Senior Constable Diana Ucles is bending over backwards to help her community.
In her spare time, the former gymnast is teaching girls in her local area some valuable life lessons by organising and running gymnastics classes.
“I want them to learn how to push themselves from within,” she told SBS News.
“Growing up doing gymnastics, I do know that the lessons you learn can be felt in other aspects of your life.”
Senior Constable Ucles believes gymnastics teaches life lessons. Source: SBS News
A group of eight girls from the inner-city suburb of Woolloomooloo train every week at the local Police Citizens Youth Club.
They had never done gymnastics before and did not even have costumes or basic equipment when they started.
But through community support, the girls received their first competition leotards recently to ware at their first competition.
“I feel really proud and I feel excited that I’m wearing it,” eight-year-old Grace said.
Grace loves wearing her leotard, which was designed by Senior Constable Ucles. Source: SBS News
Seven-year-old Lakeisha said she feels nervous when she competes but enjoys it immensely.
“I’m really good at it, I can do most of the things like handstands, backflips, it’s all fun,” she said.
“Diana is not bossy; she’s beautiful and really kind,” she said of her mentor.
Diana Ucles balances her police work with training the girls. Source: Supplied
Gymnastics is usually an expensive sport and one that would be out of reach for some families in the area.
“A lot of the kids would not have these opportunities with their social backgrounds, and parents not being able to afford it,” local mother Eve Boyd said.
“If they didn’t have programs, the kids might end up in trouble on the streets, they’d just do whatever they want.”
Little champions
For Senior Constable Ucles – running the classes is “like managing a small business”.
On top of her work as a police officer, she organises the training sessions, mentors new coaches, plans nutritious meals for the gymnasts, and even hand-washes their leotards.
But she believes her hard work is paying off.
“They start to walk around identifying themselves as gymnasts, as champions,” she said.
“They are out in the community, being the best they can be.”
The girls are learning about self-confidence through sport. Source: SBS News
Local teenagers have also joined the training sessions as volunteer coaches – a move designed to help build relationships between police and youth.
“Meeting the kids, and getting to know new things, it’s taught me to take responsibility,” volunteer coach Cody said.
It’s a relationship built on trust, according to Senior Constable Ucles.
“It’s about saying police aren’t always there to lock them up – we can actually give good advice, be mentors, and teach valuable life lessons.”
The program has been so successful it will be rolled out for boys and additional age groups in 2019.
