The tennis course we organized in 2021 brought another talent to light. Sofia Adamcová signed up for the course, showcasing her skills and enthusiasm for sports. She has tried swimming and has been practicing gymnastics for two years. Sofinka’s tennis course began in August 2021 and was initially set to last three fully funded months, during which she had access to a great coach – Tomáš Ševcov – the large court of the Dranam Tennis Club in Košice, and all the equipment needed for a tennis player. However, as is becoming a tradition with us, Sofia did not stop playing tennis after three months.
In September 2022, she began another tennis season, which we hope will be interesting and successful for her again.
Family support is key
The decision to enroll Sofia in tennis came naturally from her parents. Both are dedicated athletes, as evidenced by their backgrounds (her mother has played tennis since childhood, and her father is a former football player who later took up tennis). They strongly support Sofinka in her sports pursuits and strive to show her the value of trying multiple options and keeping an open mind. Therefore, Sofinka also engages in winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding, and skating. In summer, she doesn’t miss out on cycling. After attending her training sessions, we have noticed significant progress from one training to the next.
Given Sofie’s talent, we at PIEROTT n.o., just like with the talented Laura, decided to continue supporting the girl after the three-month challenge. We currently cover 50% of her training costs and plan to continue this support. We are very pleased that more talented children are emerging in Slovakia, and we have the opportunity to support them, witness their joy, growth, and development, and continue promoting the idea that if children have the means, support, and space for sports, they will be eager to participate.
What the parents say
“We are satisfied with the coach and the training, both from our daughter’s perspective and ours as parents. We chose tennis for our daughter because both of us have a strong connection to it. I, as her mother, have played since I was young, and my husband, a former football player, started playing later, but we play together in our free time. Therefore, the decision was completely natural. However, Sofinka enjoys every sport she has had the chance to try. She has attended swimming classes, practiced gymnastics for two years, snowboards, skis, cycles, skates, etc. And that’s just regarding sports. She also watches tennis on TV. Since we are both athletes and I personally have experience with this sport, I know how mentally demanding tennis can be, so I won’t force her to continue if she wants to stop. We give her options. It’s up to her. I believe she won’t stop being active in sports.”
When asked if tennis is financially demanding, the parents responded:
„“Yes, tennis is indeed very economically challenging. It’s sad that tennis in this country looks the way it does, precisely because it’s only played by those who can afford it. I am convinced that if it were not so financially burdensome and if we had more quality coaches, Slovakia would be represented by much better players.”
