Every day, around 4 PM, Mr. Tran The Thai goes to the badminton court at Junko Elementary School and usually returns home after 9 PM. For over seven years, he has silently and tirelessly "passed on the passion" for badminton to the students.
“My friends and I play badminton in the afternoons for recreation and to maintain our health in our old age. Whenever we enter the court, the children gather around to watch and cheer us on, which is very enjoyable. But rural children don't have money to buy rackets or shuttlecocks, so they look on longingly, and we can't help but feel envious,” Mr. Thai recounted.
Concerned about the passion of the children in his hometown, Mr. Thai spent his own money to buy some rackets and shuttlecocks for the kids. That was the day he laid the first "brick" to form the Dien Phuoc Commune Badminton Club.
Initially, there was no practice court, so they had to use the school's concrete court for training. Thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of this coach, the boys and girls became attached to the sport of badminton.
[ VIDEO ] - Mr. Tran The Thai talks about the badminton club he founded:
Along with maintaining training schedules, the cost of purchasing training equipment is also a concern, but it's impossible to let the children buy their own things, especially since most of their parents are farmers with limited financial resources. Therefore, Mr. Thai uses his meager salary to cover the expenses for the children. Clothes, shoes, rackets, and training and competition costs... he takes care of everything himself.
And not only was he a coach in sports training, but Mr. Tran The Thai's calm demeanor and compassionate nature also helped local teenagers learn to become good children and excellent students.
“Our coach has always been dedicated to guiding us since we first picked up a racket. He never spoke harshly, but always gently pointed out our mistakes when we made technical errors or failed to meet the training requirements. Thanks to him, we always find joy and maintain our passion for badminton, while also learning his calm demeanor and harmonious approach.”
Nguyen Thi Thuy Nhung - Dien Phuoc Commune Badminton Club
By dedicating his efforts to training and inspiring the children, the badminton club founded by Mr. Tran The Thai, which previously had no students who knew how to play badminton, now has over 90 children aged 6 to 18 who practice regularly within 7 years of its establishment.
Having established a widespread badminton movement in the local area, Mr. Tran The Thai set his sights on a higher goal: "polishing gems" and training young athletes.
"This is a free playground, so all children can participate. I recruit talented children from a very young age and train them individually. From there, I apply professional training programs and set goals to develop generations of athletes," Mr. Thai said.
With 92 athletes participating in district and provincial level competitions, 89 athletes won medals of various kinds, including 29 gold medals, 30 silver medals, and 30 bronze medals.
And most recently, this training center helped Quang Nam win two medals at the 2024 National Phu Dong Sports Festival.
[VIDEO] - A training session at the Dien Phuoc Commune Badminton Club:
This entry is for the journalism competition "Spreading Positive Energy for the Aspirations of Quang Nam".
Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/nguoi-truyen-lua-mon-cau-long-o-dien-phuoc-3142589.html
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