RotaSmash ‘Champion of Change’ Keicy Lei Condeno. Photo from Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News.
MANILA — RotaSmash, a fundraising and fellowship project by the Rotary Club of New Manila South, has chosen two 'Champions of Change,' who are student-athletes who will be given support as they look to realize their dreams.
One of them is 16-year-old Keicy Lei Condeno, a senior high student from Bulacan who is looking to make a name for herself in the local badminton scene.
Condeno was among the participants of the 1st RotaSmash Badminton Tournament on Saturday in Cubao, but before becoming one of the group's promising student-athletes, the incoming Grade 12 student from Cornerstone College Incorporated shared that her entry into the sport was not that conventional.
"Before, meron po akong health problem. Sabi po ng doctor, kailangan ko pong mag healthy living," Keicy, who has been playing the sport for more than eight years, told ABS-CBN News, of her previous heart problem.
"Nung first po, for health purposes lang, pero okay naman na po ngayon. Sakto po, yung ate ko nagba-badminton na siya."
"Then pinasok lang ako ng coach ko, tinry niya lang po akong isali sa mga tournament, tapos tuloy-tuloy na po," she continued.
Playing badminton in their school under her coach Angelino Bernardino proved to be a huge help for Condeno and her family, especially since there have been financial struggles for them.
"Looking daw po ng scholars [yung RotaSmash]. Kami naman po kasi ni mama, financially, nahihirapan na po kami. Nag try lang po kami na mag try out, and then luckily, isa po kami sa napili," she explained.
But aside from the opportunities that the sport opened for her, Condeno said that badminton also helped her personal development as an individual.
"Dati po kasi mahina yung mental side ko. Na 'pag natatalo, ayoko na. Si coach po, tinuruan niya po ako na pag natatalo, ahon lang. Then pag may nagko-close na door, mas may malaking dadating para sa akin. Work hard lang," she shared.
Keicy also added how she is still applying these learnings now that she is looking to play at the collegiate level, with Condeno hoping to play in the UAAP.
"Since incoming Grade 12 na po ako, mas dumadating yung pressure na kung saan ako magco-college. So I asked a lot of coaches and parents, and they recommended na mag UST or UP, or NU, kasi ang kukunin ko is Psychology."
"Right now po, I'm trying to get into UP and UST. Opo, kailangan ko rin po," she furthered.
Alongside this is her mission to inspire her fellow hopefuls in their own journey to realize their dreams and become an example for them.
"Definitely, [ang responsibility is] maipakita naming deserve namin yung spot na 'to especially since out of 100 players, kami po yung napili. Thank you po sa RotaSmash, malaking tulong po sila since we're both financially unstable right now," she said.
"Ang gagawin po namin is we'll do our best. As much as we can ns manalo po sa mga tournaments, gagawin po namin."
"We will inspire other players to work hard pa po, kasi ang dami pong players na ayaw na pong mag badminton dahil sa pressure. Wag niyo po masyadong intindihin yung pressure. If kaya po, gamitin niyo siya as motivation or inspiration," added Keicy, who then went on to show appreciation for her family and friends.
"Thank you for supporting me ever since I started this journey. Hanggang matapos ko ito, dala-dala ko kayo," she ended.