ACE in Vietnam 2023

Student-athletes lived and worked with Vietnamese college students teaching academic subjects, coaching sports, and leading life skills sessions at a summer day camp organized by Coach for College.

Over 82 local middle school students participated in the camp located at Thuận Hưng Middle School in the Mekong Delta of rural Southern Vietnam. Each ACE student-athlete taught one subject and one sport to 4 teams of rising 8th graders in the morning and 4 teams of 9th graders in the afternoon.

As a student-athlete, it’s so easy to get caught up in everyday commitments and not feel the trust and love in connections like I did with my fellow coaches. I feel as though I’m always planning for the weeks ahead, meaning I’m forgetting to appreciate the ‘now.’ Due dates, deadlines, and before I know it, I’m forgetting to make time for my friends, or a phone call with my mom. I take it for granted that I feel solid and comfortable in these relationships, but something I learned from the incredible Vietnamese coaches and directors, and something I want to incorporate more into my life now, is how vocal they are about their love, support and appreciation for each other.

– Ava Sorrento, Stanford Women’s Gymnastics

The student-athletes also traveled together with the Vietnamese coaches on the two weekends during the camp, one to experience Cần Thơ City, where many of the Vietnamese college students are from, and the other to stay on a large island in the Mekong River, learning more about traditional daily activities and culture of Vietnam’s rural south

I felt so privileged to be welcomed into the community with such open arms. The smiles of all these strangers caught me by surprise and taught me how welcoming and open the Vietnamese culture is. I will never forget the unwavering kindness and acceptance extended to me throughout my time in Long Mỹ. I hope to embody these values more in my life going forward.

– Chelsea Proutt, Duke Rowing