PIctured above: Oyin and her daughter attend the Sights and Sounds of Jane-Finch where Philpottt ran tennis activities for attendees.
Written by Philpott Children’s Tennis
THIS IS WHY. Why we build. Why we coach. Why we believe – generation after generation.
Adapted from Philpott Children’s Tennis 2024 Impact Report.
When Oyin immigrated to Canada from Nigeria in 2018, she was chasing a better life – not just for herself, but for the family she had to leave behind. Like so many newcomers, she faced the weight of uncertainty. Juggling jobs as a personal support worker, launching her own event planning business, and raising her young daughter alone, she pressed forward with quiet determination – and a deep belief in the beauty of life and the possibilities ahead.
Finding tennis in Canada through Philpott
One day, as she walked past the tennis courts at San Romanoway, something stopped her. Kids. Laughter. Racquets.
Back home in Nigeria, she had played tennis. But in Toronto, it was out of reach – too expensive, too far, too inaccessible. Until that moment, when she stumbled upon a Philpott program – free for kids, low-cost for adults, right in her community.
“When I heard that Philpott could give me an affordable place to play,” she remembers, “I had so many butterflies.”
She joined a class, made friends, and rediscovered a part of herself through sport – joy, confidence, and strength. From that turning point, a new chapter began.
A leap of faith into Leadership
Through her Philpott lessons, she met Philpott’s Program Manager, Stephan Harris, who invited her to join the Leadership Program to become a certified coach. At first, it felt impossible. She had no child care on weekends. Her schedule was packed. Her resources were limited. but she said yes anyway.
“I decided to look on the bright side. Tennis is something I love, and I needed to do something for myself. So I called Stephan and told him, “I’ll do it. No matter what, I’ll find a way.”
And she did.
With Philpott covering the cost of equipment, training, and transit – and with the help of generous neighbours who watched her daughter on Saturday afternoons – Oyin became a certified coach.
Seizing opportunities through Philpott
Today, she coaches in Philpott’s winter weekend program and summer program, earning valuable income while paying it forward to the next generation of kids.
“I know what it’s like to not have access to sport. I see what Philpott is doing to make it possible for kids to play, and it brings me great joy to give back.”, she says. But coaching is just one piece of the journey. Since joining the program, Oyin has had a range of opportunities to grow as a leader- from attending Tennis Canada’s UNMATCHED Gender Equity in Sport conference, to speaking at Philpott’s Women’s Executive Event, where she shared her story and inspired a room full of leaders.
Each step has helped build her confidence, community, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Building the Future – It’s just the beginning
Now, as Philpott prepares to open its first-ever indoor tennis facility – a space unlike any in Canada, run by a charity and prioritised for community use – Oyin dreams of becoming a full-time coach there.
“If I could coach year-round, I would choose that over and over again. My involvement with Philpott has inspired me to aim for something greater, and a year-round coaching job would mean stable income from a job that I love.”
And the most beautiful part? Her daughter will be old enough soon to join Philpott programs too – picking up a racquet on the very courts that shaped her mom’s journey.
“Being involved with Philpott has been beyond my expectations. It gave me a community. It gave me a job. It gave me a family.”
This is why we do what we do. Because lives change when opportunity meets support. Because when we invest in one person’s potential, we see ripple effects across families, neighbourhoods, and generations.
Every Piece Matters.
Oyin’s story didn’t begin with tennis – and it won’t end here either. But thanks to the chance encounter, a program built for community, and a belief in what’s possible, a mother and daughter now stand on the same court, side for side, ready for what comes next.
It takes every piece to build a lasting impact. Oyin is one of those pieces – and so are you.
