Outgoing US Ambassador Kristie Kenney believes learning a country's favorite sports is a good way to learn about the people's passions.

MANILA, Philippines – Apart from her winning smile and charming personality, Filipinos will miss the “sports presence” of outgoing United States Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney.

The first female US Ambassador to the Philippines is set to leave her post this month after being in the country since March 2006.

She succeeded Francis Ricciardone and will be replaced by Harry Thomas, Jr.

Kenney was a staple in basketball games, tennis matches and other sporting events in the country. That’s no surprise as she is a self-confessed sports fan.

“I am athletic. I love to play and watch sports. It is great for my physical health and good for my mental health," she said.

"Watching sports is also great fun -- whether it is Pacquiao boxing, PBA basketball or the French Open. I love watching superior athletes playing any sport,” Kenney told abs-cbnNEWS.com in a Facebook messaging correspondence.

Kenney admitted that she has taken her love for sports to other countries, where her passion for sports even grew.

Improve the game

According to her, sports has helped her in her various assignments.

“Professionally, I have found that watching sports is a fun way to get to know people and to get to see an important part of every country. Certainly here in the Philippines, it makes me feel like I belong when I can root for my favorite PBA teams along with Filipinos,” she said.

In the Philippines, I have loved watching both professional and university level basketball. I have met wonderful people, watched terrific athletes and at the university level, gotten a taste of great school spirit," Kenney added.

"I have really enjoyed taking under privileged youth to basketball games through our partnership with PBA,” she said.

She also learned a lot about boxing as well as to how to scuba dive in the country.

The tennis enthusiast added that she had fun tennis partners who helped improve her game and gave her a lot of laughs, too.

“Filipinos are not only good athletes but are also interested in a wide range of sports so I have enjoyed watching and playing sports here more than in any other assignment as a diplomat. I can't wait to cheer when the Philippines brings home Olympic medals, as I am sure they will,” she said.

Diplomatic assignments

Many observers say Kenney was a "friendly face" when it came to US-Philippine relations.

Prior to being the US Ambassador to the Philippines, Kenney was the US Ambassador to Ecuador. She also served as Economic Officer at the US Embassy in Argentina.

“In Ecuador and Argentina, I learned to play tennis on clay courts and to appreciate the amazing talents of their professional tennis players. Both of those countries also play terrific soccer and I had a blast going to soccer games and rooting for my favorite professional teams," she said.

"I watched (and cheered) the Ecuadorian World Cup team while here in the Philippines and I knew so many players on the Ecuadorian team. I was so happy they did well,” Kenney said.

She was assigned to Switzerland, where she was the Economic Counselor at the United States Mission to International Organizations in Geneva.

She also served as Consular officer at the US Embassy in Jamaica.

“In Switzerland, we skied and hiked—great mountain sports and such a wonderful way to see their beautiful mountains. And in Jamaica, my first post, I learned to snorkel,” she said.

Growing up

Kenney obtained a bachelor’s degree in political science from Clemson University and a master’s degree from Tulane University.

All in the family Kenney, 54, is the daughter of a US World War II veteran and a retired public school teacher.

She said her family members also love sports. “I have always enjoyed sports. When we were growing up, we always watched all sorts of sports on TV as a family so I think I learned to appreciate the value of sports—teamwork, practice, doing your best—at an early age," she said.

"And the kids in our area all played all sorts of sports—kickball, softball, basketball, badminton just in the area around our neighborhood and always just for fun,” Kenney added.

While she is an avid sports fan, she admitted that she is no super athlete.

“I have never been a star at any sport but have always liked playing them, and learning or watching new sports. Our (Catholic) church organized girls sports leagues so my Dad signed me up for softball (in the spring) and basketball (in the winter) when I was about ten. I had a lot of fun and loved them both,” the ambassador said.

She even shared a story about her short-lived basketball career.

“My Dad put up a basketball hoop at our house and we played for fun often. My basketball ‘career’ ended when I got my front tooth knocked out on Saturday while playing with some of the guys when I was about 15," she recalled.

"My mother announced the end of my basketball playing while we were at the dentist on the emergency visit later that day!” she said.

All in the family

Kenney says her favorite sport is tennis. Photo courtesy of Probe Profiles.

Her younger brother, meantime, is not just an enthusiastic sports fan but a player as well. “He is a super soccer player and a good tennis player," she said.

Her mother, on the other hand, is not an athlete at all. But she has shown great interest in the sports that her family members were into.

“My Mom thinks that playing bridge is a sport. She always says her role is to be the spectator for our sports. So she likes to watch sports but has zero interest in ever playing them. To her credit, she came to all our games as kids. She even took books out of the library to read about soccer when my brother first started playing so she could understand the sport,” she said.

Even Kenney’s husband, US Ambassador to Colombia William Brownfield, is also into sports.

“He is a really good athlete and takes fitness seriously. He runs every day (as in serious runner, runs marathons, etc.), is an avid hiker and mountain biker. He loves to watch baseball, football, basketball and soccer. Bill doesn't play tennis but plays squash,” she said.

She said they both love to ski that is why they take ski vacations whenever they can. They take hiking vacations often, too.

Brownfield has even taken up serious mountain climbing over the last few years. “When I was in Ecuador, he climbed two of their 20,000-ft. volcanoes,” she said.

Tennis love

One of the sports closest to her heart is tennis, which she plays and follows closely.

“In America, there are public tennis courts everywhere. So lots of people can play without the expense of belonging to clubs,” she related.

“My Dad played on Sunday afternoons, and from the time I was small, I went along to watch. When I got older, I got to play with him after he finished his game. So I have played tennis for years. But always just for fun,” she said.

According to Kenney, her strength is her backhand stroke. “I have a good two handed backhand and a weak forehand. So I work hard on improving the forehand,” she said.

When asked about her experiences in competitions, she replied: “I don't really enjoy tournaments because I would rather just enjoy than worry about winning. But I have played in a few—and in fact won the Embassy doubles tournament here a year ago.”

“I always love playing, so while I like to win, I don't mind when I lose. My rule is that I only play with people I really like and only for fun. Never for business or for work. Just to enjoy,” she added.

She described World No. 1 Roger Federer as a “graceful player.” She also commented that she loves the backhand of former World No. 1 Justine Henin, who has made a comeback to the professional tour recently.

“I always loved her grace on the court,” she noted.

Big Pacquiao fan

Kenney describes Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao as the "thinking boxer." She even successfully predicted the outcome of the Pacquiao-Cotto fight last Novemeber.

Kenney is also into basketball and boxing, but she only watches them.

The US Embassy organized the charity exhibition event of the Harlem Globetrotters, known as the “Magicians of Basketball,” at the City of Taguig in May.

She commented on the Filipinos’ love for basketball during the event: “It’s crazy, isn’t it? Everyone loves basketball here—American basketball, Philippine basketball. It’s something we share… So it’s a wonderful link between both of our countries.”

She has watched numerous basketball games in the professional and collegiate level. She was also present during Kobe Bryant’s basketball camp at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City in July.

Meanwhile, the US Ambassador is also a huge fan of pound-for-pound king and seven-division champion Manny Pacquiao.

“He’s the ‘thinking man’ boxer. He thinks about what his opponents are gonna do. I was really struck every time I talk to him by how smart he is on the strategy,” she stated.

“To begin with, he’s got the athletic [talent] and the brain. He mixes it. He’s the Roger Federer of the boxing world. He’s got the thinking part and the athletic talent,” Kenney said.

She even predicted the outcome of the November 14 bout between Pacquiao and Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto when she said that the Filipino boxing sensation will prevail despite Cotto’s “size advantage.”

“Well you know it’s hard to say because I don’t know boxing as well as other people do. I’m new to boxing, a new fan only because of Manny,” she said a few days before the bout.

This new boxing fan even got the details correctly: “I think it will go longer. I don’t think it will be any knockout.”

The “Firepower” bout between Pacquiao and Cotto indeed went the distance, with Pacquiao winning via technical knockout at Round 12. Report by Ma. Rosanna Mina, abs-cbnNEWS.com.