FUN’s cycling team members, embarked on the learning of English

por | Jun 12, 2020 | News

In 2016, with the creation of Esteban Chaves Foundation, FUN Team was born with the goal of contributing to teenagers and young people in their integral development. Within this sport project we offer them opportunities and tools to become better human beings. We also encourage them to believe in their dreams and pursue them with conviction and love.

Alongside the implementation of the sports work plan led by FUN’s Team Sports Director Wilson Sandoval, we have included a strengthening English program. Today, the 18 members are learning the language within a specialized program of eight levels and a duration of 10 months that includes lectures and weekly guidance of teacher María José Silva, Bilingual Bachelor of Universidad del Bosque in Bogota.

For the Bogotanian Erick Parra, member of the pre-youth category, this process is a very useful initiative. «We are motivated and we are learning a lot. I find it very cool to study English to grow as a person and also thinking about cycling. This team is an academy which aim to send cyclist to Europe, so it is going to be very enriching”, he said.

During these times of lockdown in Colombia due covid-19, English classes shifted to the online environment. The children have the tools and the teaching materials to carry out the activities. Additionally, they participate in weekly sessions by videoconference. When the situation allows the children to get out of their houses, it would be possible to meet face-to-face again.

Doors

«We begin with a diagnostic examination in which we define the level of each one of the FUN Team members. Thus, we tailor each lesson to their specific English level. English is a necessary tool in all areas and building the bases is important. In the future, they will participate in international races, or join a cycling teams from other countries. In any case, they will be able to live in other cultures and develop more easily in different contexts, «said María José.

For Jairo Chaves, FUN’S General Manager, «English opens world doors, especially to athletes who aim to compete abroad and represent the country on the bike. At FUN we look for young people who are part of our team to be integral people and cyclists».

In previous years we have done some English activities with the FUN’s cycling team, as we have always considered it to be very important for their development. However, this year we decided to emphasize and consolidate the subject.

The FUN Team is a project that seeks to promote the values of perseverance, teamwork, respect and discipline, under the working philosophy of Esteban Chaves, the same philosophy that makes it possible for him to the be in the elite of cycling. Additionally, these values have made him an exemplary human being who wants, through FUN, to leave a legacy for future generations.