๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ
๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐จ๐ฑ
I was born and grew up in the city of Victoria, Araucanรญa region, Chile. Thanks to my grandparents who were PE teachers, I was always into sport as a participant (basketball, artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, athletics and swimming) and as a spectator in competitions where they were the coaches. The perfect pastime for me as a child was to watch games in our city or sitting down to watch World Championships, Olympic Games, etc. I always admired and longed to participate in some event as important as the ones I watched.
๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ๐ง
I saw badminton for the first time in 2008 in a PE class. It struck me that even though it was a sport, this was different mainly because of the shuttlecock, that the game took place in the air without the shuttlecock bouncing on the ground, unlike the ball in other sports.
When I entered university in 2011 I looked for spaces where I could practice and learn. I began to specialise as a line judge, as there were international tournaments that took place in that city (Temuco, Chile).
Then I continued as an umpire and in turn supported Victoria Sports Club where I started my coaching career in 2012.
This period was continuous learning through all possible channels, whether as an umpire, player, coach, etc. Over time I fell in love with this sport and kept discovering new things about it.
In 2017 I began to specialise in Para badminton and I had the opportunity to accompany the team for a brief but fruitful period until the Lima 2019 ParaPan American Games. On the other hand since 2018 I have had the possibility to support and attend South American tournaments with the abled team. I now work as National Development Coordinator of Shuttle Time of the Chilean Badminton Federation and at the same time as a private coach in the city of Victoria.
๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ
As a judge it was the Youth Games 2017 and as coach it was the Parapan American Games which I attended as Head Coach. In my memory will always be Don Josรฉ Muรฑoz (R.I.P), who was a pillar of strength for the athletes, and also Constancio Cancino (R.I.P).
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ
Badminton for me translates into dreams. Everything I once dreamed of as a child I am living with this. Being able to live competitive experiences at the international level with children who have the same dreams I once had and being able to realise them is something indescribable. It is the work of a lifetime, they are the dreams that maybe one day my grandparents also had when I got involved in the sport from such a young age.
๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐
The Shuttle Time programme in the Araucanรญa region this year began with large-scale interventions where we have been able to find some solutions regarding the implementation of workshops for children between 6 and 12 years old, seeking to change the habits of participants so that in future we can increase the base of national athletes.
The biggest lesson is that Shuttle Time Teachers are agents of change and it is in our hands to change the life of children and families.
