US Embassy/JABA sports visitors off to the US
Twelve of Jamaica’s male and female high school basketball players from schools across the island, along with two coaches will participate in technical basketball training, sports management, conflict resolution training and exposure to valuable US sports contacts.
The Jamaican sports visitors were selected from DeCarteret College, Knox College, St George’s College, Ocho Rios High, Manchester High, Camperdown High, Herbert Morrison High, Holy Childhood High, and Old Harbour High Schools.
Following their 10-day stay in the US, the students and coaches will use their newly acquired skills to train other members of their school teams and wider communities, through workshops and basketball sports clinics.
President of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JABA) Ajani Williams says the Association is proud to have been able to partner with the US Embassy by way of the US State Department in a programme they have always wanted to implement, but lacked the resources.
“These six young women and men and two coaches will gain invaluable experience from being coached by NBA and WNBA coaches, to attending NBA games and attending University conflict resolution courses among an intensive 10 days of activities. This will be done while exploring the dynamic city of DC with its rich history and cultures,” Williams said.
“We expect these youths will be incubators of their new experiences and will share their new views of the global experience through the beautiful game of basketball,” Williams added.
The students will each be travelling to the United States for the first time, to participate in the SportsUnited sponsorship programme.
It is a dynamic international cultural exchange programme geared towards stimulating dialogue through sports and seeks to demonstrate how success in sports can translate to the development of life skills and academic achievement.
The sports visitors were scheduled to leave the island on Tuesday and will return to the island next Friday at 8:25 pm at the Norman Manley International Airport on American Airlines.
