Clarke Reflects on Coach For College: Vietnam

Sept. 17, 2014

Chestnut Hill, Mass. - In the summer of 2014 Haley Clarke, a junior on the rowing team, embarked on a life changing journey. 

Haley joined other student-athletes from around the country in a program called Coach For College, which seeks to take the popularity of sports to bring together disadvantaged youth in rural parts of developing countries who have limited access to higher education and student-athletes at American universities.

The program runs in the summer as to give student-athletes a chance to have the same civic engagement opportunities that they lack the time for in the school year because of their athletic and academic commitments.

This summer Haley spent three weeks in Vietnam this summer, below is her personal account of her incredible experience this summer.

Coach For College 2014
Camp 4A - Da Nang Vietnam

By: Haley Clarke

                My family and friends had a wide spectrum of reactions when I told them I planned to travel to Vietnam to be a part of the Coach for College program. I received many questions and concerns about the heat and humidity, about my safety, about the language and the culture, and about the aftermath of the war.  Although these concerns may not seem overwhelmingly supportive or optimistic, my loved ones were only expressing thoughts similar to those I had been dwelling on since my commitment to the program in March. Will I be able to adapt to a new culture so far outside my comfort zone? Will I be able to overcome the language barrier?   Will I feel so out of place that I do not feel safe? What if the kids don't like me?  Will I be able to form meaningful connections? Is three weeks too long for me in a foreign country? These fears and anxieties flooded my mind for the entire 26 hours of travel to Vietnam.  However, before my first week as a participant was even over, I understood that my fears, which once seemed valid and reasonable, were actually unnecessary. Coach for College throws you into the Vietnamese culture full-throttle: we ate traditional foods, learned Vietnamese words and phrases, and explored our surroundings, all with the help and support of the staff and our Vietnamese counterpart coaches. I learned more about the culture and country I was in every day, which allowed me to simultaneously understand more about my own culture and myself. Seeing a culture with such different priorities and perspectives opened my eyes to what truly mattered to me and broadened my mind-especially in regards to hard work and achievement. Within just a few days of living and teaching in Vietnam, every fear I had was dismissed and I was introduced to a new set of expectations and hopes for myself both during and after the trip.

                While in Vietnam, I was blessed with an incredible staff of both American and Vietnamese coaches. Three and a half weeks was more than enough time for me to make lifelong friends with people I would have never met without this program. I was lucky to share a room with Brianna Kiesel, a basketball player at the University of Pittsburg. She taught me how to be a better friend, teammate, and leader all while keeping me laughing the whole trip.  Additionally, I taught an English class daily with Quyen, a brilliant and driven Vietnamese university student.  Quyen taught me what true dedication to education and family was and led me to have a greater appreciation for the opportunities being a student athlete at Boston College provides me. Every person I encountered touched me in some way. The unique set up and dynamic of the Coach for College program allowed me to simultaneously be both a teacher and a student. I taught English and life skills to my 6^th and 7^th grade students and coached baseball. As I taught and coached, I also learned so much from the people around me-both teachers and students alike. Because of Coach for College, I experienced a new culture; learned about the power of language and communication; and how to overcome obstacles. On a more personal level, I gained more self-awareness that has led to me to discover what I want to pursue in the future, about my love for working with children, and about my adaptability.

                My time in Vietnam flew by with incredible speed, with each day comprised of nearly 9 hours of teaching and coaching, a few hours of lesson planning, and other daily activities. I experienced hard days, where dehydration and tiredness caught up to me. However, hearing my kids call my name as I entered the classroom, "Helly! Helly!" (as they pronounced it) made every day more than worth it. Every day, I sweat from the time I ate breakfast until I got into bed at night. I continuously struggled to put the correct inflection on the Vietnamese phrases and names I learned. Although I attempted to learn as much Vietnamese as possible, I also realized that I didn't need spoken language to connect with those around me. My students poked at my freckles and looked quizzically at me, one even asking if I had a disease because he had never seen a person with skin like mine. They jumped for high fives during our baseball games and held my hands on days they could see I was exhausted. On the last day of camp, we had a sports competition within the camp (as the kids were divided into 4 teams), I was moved by my team's performance in a way I have never been before. My team, the Red Team, had lost baseball competition every week prior, and this week they came together and played with vigor and togetherness I had not yet seen from them. They won the baseball competition with a walk-off double to score the winning run. As soon as their teammate touched home base, they all came together and ran towards me in celebration. They jumped on me and in that moment, I felt a pride and inspiration that I have never felt before. I knew all my effort and sweat had been worth it; they had not only learned to play baseball well, but they had also learned the valuable lessons of teamwork, sportsmanship, and perseverance. I could not have asked for a better end to my coaching experience- not just because they won, but because they grew. These children and this program hold a special place in my heart. Boston College Athletics and Coach for College gave me an opportunity I will forever be changed by and thankful for.  

For more information on how to get involved with Coach for College, visit http://www.coachforcollege.org/

Clarke Reflects on Coach For College: Vietnam

Related Videos