At the end of 2019, Pilar Carrillo, former Chief Operating Officer of Badminton Pan Am Confederation, retired from operational work but left many traces of effort, sacrifice and love towards our sport. Without a doubt, a good person to recognize and celebrate in this Pan Am Women’s Month.
Since 2003, Pilar participated in all the Pan Am Games as part of its organization, as well as the Pan American Adult and Junior Championships, the first Para Badminton tournaments in the region and the World Junior Championships in Madrid and Lima, being part of the success of each event and meeting many people who have enriched their professional career.
“I think that my career in badminton has been positive, it has given me the opportunity of service, learning and feel the satisfaction of having fulfilled the task that was entrusted to me. I have met many people and that is the most positive thing that has past.”
“We have grown a lot thanks to the vision and mission that we have set for ourselves. I must highlight the support of the Boards of Directors that have taken the leadership of the Confederation during all these years. In organization and structure we have a solid office and highly competent professional team. All of them have always supported me selflessly in meeting the objectives and I think that is where the success of teamwork comes from. In tournaments we have also grown but we must achieve better presentation platforms. We have many common limitations for all associations, but we must be creative and overcome obstacles.”
Within this time of service to the Badminton Associations, Pilar discovered that beyond traveling, experiences, learning new things and undertaking new projects, the best that badminton gave her has been the people with whom she has been able to share all of this.
“The best that badminton has given me are friends and coworkers during all these years. I have met many people and that is the most positive thing that has happened to me, as I have been able to enrich myself with their advice, examples and be able to improve myself in different aspects that I think have helped me grow.”
However, a group of people very dear to Pilar enjoyed and suffered each of the successes and tensions that Pilar experienced with our sport: her family. A mother of 2 men and a woman, and a grandmother of 2 beautiful children, Pilar finds it difficult to share badminton with the family. Many times the problems of work are transferred home, but even more so when this work is a passion. And for Pilar‘Badminton, a Passion That I Carry in My Blood’, as she stated in an earlier interview. But also, sport has been part of the education that she has given to her children and that she instills in her grandchildren.
“Sharing badminton with the family has been difficult, because many times we transfer problems from work to home and the family is not interested or overwhelmed. But due to the satisfactions I feel more than happy. I think I have fulfilled my task as a mother having 3 children well educated who have known how to take advantage of the opportunities that were offered to them and are now charting their lives and moving forward with responsibility, I think they are happy with what they are doing and it is the greatest satisfaction I have. As a grandmother I turn to my grandchildren and if not badminton, I help them grow in some physical activity that also fills them with values.”
It has been many years that Pilar dedicated to the Pan Am Confederation in various tournaments, trainings, meetings, etc., various moments in which there has also been time to share funny anecdotes and difficult moments, but finally all of this contributed to a better job in BPAC.
“During these years in the Confederation there were very difficult moments for me. Like when I had to take over the control desk of the Pan American Games in Rio 2007 and I was just getting acquainted with the program, or when we had to change in 1 night the venue of the international tournament in Argentina since the coliseum was flooded by a storm.”
Something that Pilar would have liked to be different during her years of work is being able to meet more women involved in our sport, in different activities and holding leadership positions.
“Like everything in life there are always obstacles, but you have to be positive and creative to overcome them. You have to be persistent, act with faith and enthusiasm and be prepared for opportunities. Badminton is opening doors in different professional and technical fields, and those of us who are involved must infect others to become an increasingly solid community.”
