We caught up with three ChildFund Pass It Back (PIB) rugby coaches in Vietnam and Laos, who have been in action implementing the rugby and life-skills programs under the Reconnect project.
All three coaches have different ambitions to pursue different rugby pathways: Bui Thi Ha as a first aid responder and Bui Thi Lan as a rugby coach in Vietnam, while Joey wants to follow his passion as a rugby referee in Laos.
BÙI THỊ HÀ – ChildFund Pass It Back Coach in Vietnam
BÙI THỊ HÀ – Rugby First Aid
Ha is based in Vietnam and had not heard about rugby before joining the ChildFund Pass It Back program. She thinks PIB “creates a safe and healthy playground for many rural boys and girls to have a chance to play sports, especially for girls and children with disabilities who now can play sports more.”
What are some of the most important things you have learned since starting to work with ChildFund Pass It Back?
Since I started participating in the project, I have developed myself more. I have learned the 5 key values from rugby, and when I play and teach my players the 5 values, I find it always helps me to apply them on the pitch as well as in my daily life.
ChildFund Pass It Back: 5 Key Values
- Integrity
- Passion
- Solidarity
- Discipline
- Respect
You are interested in First Aid – what are the main issues you have to be aware of with rugby and protecting players safety?
At my first training session, I was very impressed with first aid because it is very important to minimize the risk for children when playing this sport. When it comes to rugby, people often say it is dangerous because of the violent contact, so having the knowledge of first aid will help keep the players be more safe.
If someone asks you about rugby, would you say it’s a dangerous sport and why?
I think with rugby, this sport is not as dangerous as people think. If you know the techniques on how to play, you will feel it is normal because when you fall to the ground or collide or scrum, line-out, they all have playing techniques and rules to ensure safety for all players.
What are your thoughts on the future of Pass It Back and rugby in Vietnam?
I think the future of ChildFund Pass It Back is that it will continue to grow and spread to children in the community even more. Rugby will develop more when there are rugby clubs in Vietnam, this is the stepping stone towards the Vietnam Rugby Federation to make the sports become popular with more players.
What are your own goals in the future?
My goal is to develop Cuoi Ha Rugby Club to create a safe and healthy playing ground for many children in my community.
What do you enjoy about rugby as a learning tool and the people you have met through rugby and PIB?
Through the project and rugby, I have met a lot of friends. This helps me to learn and be able to share and listen. And it creates a network to develop rugby together in Vietnam.
Have you experienced any stigmas as a female trainer in Vietnam?
My family is worried about my health and that I cannot practice and teach the players and also partly because they want me to stay home to do housework and take care of my family more.
Have you got any good stories on how the training and experience have helped you grow and develop?
Participating in the project, I am developing myself more with leadership skills. In July 2019, 2 coaches and I, we were in Laos, and created an event to help 48 Laos players and 48 Vietnamese players, of which 50% were girls, to create a rugby league in Vientiane, Laos.
Helping the children to have the opportunity to exchange and learn rugby techniques after returning to Vietnam was great.
JOEY – Rugby Referee Laos
Joey is based in Laos and learned about ChildFund Pass It Back and rugby from a friend, who had started as a player with ChildFund Pass It Back at his school. He saw many friends apply to be players and coaches, so he also applied to join and try it out.
Joey at a ChildFund Pass It Back session in Laos.
What are some of the most important things you have learned since starting to work with Pass It Back?
The most important thing that I’ve learned through Pass It Back is how to develop myself and manage my work as a coach and referee. This project is small, but they do a very good job of empowering us as coaches to develop ourselves and gain important life experience as we work. Besides that, this program teaches all coaches to have solidarity and support of one another; even though we are from different provinces, we all can support and care for each other.
Why are you interested in being a rugby referee and what do you enjoy about the role?
To be a great referee is my goal. I try to pay attention and follow all rugby matches in Laos so I can better understand the laws of the game as I watch. The LRF (Laos Rugby Federation) noticed my officiating interest and skills, and gave me a chance to train as a World Rugby referee level 1 and level 2, and I passed the test for both levels. I am very happy that I got this opportunity to improve myself.
Even though now there are no rugby games because of COVID-19, I am still seeking more information by watching matches online on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. I love being a referee because it is challenging for me and I enjoy it. I hope I get a chance to be a referee in the international competition in the future.
What are the biggest challenges in being a rugby referee?
The most challenging competition for me so far was the 2020 Vientiane 10s competition, because it is the biggest annual competition in Laos and many international club teams were involved. I got a chance to be a referee, which was a lot of pressure because I was working alongside referees from Taiwan, America, Singapore, and Thailand, and I was a youngest referee at the tournament!
The most special moment was when I got selected to be a main referee in the final game of the Men’s Social Division. I was very excited because both teams were very competitive and experienced international teams. I do not always feel confident speaking English, but I tried my best and the match went well. That was my most memorable match.
What are your thoughts on the future of Pass It Back and rugby in Laos?
Now, Pass It Back and rugby are expanding in Laos – many people know about the project and want to join. If Pass It Back continues extending in Laos, it will be beneficial for many players because the project teaches us life skills and how to be good members of our communities.
What are your own goals in the future?
My future goals are to be a professional referee and to continue being a coach, so I can teach and share my real-life experiences with children in my community.
What do you enjoy about rugby as a learning tool and the people you have met through rugby and Pass It Back?
Rugby and Pass It Back has taught me many things. I learned many socials skills because in the rugby family I have many brothers and sisters who give me good advice and how to be positive, which makes me want to stay in this community and love this sport.
Have you got any good stories on how the training and experience have helped you develop?
The best memory I have from training is gaining real-life skills, beyond any individual lesson. Our trainers always share their experiences and advice, and I’ve learned a lot from them. Thank you to ChildFund Pass It Back and LRF for giving me a chance to be a part of rugby family and to be a rugby coach – thank you very much!
Lan enjoying her role as a rugby coach with ChildFund Pass It Back in Vietnam
BÙI THỊ LAN – Rugby Coach Vietnam
Lan is also a rugby coach in Vietnam through PIB and wants to pursue her role as a rugby coach in the future. Lan also thinks “ChildFund Pass It Back is a very practical and necessary program for children, especially for children in rural areas (in Vietnam). She also feels it adds value because “they only learn the knowledge at school without life skills programs. However, society is growing, there are many social temptation, and social evils. ChildFund Pass It Back has helped them become aware and prepare for a better and healthier future.” She is another rugby coach who had never heard of rugby before she joined the program.
What are some of the most important things you have learned with Pass It Back?
Since participating in the project, I learned a new sport that both men and women can play. I have gained confidence, trained my communication skills so I can pass on the knowledge learned in the curriculum to the children of the community where I live.
You are interested in being a rugby coach – why and what do you enjoy about the role?
I want to become a rugby coach so I can attract more girls to join the sport. In my hometown, the number of girls who play sport is minimal but most of them have to do housework, and help their parents. The community thinks sports like football, badminton are for men.
Being a coach is my passion and my it makes me happy when I teach rugby. I listen to the players share about their life and experiences. When I’m tired or stressed, the kids also motivate me to keep going.
Do you have any rugby coaches you see as role models and what do you like about them?
My role model is Ha Ken (a fellow coach in Vietnam), she is a technically competent person. In addition, Ha Ken is a very friendly coach, she gets along well with the players and everyone else. Observing the teaching sessions of Ha Ken, I feel like she is not teaching but she is playing with the player, but the players still understand and grasp the focus of the lesson.
What are your thoughts on the future of Pass It Back and rugby in Vietnam?
Childfund Pass It Back project will expand to many provinces, and many different districts and it will attract more children to participate. I believe in the future, Vietnam will have rugby union, there will be many people who know and love rugby like us.
What are your own goals in the future?
I want to practice training to become a professional rugby player and an international professional rugby coach. Or a rugby promoter and spread the the across the country.
What do you enjoy about the people you have met through rugby?
When I meet people, I feel that we all have one thing in common and a passion to develop rugby and teach life skills to children. Everyone is very open and easy to share with, and they all want to try to learn to develop themselves. There is no one is better than someone else, but everyone helps each other grow together.
Lan is a proud mother and rugby coach with ChildFund Pass It Back in Vietnam.
Have you experienced any stigmas as a female trainer and coach in Vietnam?
When I got married, I did encounter some difficulties when returning to work:
- I do not have much time for work because I have to take care of my children and my family.
- Recently, my family has told me to take a break from the project partly because I have no time and partly because the salary is not sufficient to cover living expenses.
- After a few matches in which I got body aches, my parents-in-law said that this is a sport for men and a little violent.
My family wants me to find another ‘softer’ job to do. But I do not agree. Because this is my passion and my favourite job.
Have you got any good stories on how you have developed as a coach?
After participating in the project, I became a coach for training sessions, a village head-person. I also understand more about my rights, and speak up to protect my view and my job. I confidently give opinions and am more recognized in the community, and the parents of the players like me.
I remember when a player wanted to quit the project because she preferred to stay at home playing games and take baths in the stream, her parents called and came to see me to ask her to join again because they saw the value the project brought.
I also have the opportunity to participate in a number of major rugby tournaments, through which I can learn more about myself and it brings me closer to my goals.
You can find out more about ChildFund Pass It Back here. All photos in this article are credited to ChildFund Pass It Back.
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