University of Oregon Athletics greeted with smiles and hugs by the community of El Chileno, Panama

Three flights and two bumpy bus rides later, University of Oregon athletics had arrived at El Chileno! Immediately greeted with smiles and hugs, we were instantly embraced by the community as if we were family. As soon as we put our bags down, a game of American soccer was already in play and the kids were ready to score some goals! 

As we began building the court, we got to work side by side with many local volunteers and learn about their background, family, and way of life in El Chileno. The more time we put into the court, the less it felt like work as we continued to build personal relationships. We learned to work efficiently and effectively in order to create a final product we were all proud of and one that would influence the kids for years to come. 

We were well taken care of by many of the women in the community as they fed us delicious meals each and every day. On the fifth day, we even got a hands on opportunity to churn, mash, and roll yuca to help prepare an amazing dinner for everyone! Through the help of translation and some entry-level Spanish, we were able to connect with the children and get to really know the people who welcomed us so kindly.

Adapting to a new routine was a challenge to say the least! As all of us come from disciplined sports, our schedules in the States are often hectic and structured. We quickly learned that El Chileno was a great change of pace and presented us with the  opportunity to see life from a new perspective. Throughout this rewarding experience, we now understand that although a language barrier is difficult to overcome, it can be accomplished through things like body language and the power of sports. On the very last day, we got to test out the court and play over six different sports with the children. Each sport consisted of a new set of rules and teaching the kids was up to us. 

A beautiful ceremony was put on after a full day of play on the court, and the children got to perform a meaningful dance and share their culture with the group. To end the night, each child got to adopt and plant a tree in honor of a volunteer who helped make the court come to life. All of these experiences and so many more contributed to the immense fulfillment felt by everyone by the end of this trip. We are so grateful for Courts for Kids, the people of El Chileno, and the unforgettable memories we’ve all created together. - Mallory Kent & Haley Ellis

Volunteer Quotes:

“I learned how welcoming and kind they are to people that are different than them. They operate differently than we do back home. Time is irrelevant. They just live life to the fullest.” - Zack Young

“When at home, it is difficult to enjoy the current moment for more than several minutes to a couple hours at a time. It is easy to get engulfed in what’s next and your own self, so much so that you may neglect yourself or the people around you. Here, that’s no problem with the lenient perception of time and quality spent with friends and family.” - Ty Delgado

“I feel like this trip has taught me to slow down, limit distractions that cause anxiety, and focus on helping others.” - Julia Richards

“I learned that there are so many ways to communicate without language. With enough effort, you can find ways to communicate through sport, laughter, & shared experiences. In the kitchen, before Luisa - the translator - translated, I felt like I could understand what the women were talking about because of their body language and how familiar their interactions felt.” - Bethany Glick

“This trip isn’t about building a cement court but what the court symbolizes. It is a bridge that allows us to have a first-hand experience at what it’s like in a different part of the world.” - Peyton Scott

“It’s amazing to see how energetic and competitive all the kids were getting. It’s something that doesn’t really happen in America because it’s so hard to find people to play with. Everyone in Panama just enjoys life and lives in the present.”
- Russell Soohoo

Community Quotes:

“The court will serve more than a sports purpose. We now will have much more space to have cultural activities and others such as the medical visits from the Health Ministry. In the past we did those in the school but space was too tight. Now we have a bigger space to bring community together for different activities.” - Teacher Elisa, School Principal

“We want to thank everyone from the University of Oregon for making this project a reality. There are going to be many kids from the community benefiting from this project but it also helped bring parents together, something that tends to be difficult in our community. But the court created a common goal that brought everyone together and now I hope we don’t lose that sense of union now that the project ended.” - Eliecer Rodriguez, Community Leader

“I will be forever grateful and the students from the University of Oregon will be forever in my heart. I’m sure this project inspired many kids in our community and showed them that there is a bigger world out there. Most of them don’t know Panama City and through this experience, they got to know more about the US culture and its people. I know that when they are older they will now be thinking that they can have a better education and this experience will keep them thinking bigger.”
- Vladimiro Lopera, Community Leader