TAC - Sports, Aquatics and Education: Parent Interview with Rupali Bhatia

Watch our Parent interview with Rupali Bhatia to hear firsthand what children experience and how they grow at TAC - Sports, Aquatics and Education.

Transcript of the interview

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. 

Interviews with parents, participants, and alum

TAC - Sports, Aquatics and Education: Parent Interview with Basak Ozsuvari

Watch our Parent interview with Basak Ozsuvari to hear firsthand what children experience and how they grow at TAC - Sports, Aquatics and Education. Watch interview