Tignish Filipino community finds passion, support, friendship through volleyball

Twice a week, players lace up their sneakers before getting on the court to play volleyball at TignishElementary School.

The Tignish team, as it's called, is made up of players who live in P.E.I.but are from an entirely different island the Philippines.

All 12 players, including the coaches, work at Royal Star Foods, a local seafood processing plant, andcame here as temporary foreign workers or on student visas.

ReyganaBenilioa, or Reyas he's called on the court, is one of the coaches andmoved to P.E.I. from the Philippines in 2016.

The team recently won a tournament, its second year in a row, where it beat outfour other Filipino teams onthe Island.

"We are back-to-back champions. So I am proud of my team," saidBenilioa.

'We're just enjoying what we're doing'

Jeleah Cornelio is the team's captain and hasplayed volleyball since she was in Grade4.

She said she loves playing with her colleagues.

"We're just enjoying what we're doing," she said.

At practice on every Wednesday and Friday, it's common for playersto bring their children, siblings and extended family members.

"It's a good feeling with all the supports that we're getting from our friends, families.It's really fun," saidCornelio.

Team continues to grow

At the tournament earlier this November, Danna Tagalog won most valuable player.

Tagalog moved here in 2016, following her sister. Since moving to P.E.I., she met her partner and had a baby boy namedDash.

"Iwasn't expecting to be able to play again because I had a baby last year, and then I thought that I'd be gaining weight and then I won't be able to play again," she said.

She said getting back on the court gave her something to look forward to.

"If you want todo something that you love, just keep doing it and be passionate about it and just play and be happy," she said.

75 permanent residents

Benilioasaid when he first organized the team three years ago, he only had a handful of players join.

Now, he said,the team has a full roster of 12 players and part of that is due toRoyal Star Foods.

ManagerFrancis Morrissey said the company has around 100 Filipino employees, and 75 are now permanent residents.

"The local people think the world of them," he said. "They know without these hundred people, we can't start this processing plant up because we don't have enough people to run it."

Hopes for a second team

Morrissey saidmanyof theemployees, like Rey, are becoming permanent residents who canthenbring their spouse or children to P.E.I.

Benilioa's wife moved to the Islandone year ago and he said he's now waiting to hear when his permanent residency will comethrough in orderto bringhis five-year-old daughter.

"It's not easy,long-distance relationship with my daughter. So I keep trying to bring my daughter," he said.

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