Transcript of our interview with Basak, Mother

How did you know this was the right fit?

First, my son had started with their soccer academy, [after being in their] after-school program. I've seen how they treat the kids, but also how they approach their coaches. [There’s a sense of] happiness and a safe environment for the kids. 

My kid was very young, five years old. He developed not only in athletic terms, but also in leadership, and mentally. When I saw that, I really appreciated the way they approach the kids and their own employees. They create a comforting and safe environment for the kids. I thought,  Why not try summer camps? Winter camps? 

That's how it started with my son, then my daughter joined him, and they’re both really happy with it. This is how it started. I really see that full approach in TAC, creating a safe environment where kids can thrive. Either in the academy or the year-long course they offer, or in a camp, it's always the same. It's the best fit for my kids. 

What's unique about this camp?

First of all, it's year-round. They have a lot of options and opportunities for the kids. It's not only one sport, it's everything. You can find a lot of things in it, like soccer, basketball, the athletics team, everything. But it's also not only development. 

Year-round, you can get leadership development from them. You can [learn] financial literacy, chess, robotics. Whatever you need, you can find it there. They have a holistic approach for kids’ development where they offer a lot of options and you can combine them. You're see your learning and growing not in just one area, but several different areas. 

Was there any growth you saw in your child?

A hundred percent! Another unique point about TAC is that they’re really interested in kids individually. They don't have a one-size-fits-all approach. They care about the kids themselves, who they are, and how they're developing. Everybody has a different pace. If kids have different interests, they follow them, evaluate them, and build a separate path for each one of them.

That makes all of the kids feel understood, valued, and that helps them to grow even more in whatever they want to do.

How can parents support their child to help them get the most out of camp?

[It’s most] important to ask questions and [have] open conversations and communication with your kids, because the coaches in TAC are not in open communications with the kids. They try to understand how they can support your kid in the best way [while at camp]. As a parent, [you should] continue that at home, after a camp day. 

Ask them what they like the most or what they didn't like. Ask them what made them happy. If they want to change the sport they're doing, if they're ready to move ahead, to add one more leadership skill to their development. 

TAC is very open to feedback. If you're not happy with something, it's okay to tell them. Get your kid’s feedback. They will listen to it definitely, in any area. My kids even like the food in their camps, but sometimes they say, “Mom, it's not enough. We played soccer for seven hours and I'm hungry,” and they will hear that. They will follow up and increase their portions, or sometimes if a kid’s hungrier than normal, they will see that. Even with this very basic logistic stuff, they help you.

Just stay in open communication, both with your kids and also the coaches at the camps. 

What does your child say?

They love it. The most important point for me is that the next day, they want to go back.If they are dragging their feet, that's not a good sign, but they want to go back [to TAC].

My daughter doesn't have [only] one competitive sport. She would come and ask, “Mom, what do they have this winter for camp? Is it dance? Is it gymnastics?” And we'll pick it together. I think this [variety] is really very important. 

They love it there. They love the coaches. They love the food, as I mentioned. They love the environment, so they enjoy being there, every aspect of it.

Any final thoughts?

I see two main things that TAC offers. 

One is a personalized approach. I'm amazed with their capability of seeing and understanding [each] kid individually. Your kid won't be [just another] kid in the crowd. They see the kid specifically. They invest in his/her athletics and leadership. I care about this a lot!

Another thing [is that] they have created such a good environment for their own employees and coaches and volunteers. People are happy to work there, which I value a lot. They're loyal, and that loyalty comes [from] a happy working environment. This results in happy employees and happy kids. They’re willing to help your kids. They're willing to serve you. They’re willing to literally invest in and develop kids. Happy coaches, happy kids, good development.

This creates a safe environment for the kids because they know who they’re going to see. They met one swimming coach in the winter camp let's say, then we continue with the aquatics winter long program. They see the same coaches. They’re in a known environment. I know these people. I don't have to prove myself again [or] teach them who I am. I can talk to them. When my parents leave, I'm okay here. I'm confident, and I feel good. 

I value that there’s no turnaround of coaches [or] of volunteers. The people there are very nice because they're nicely treated.

Transcript of our interview with Rupali, Mother

What's unique about TAC Sports that made you want to register your son there?

My first boy is now 13, and we found TAC the perfect space for sending my kid to camp when he was five. Now let's do the math. It's been eight years. The idea for me was for my child to learn, of course, to feel, to grow, to be competitive, not in the sense of doing intense sports, but to enjoy himself and learn while he is having fun. 

This is what I loved about TAC: I found they were keeping my child happy. When he comes home, he wants to go back the next day again.One thing that really spoke to me was that he wants to go to TAC again and again, and he's just talking about it the whole time. Even when he's eating, he's like, “I did this. I did that. Can I do that again tomorrow?” 

What was your son’s first impression of TAC Sports?

My kid loved it. Right from day one, he connected with the instructors. He connected with the teachers. He even connected with the lunch that he got there as back in those days, in pre-COVID times, we used to get snacks and lunch. He even loved that part because they made it entertaining. They made it fun. And it was a good thing that my child was loving it. And I loved it too.

How did TAC Sports help build your son's independence?

They teach kids not only what they're supposed to teach—they teach them to be social. They also teach them to do their own things. It's part of the overall growth of your child. They even learned to clean after eating their lunch during camp. All of the instructors there, even the owners, get involved and they make your child independent. 

How did TAC Sports teach your son to be more socially courageous?

One criteria for me when I'm sending my child to camp is how the other kids are. I just wanted my son to develop friendships, not only during the camp, but lifelong. This is exactly what I found at TAC. My son still has friends from the first year of his camp. 

I can also relate to the families. They are similar to us, and they and they also want their child to be learning and growing.

How did TAC Sports teach more than just sports?

I wanted them to explore all the sports. With TAC sports, we’ve done tennis, basketball, swimming, and lots more. But now he's chosen his favourite sport, which is soccer, and we're sticking to soccer. Now he's 13. After school, he comes home, he says, “Okay, when is my soccer? When is my next practice? When are we going next?” 

But it’s only the soccer skills he's coming back with. It's also social, mental, and overall growth. They even have STEM lessons in their camp, which are so amazing, which my kids have done. Plus, at TAC, they focus on mannerisms: How to clean after you eat? How you put your ball and racket away. They also teach team spirit.

It's the overall growth. Winning is important in sports or in any other activities, but it's the overall “winning in life” that they learn and come back with. 

What does your son say about TAC Sports?

So much excitement! He’s got so many memories. He says, "I'm like the vintage camper.” He knows the coaches. There are a lot of good fond memories that he has created at the TAC as well as friendships for life. 

What’s your advice to families to get the most out of TAC Sports?

Many parents become very competitive. It's like, okay, winning is everything. If you're doing a sport, if you're doing a computer lesson, if you're doing learning, coding, it’s natural to be competitive. But TAC teaches overall growth. Sometimes winning is not always possible because everybody cannot be a winner, but your child does not come back home as a loser. They’ll learn other aspects of growing into young children, into teenagers, into family men and women later on. So it's the overall growth mentally—sociologically, physiologically, physically—that’s nurtured in the camp.