of them still
said Doctors and teachers, which are truly noble professions, but many kids started to
think differently. I had girls and boys who wanted to be lawyers, bankers, engineers,
police officers and entrepreneurs. More impressive were the reasons they gave for
wanting these careers. One boy told me he wanted to be a biological-engineer so that he
could invent new techniques to improve farming in Vietnam and help his family and
community. Another girl told me she wanted to be a banker because she loved math
and wanted to make money so her family didn’t have to work anymore. I hope that I
was able to teach the kids a lot, but more importantly I hope I inspired them. Three
weeks was not enough time for me to teach them everything they need to know to
accomplish their goals, but if I was successful in motivating them, they will take it upon
themselves to continue to learn and continue to dream…[On the last day] we got into
our bus to leave the school, but to everyone’s surprise, the kids had locked the gate so
we wouldn’t leave. Eventually someone found the key and unlocked the gate, but what
happened next was even more amazing. With the gate open, the kids from our camp
stood in formation in front of the bus to block the road. I was very impressed with this
display. For three weeks I had been telling the kids to stand up for what they believe in,
and to actively pursue their dreams, and now here they were literally standing down a
bus. These kids were not afraid, and now they stood, together, for a single cause. I was
incredibly proud.
Tom Powers, Univ of Miami Men’s Baseball, CFC Coach,
Summer 2011
Nam was the captain of my morning Orange Team. As the days passed I felt closer
and closer to Nam even though we never could say much to each other. He began as
just a student, but developed into a leader. On the last day of teaching, I encouraged
the kids from the morning session to come in the afternoon to hang out and practice
volleyball for the games the following day. Nam came and hung out with me for the
entire day. I could see his maturity, I could sense his value of relationships, and I
could feel his presence as a friend. It could have been the fact he just loved being near
me, watching me, and letting me know he cared about what we were doing in his life.
On the last day of competitions he emptied his tank, and was frustrated when we
struggled. He was joyous when he found out we placed 2nd, and finally, he was in
tears when he realized his coaches were leaving for good…I had learned there was a
huge difference between the understanding I had of communities in the third world
from reading about them in a textbook or in the news compared to the real life
experience I gained in Vietnam and South Africa. It was hard for me to really
understand without feeling the Vietnamese kids’ embrace, seeing their smiles and
tears, sharing their frustrations, and experiencing life with them. I can’t say that I did
know a lot about the Vietnamese culture before I decided to go Vietnam, but the sad
part was, I didn’t care to. I was so caught up in my own business that I did not even
think to consider those who are not privileged with million dollar practice facilities
and sports stardom, if my team even had any of these, I was taking them for granted.
Going to Vietnam made me consider those less fortunate and will not let me forget
what I experienced. It made me examine my life as a student-athlete.
Michael Catalino, Duke Men’s Lacrosse, CFC Coach Summer
2009
We visited one of the student’s homes after camp [one day]. Hua’s home was a small shack
made of sticks that was located along a small stream. There was a bed that was shared by
the whole family of four kids, a mother and a father. The floor had no fancy tiling or
carpet; it was merely the ground. There were barely any possessions in the home. In fact,
the most prominent things were the certificates of the Coach for College program that the
children of the house had earned in the past. Hua’s home epitomized “bare necessities”.
Despite this lack of material goods, the family showed an immense commitment and
support to one another. When the middle aged boy in the family played one of our
directors in chess in the front of the home (and beat him in less than five minutes ), the
whole family was there to watch and cheer him on. It may seem like a small feat, but to
me, it embodied how having less allowed this family to give each other more in emotional
and loving support. No one was busy immersed in their technologies or drowned by their
toys. Instead, everyone was fully present to one another. This community embodied to me
how sometimes having less allows you to give more. So often in the U.S., our obsession
with gaining more material goods leads us to forget the importance of creating a trusting
community. Life becomes a struggle to gain in excess instead of to give of ourselves in
abundance.
Christie Barnes, Duke Women’s Lacrosse, CFC Coach
Summer 2010
I simply cannot say enough about the integrity of the Vietnamese college students whom I
worked with. They are simply outstanding individuals whom I am honored to be good friends
with. Thus, leaving Vietnam at the end of the program was terribly depressing. I remember
saying "goodbye" to my new friends thinking that I would never see them again. I had never had
an experience like that previously. It is odd to consider that one may never see a good friend
again…For the next year, I corresponded regularly with my closest Vietnamese friends: Luong,
Nam, and Phuong. I usually called some time after midnight several times a week. Suffice to say,
I used up many international calling cards. Somehow, these Vietnamese people whom I met in
CFC became my closest friends. We chatted about life, our futures, good things, bad things, and
everything in between. Our friendships solidified during that year…During the summer between
my junior and senior years, I had the opportunity to visit Vietnam [again] on a vacation for two
weeks. I traveled back to Can Tho to visit my friends. On my first day back in Can Tho,
someone arranged a dinner with every single CFC person from my camp. I was astonished to see
everyone again, let alone at a single dinner table. No one had ever done anything like that for me
ever before except for family members for birthday dinners. It felt really good to know that the
bond created by Coach for College was strong and had survived a year…. [That trip I was also]
invited to a lunch at the home of two of the high school students whom I had worked with. I was
so happy to see around fifteen of the students whom I had taught the previous summer. I
honestly did not expect to see more than a few when I visited. Also, the kids were wearing their
old CFC shirts. I was proud to see a few of the students from my green team there. This
experience really proved to me that I had done something meaningful for the kids. Otherwise, I
don't think they would have gone out of their ways to see me.
David Eitel, Duke Men’s Fencing, CFC Coach Summer 2008
and CFC Director Summer 2010
There was a little boy named Dien who I developed a bond with over the span of the program.
We came up with a very complex handshake that we would continue to do with each other up
until the very last day of the program….During the very first week, while we were introducing the
idea of continuing on to higher education after grade school, he answered very confidently that
he wouldn’t be going on to college after school because he would need to help his family in the
rice paddies…. The final day of the program was filled with t-shirt signatures and tears…Right
before we were to head out for the hotel and leave for Ho Chi Minh I felt a tapping on my
shoulder. I turned to find Dien standing in front of me with a Vietnamese coach at his side.
Tears were running down over the no longer dimpled cheeks I had seen flashing across the courts
and ducking behind papers. He strung together some Vietnamese through muffled sobs to the
coach beside him and waited patiently, wiping at the tears covering his face with the sleeve of his
shirt, while the coach translated for him. Dien told me that ‘he would try as hard as he could to
study and learn in order to go on to college. He wouldn’t give up until he’d made it.’ And even
though I felt, at the time, like I had failed to reach through to the kids on a larger scale, I realized
that these things, these lessons and long-term decisions that impact the rest of our lives often
start in the smallest of places. And as we drove off and I watched Dien’s face disappear in the
mass of crying students, I swore that I would always remember his promise and the lessons I had
gained from it. For when someone makes a promise to you concerning the betterment of their
life – and in no way am I demeaning the life of farmers anywhere, as they are even more vital to
our survival than any corporate executive – it is usually because you have allowed them to see a
part of themselves that they had not envisioned, or planned. And in these moments of
reflection, we are able to slowly and ever so gently change the world around us.
Devin Cornwall, Va Tech Men’s Track & Field, CFC Coach
Summer 2011
What made Coach for College so unique in my opinion was the central role that
sports played in the program. As an athlete I am a firm believer in the many
benefits that can result from sports. So many skills which are fostered through
sports can be transferred to other life situations and positively influence youth. At
the beginning of the camp, many of the children seemed disinterested in playing
sports, especially the girls. As the camp went on though, the students gradually
showed more and more of an interest in them. The way in which the students
were divided into four different color teams helped to cultivate both teamwork and
competition. The competitions were set up as relays or team events so that it was
necessary to work together in order to succeed. I noticed that my team, the yellow
team, picked up on that immediately and quickly joined together and unified
themselves as a group, ultimately helping them win the overall team competition.
We taught the students cheers and chants to say to support their team and the
frequency by which they used these represents the pride that they had for their
team. My team’s favorite cheer was one in which we would huddle together and
then break it down by saying, “Một, hai, ba... Vàng, Vàng, Vàng, Vàng.” We also
taught them to say “the yellow team is number one” in English in response to
somebody asking them who was number one and they loved doing that. All of
these cheers fueled a rivalry between the different colors, creating a healthy
competition between the teams. It helped them to learn the value of having others
around to push you to work harder and go beyond your limits.
Emily Charnowski, Boston College Women’s Rowing, CFC
Coach Summer 2011
I didn’t want to leave Vietnam. And I especially did not want to leave Hoa An. Hoa An
had become my home. My family was there. From Co Sau, the grandmother who made
me café sua da in the morning, to the little girl who would run up to me and give me
hugs to the American and Vietnamese coaches who become my best friends, never have I
felt so much love in my life. It was real. It was genuine….As our bus pulled away from
camp [on the last day], all of the kids hopped on their bikes for a second time and those
who did not have bikes began to run after our bus. This was preceded by hours of tears,
countless hugs, “I miss you” and “I love you” in broken English. Even the toughest most
athletic boys could not keep it in…Moments like this in Vietnam made me realize that
communication is so much more than verbal. I could maybe speak one hundred
Vietnamese words or phrases by the end of my trip, but that did not matter. I could
communicate with my eyes, my hands, my smile, my enthusiasm and energy. The
relationships I developed with the 8th grade boys and girls were probably some of the
most honest and pure relationships I have developed because language was not there to
muddle them up. I would bring my enthusiasm, over exaggeration, loud voice, crazy arm
motions and dance moves to the tennis court and the English classroom and in return
the kids would bring me their utmost attention, gratitude, love of learning, effort,
personalities and homemade grass and flower jewelry everyday. And we went from
there…Coach for College confirmed for me how much I love sports, teaching and
people. This is what I want to do. Whatever impact I had on the Vietnamese coaches or
students, they had triple the impact on me. I learned so much about life, the world and
myself in the short three weeks I was there.
Haley Hemm, UNC Women’s Tennis, CFC Coach Summer
2011
If you were to ask a UNC athlete what their favorite college sport moment was, you would
probably hear about a national championship game. You might hear about an unbelievable
comeback or even about grueling morning practices that were only survived because they
could complain to their teammates. If you asked me what my favorite college sports moment
was, you would be shocked to hear that it included celebrating with someone from Duke. Yes,
Duke… [In Coach for College] I was assigned to the Blue Team and co-coached with Reka, a
Duke tennis player. We instantly became friends and discovered we had a lot more in
common than we thought. She and I had fun trying to explain sports idioms and expressions
like seeing the glass as half full. I was also assigned to teach physics with Ben, a Duke
runner….We began with little steps. Team building activities like tying the team members
together with a jump rope and having them walk across the basketball court as a group. We
were trying to help the children understand teamwork and communication but these activities
were confusing to the children at first. Even after explaining that they had to work together as
a team to be successful, I was still met with blank stares. I couldn’t help but laugh when my
team decided not to work together but instead to each run in their own direction and
ultimately fall. It was only after they failed that they realized how important it was to work
together…. At the end of the competition day there was an awards presentation. Each team
was called up with their coaches to receive certificates for participating. When it came time to
announce the overall winner I was thrilled to hear my Blue Team had won first place! Reka
and I were speechless. The team rushed to the front to get their prizes. That was my favorite
sports memory from my time at UNC. Sure, I had my share of comebacks and victories,
upsets and titles but none of them brought the same joy as that moment in Vietnam.
Jessica Wacker, UNC Women’s Fencing, CFC Coach Summer
2008 and CFC Director Summer 2009
Linh is a sixth grader participant in the Coach for College program and he was my favorite
student. Herein lies a problem though….I didn’t teach sixth grade, I taught ninth grade….
This kid was so happy to come to Coach for College camp. He was so excited that he came a
month early (his camp was at the end of the summer) and used to hang out with us all
day…Linh and I formed a deep relationship. I enjoyed his practical jokes and embraced him
as my new coach. I told him that if he wanted to be a part of our program that I was going to
put him to work. He loved it. He followed me around all day helping me prepare for my next
activity. I would say Linh “bong ro” and he would head over to the equipment room and pick
up the bag of basketballs. He buzzed about as he set up cones with me and then after he
enthusiastically cleaned up. He enjoyed the clean up process way more than expected. First of
all, I found that the Vietnamese children are expected to clean the teacher’s classroom—(an
idea I believe that America should adopt for the record.) Secondly, he knew that after clean up
he would be able to carry my backpack up to the morality classroom. Linh strapped on my
backpack and would head up to class before me. Also, he would always fill up my water bottle
before each activity. I thought this was stellar as he kept me hydrated. I later found out a week
later as we were sitting in my morality class together that my water bottle had become Linh’s
water bottle after he naturally grabbed it and took a huge swig. He saw me as family and
family members share everything they have in Vietnam. I admired that in Linh. Linh reminded
me of the strength of relationships, especially family relationships.
Kyle McCartan, Boston College Men’s Golf, CFC Coach
Summer 2011
As a track and field student athlete at Virginia Tech, most of my time is dominated by my
sport. My exposure to the world outside the United States was limited to Pan American
Games in Trinidad and Tobago…Becoming a role model and mentor for the disadvantaged
youths in Vietnam was one of my greatest accomplishments. One day in my team building
class, we were discussing what the students wanted to be when they grew up. I had each of
them stand up and tell the class what their dreams and goals were in life. One student stood
up and said, “I want to study really hard and go to college so I can become a doctor to help
my family out financially.” This student was one of the smartest students in the class. She
displayed a great deal of motivation and dedication to accomplishing her academic goals.
However, I knew this would be a great challenge for her because her family could not afford
to send her to school. I encouraged her to not give up on her goals and that she could try to
earn scholarships to pay for her education. I explained to her that my athletic scholarship
allowed me the opportunity to attend a great university in the ACC…During my time teaching
at the CFC program, I noticed the transformation of many of the students from being mild
to outgoing and [having] a sense of purpose. Through the team competitions at the camps,
the students worked together and selected their leaders to help them win. Seeing the students
develop into leaders was a great accomplishment for me. As coaches and athletes we were
able to show the students that sports leadership and dedication helped many of us gain
college scholarships in many major universities in the United States. I expressed to the
students that my hard work on the track field has given me the opportunity to earn a college
degree at Virginia Tech and be a leader in my community. I was able to teach the students
about being a leader and working as a team through sports.
Keith Ricks, Va Tech Men’s Track & Field, CFC Coach
Summer 2011
The work ethic of these twelve year olds was mind-boggling. Not all of them excelled in
each subject and sport, but they all tried. They paid attention, followed along in the
workbook, did the assigned exercises during a sports lesson, and they took their time on
the exams. In addition to all of this, they were appreciative beyond all belief. We brought in
prizes of all sorts—pencils, pens, stickers, silly bands and everything in between and they
jumped for joy when they gave a correct answer and received a gift. Each day I found
myself making notes about the kids, about their abilities and talents. During an early lifeskills lesson, we were helping the kids set short-term goals in academics and sports for the
duration of camp. Instead of giving us the expected responses of winning a game, or
winning overall, the students told us their life dreams. A note I wrote about them follows:
I think it is great to have the students set camp goals for school and sports, but it’s equally important
that they build lifelong goals. The AM Tigers chose goals like becoming a great football player,
coach, or student at a University. Even the girls said they wanted to continue going to school, in
order to support a family. Multiple students said they don’t want to become a blue-collar worker—
and for me that is terrifying for two reasons. For one, they know the term ‘blue-collar’ at such a
young age, but secondly they are afraid of turning out that way. What can I do as a teacher to help
them stay on track? Build trust. Motivate. Give advice. And just about anything else that comes to
mind.
Lauren Phipps, Univ of Miami Women’s Track & Field, CFC
Coach Summer 2011
Coach for College was transformative on many levels for me, and even enabled me to use my
platform as a collegiate athlete to make a tangible difference in young peopleʼs lives. I felt
purposeful, effective, even loved. I loved the time we spent in Vietnam with the middle school
students and kids from the community who showed up every day to be a part of this special
program. As a teacher of the health class at Hoa An Secondary School, I found that many of the
lessons had very real and immediate applications in the students’ lives. They were able take home
these health lessons each day and share them with their family and friends, therefore spreading
knowledge and improving the health of others who were not even in the Coach for College
program. Especially important to me was ingraining in my students the health risks of using
tobacco products because a very high percentage of the adult population smoked cigarettes. We
devoted an entire lesson to studying the negative effects of tobacco on the body. It was also
amazing to see how excited the students were as we taught basic anatomy and directly applied
that information to their everyday lives. We asked the students which major muscle groups they
used when they went outside to kick a soccer ball or swing their tennis racket, then taught them
exercises they could do to strengthen those muscles. We had so much fun with the pushup
competitions inside the classroom! Coming from a very rigid school structure, this new
participatory method of learning was something they had never imagined. Earlier in the week we
had introduced the students to RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation - a useful teaching tool
for treating injury. The youth were tickled by this acronym, as rice is a major part of their diet
and agriculture plays a leading role in the lives of rural Vietnamese families. After one of the
students injured his ankle playing soccer, I felt a sense of accomplishment when the students
knew exactly what to do as a result of our health class.
Lauren Prussing, UNC Women’s Volleyball, CFC Coach
Summer 2008
Upon reflection, my role could have been and initially was frustrating. However it became extremely
enlightening, particularly worthwhile, and made the assets of international outreach tangible. By
working with Vietnamese college students who came from the very similar situations as many of the
children in the camp, I realized that I was witnessing a society in transition with competing ideologies
at work in nearly every aspect of the culture. It was not that the children did not aspire to lead
positive and worthwhile lives; rather it was that they were bred on concepts that were entirely foreign
to me, and they were just beginning to realize the true potential that they possessed. First, I had to
fully grasp this reality. Then I had to work closely and diligently with the Vietnamese coaches each
night preceding class to try to explain and clarify the lesson plans and accompanying
concepts. During this process, and with the Vietnamese coach feedback often times I was able to
identify what topics might be particularly tricky for the students to understand. I then worked
to modify how we addressed the lesson, and how we could best lead the kids. This took tremendous
time and effort, but I discovered that because of the passion I felt for the children, I was not just
willing to extend this effort but rather I was excited to. As a coach, I was able to help motivate the
students to attain and fully actualize their potential; this is what has motivated my continued support
of Coach for College since my initial involvement…In fact, as someone who aspires toward a career
in medicine, I am confident that my involvement with Coach for College will continue to inspire my
involvement in international outreach as a medical student and physician…I am confident that Coach
for College will continue to influence and guide my experiences each and every day.
Linzee Mabrey, UNC Women’s Tennis, CFC Coach Summer
2009 and CFC Director Summer 2010
I’ve been asked time and time again to identify my favorite moment from my time with Coach
for College. I could go with celebrating July 4th with the Vietnamese and singing karaoke (a
favorite pastime in Vietnam); I could write about time spent on an island with the other coaches,
laying out on hammocks and wading through the water; or I could spend time on learning to
bargain and touring through Can Tho, seeing a Buddhist Temple and the Mekong River. The
greatest moment however came on a regular day of classes. We began to teach our afternoon
lesson of Life Skills (typically a class involving finances, teamwork, or leadership) when a
monsoon came and subsequently began to cover the entire world (or so it seemed at the time)
with sheets upon sheets of rain. Rather than stay in classes, we decided to go outside and play
sports. So we threw off our shoes and began sprinting through puddles and rain, having the
time of our lives. In that hour or two of rain, the students and coaches came together as we
hadn’t believed possible. Suddenly, the language and cultural barriers meant nothing; we looked
to each other and knew exactly what the others were thinking. My yellow team and I decided to
take on all comers in basketball, playing as a true team for the first time, and so it came as no
surprise when they took first place as the overall best team a few weeks later. Maybe that day we
didn’t actually learn the academics that we were supposed to, but we learned something far more
important: teamwork, sportsmanship, encouragement, how to communicate, to have a great
attitude when everything seems bad around you, and to sometimes relax and live! That one time
may have been the most important in inspiring them to go to university just because of the bond
that they developed with us college students. Through rain and sports, Vietnamese and
Americans became truly united despite differences in income, government, language, upbringing
and education, and we finally understood what the entire program was for.
Luke Stowers, FSU Men’s Track & Field, CFC Coach Summer
2011
When I recall my experience volunteering abroad in Vietnam through the College for College
program, I am overcome with a great sense of appreciation. My recollection of this unique
country in Southeast Asia is splattered with bright images, robust smells and memories of hot,
stale air that stuck to my skin like a permanent coat. I think of the children we taught, with their
infectious laughter and smiles, hoping we could help them with their English and teach them
things about America, a place they would probably never get to see. I think of the bluest skies
and the whitest, fullest clouds I have ever seen, and the rainbows after the heavy rain, where the
thunder rumbled and the lightning cracked so loud I thought the sky would split open. I think of
people fishing and bathing in the tributaries of the Mekong River, the source of life in this rural
community that we called “home” for three, short weeks. I think of the strange and delicious
fruit, so colorful, unusual and necessary to get us through those long, sweltering days. I think of
the luscious landscape and the winding roads in the beautiful jungles peppered with honking
scooters and buses, driven by people who had no concept of red lights, green lights, yields or
lanes…My favorite part of the program was (attempting) to communicate with the children.
Although we did not speak the same language, we laughed together, sang songs together, played
together and cried together the day we had to say goodbye….It is through these connections, not
only with the students I taught, but with the Vietnamese coaches from Can Tho University, my
fellow student-athlete volunteers, program directors and contributors to my fundraising efforts
that made this entire experience such a special one. Regardless of where you are from, how
much money you have, what color your hair and skin, what sport you play or what language you
speak, we learned that anyone can be your friend, or at least an important part of your life, even
if you may never see them again.
Megan Strawther, Va Tech Women’s Soccer, CFC Coach
Summer 2010
Upon my return [from Vietnam the first summer], I was back in the world of the plan. Academic
work ("Please outline the overall structure of your essay") and athletic obligations ("Workout plan for
indoor track season: add mileage while maintaining speed") were stolidly strategic. I had tasted the
tactical, and I couldn't get enough. The minute-to-minute challenges of Vietnam were no longer
present. It was during this phase that I began to work even closer with Parker, in anticipation of
another summer in Vietnam. I was fortunate enough to return to Vietnam in January 2009, when I
assisted in collecting post-camp interviews from students, teachers, and local government officials
that informed our plan for the next summer. I returned in July 2009 as a director of the program,
reporting to Parker on all matters pertaining to—well, just about everything. I would interview our
American student-athletes, coordinate fundraising, train our new coaches, plan their flights, schedule
and administer weekend trips, and basically do anything that needed to get done. Although it hurt to
no longer be in front of students in a classroom like I had been the summer before, I was now a fulltime problem solver, scheduler, scoring-system-deviser, and tactician-in-chief. If 2008 was my first
exposure to the challenges of Vietnam, 2009 was my victory lap. By the end of August 2008, I had
spent nearly three of the last thirteen months of my life in Vietnam. Pho looked less like a curious
ethnic dish and more like leftovers.
Ben Bubnovich, Duke Men’s Track & Field, CFC Coach
Summer 2008 and CFC Director Summer 2009
One day I found myself in conversation with our bus driver, Minh, and got up the courage to ask
the question that had been on my mind throughout the whole trip thus far – why did the
Vietnamese treat me and other Americans as if nothing negative had ever transpired between these
two nations and cultures? Minh was able to relate to me that, quite simply, the Vietnamese have
chosen to move on and look to the future instead of dwell on the past. In the United States, Minh
suggested, there is too much emphasis on mistakes made and negative incidents….As the Coach
for College program continued in Vietnam, I spent additional time talking with and learning from
Minh. Despite our age difference (he nearing 50, and I only 22), our inability to speak the same
language, and our very different backgrounds, Minh and I shared countless laughs and stories.
Sometimes Minh would tell me about his family, and I would learn to appreciate my family even
more. Other times Minh would teach me about friendship and loyalty by telling me about his own
friends. On one weekend trip, after an especially enjoyable night of storytelling, I learned how
much snake wine I am able to tolerate. The most important lesson Minh taught me was about
kindness and generosity. In this case, Minh presented me with a jar of snake wine that held a
special place in his heart. Instead of the normal store bought bottles, this jar had been made by
his father almost 40 years earlier and had been buried in the ground to ferment. After 30 years it
was dug up to be enjoyed by family and close friends on the most special of occasions. Even
though Minh and I had known each other for less than one month, Minh offered to share this
special memory of his father with me. Through this action, Minh taught me the importance of
being kind and generous to all individuals I encounter, and not solely those that are the most
central to my life.
Sean-Patrick Oswald, Duke Men’s Track & Field, CFC Coach
and Director Summer 2011
I haven’t been to Vietnam for over two years now. The further in time I get from Coach for College
summers, the more I realize how important they were in setting the stage for both my career and my
outlook on the world…Participating in the Coach for College program solidified my interest in
international development and gave me confidence in my abilities to work in the international
setting. Today I work in developing countries conducting health surveys around the world. Not only did
my Vietnam experience function as a major component in my qualifications for my work, but I use
lessons I learned teaching and as a director in my everyday work. Training and working with local staff is
a major component of my work abroad…My experience in Vietnam and other developing countries that
I’ve had the privilege to visit has left me with a strong sense of social responsibility. I think those of us
who travel have an obligation to educate those who haven’t on the realities of the world. It’s our
responsibility to let others know about the struggles people endure for things like access to education,
healthcare, and that electricity and clean water are a privilege the developed world takes for granted…Just
one of many take-a-ways from my experiences in Vietnam was my realization of the importance of
family. The family unit is very strong in Vietnamese culture. I remember talking with the Vietnamese
college coaches about how living far from home was common in the United States, and how I preferred
to live with my friends. One of the coaches could not understand this; why would I choose to not be
with my family?. Since that summer I have made it a priority to stay in better touch with my extended
family. I call my grandparents every other week now. I am playing an active role in the lives of my
younger cousins. It’s something I wish I had started doing years before. I owe my relationship with my
grandparents and other family members to those insightful conversations with the Vietnamese college
coaches – a conversation that never would have happened without the Coach for College program.
Shawna Kelly, UNC Women’s Gymnastics, CFC Coach
Summer 2008 and CFC Director Summer 2009
As I emerged into the courtyard of the school, kids surrounded me. They took hold of me and
held on with everything they had, it was the last day of competition, the second to last day I was
going to see them. As we met in our classrooms to deliver the final pep talk, the kids sat
anticipating what we were going to say with their little eyes filling with tears. They were
exceptionally sad that we were leaving their lives and a void in their hearts. As you try to muster
up the courage to suck it up and start speaking, my eyes slowly filled with tears. We gave them
support as they went into their first tests and continued on throughout the day to support them.
When they entered their first competition they played with heart and wanted to do everything
like they did in practice to ensure they had the correct technique. They gave everything they had
in their competitions and test because they wanted to make us proud, they wanted to show us
that they learned what we taught them and were taking it with them wherever they go in life.
This is the point in time that I knew I had made that special impact on them that I wanted to.
Having numerous amount of kids worship you every day when you walk in the courtyard of the
school is such an uplifting experience. Going through life you never know the impact you have
on people or the degree of impact you can have on a bunch of people, but seeing your ideals
and actions coming out through someone else is such an amazing part of the experience.
Making a difference in someone else’s life by helping them become a better version of
themselves is something everyone should experience because it is so amazing to watch unfold
before your eyes.
Ashley Calhoun, FSU Women’s Track & Field, CFC Coach
Summer 2011
There was one boy in particular named Van, who I had created a bond with from the start. He
was one of the children who would always come up to me to play soccer outside of class, and in
particular, would always have me teach him individually. I took a special interest in him because
he already had very decent soccer skills and a passion for the sport, that I wanted to teach him
more advanced skills that were more on his level. The last day I saw the children I had received
many heart-warming notes, but he had given me a note that really got to me. The note translated
to English read, “You are a funny girl and play soccer very well. You make me feel very happy in
situations. I’ll miss you a lot (so much), Erika. You are a believable sister. I wish you can get
your goals into this happy life.” Knowing that I had such an impact in this young child’s life was
the most rewarding and incredible feeling I think I have ever experienced in my lifetime. Words
cannot begin to describe just how unbelievably heart warming and invigorating that feeling was
and still is. My entire experience with Coach For College was indescribable. Not even this short
excerpt does my experience with Coach For College justice. The relationships I made with the
rest of the children and the American and Vietnamese coaches, what I learned about the
Vietnamese culture and what I learned about myself has impacted my life a great deal. I have
learned to appreciate the opportunities I have been given, to cherish the relationships I have
made, and the never-ending reward of giving and helping others, especially to those that are less
fortunate. My journey with Coach For College was truly an invaluable experience and I am
nothing but grateful to of had the opportunity to be a part of such an incredible program.
Erika Theisen, Maryland Women’s Soccer, CFC Coach
Summer 2011
I know I can't be any help to CFC in my present location and work but I can say a big part
of where I am now is because of CFC. I live in a small village of 500 people close to Sierra
Leone and work at a government high school. Living and working in the rural area presents
enormous challenges. Honestly, where we were in Vietnam is significantly more developed
than most of Liberia. My experience in Vietnam served as a stepping stone to the challenges
that I face here working in rural Liberia. CFC showed me I could have a positive impact on
people in different cultures and cross boundaries I never knew were there. Even though the
experience of CFC is only a short four weeks I believe it will live with everyone who
participates in it for the rest of their lives; coaches, students, and directors.
Andy Brake, UNC Men’s Swimming & Diving, CFC Coach
Summer 2009 and CFC Director Summer 2010
We often travel without any idea where it will take us. This area [near the CFC camp] was not
the Vietnam I had been introduced to in the airport, or greeted with as we waited for the bus.
The sights and colors and smells of this area of the country overwhelmed me. It took me by
surprise and made me contemplate the experience, a feeling I would become familiar with
throughout the trip…. Our trip [from the airport to the site of the camp] concluded after hours,
finally arriving at our accommodations late in the evening, but our journey would continue for
many more weeks. The time I spent teaching and interacting with the children who attended the
camp was powerful and I felt that I had a real impact on their lives, but for me this was not the
most impactful part of my experience with Coach for College. The opportunity to travel
changed me. It helped grow my perception of the world outside the lines of my sport and my
country. Often times, athletes lack the opportunity to experience travel abroad programs while
in school. Granted, this is a sacrifice many athletes are willing to make, but the structure of the
program allows flexibility like no other. The program gave me a king’s ransom in experiences
and taught me the joy of pushing my boundaries. And, while the idea of waking up in a
different place than I went to sleep in has lost some of its luster, the immersion and escape of
travel has guided my life. I now work as a consultant and travel nearly every week. This allows
me to work with new people and experience different areas of the country. I hope to continue
to maintain employment that allows me to work with different people in different places. No
matter where I go, I’m always seeking that immersive, transcendent experience like my first 48
hours in Vietnam.
Jarrett Rodrigues, UNC Men’s Fencing, CFC Coach Summer
2009
I remember filling out the pre-camp Coach for College surveys prior to traveling to Vietnam
and suddenly realizing how truly little I knew about the country in terms of its history,
economics, governmental system, and even cultural values. I understood to an extent that the
United States had a rocky history with Vietnam. The Vietnam War had been the first war in
which the US was not on the victorious side. Many Americans were not in support of the US
efforts in Vietnam, and many people continue to hold those resentful feelings today as this was
the place where thousands died—distant relatives of my own included—in this futile anticommunism effort. By the end of the war, the country had yielded to a communist government
under the reign of Ho Chi Minh, a system which still exists to this day. On a more basic level
through some basic research, I discovered the predominant religion of Vietnam (Buddhism),
some basic phrases, and the topic I was highly concerned about…the food…While this limited
prior awareness seems so rudimentary and unprepared, it allowed me to participate in Coach for
College free of any expectations of what I would be giving, and gaining, from the program.
Beyond the basic template of the program—a three week program in rural Vietnam working
with middle-school-aged youth in order to promote higher education through sports—I have
gained so much. This includes, but is not limited to: a network of friends and peers in both
Vietnam and across the Atlantic Coast Conference, an updated and improved global perspective,
an appreciation for my very blessed life back in the US, a desire to work with underprivileged
youth at home and abroad, and a realization that I do in fact have the ability to make a
difference in others’ lives. Little did I realize how much this experience would truly change my
perspective.
Kara Wright, UNC Women’s Gymnastics, CFC Coach
Summer 2010 and CFC Director Summer 2011