Ebony and Rolando with the runner-up boy’s team in 3 on 3 competition

Rolando Blackman:

What a week it has been here in Lebanon! I love the great camaraderie I have felt between the young athletes, the coaches and us. We have visited so many different places in Lebanon, but they have all shared the same great spirit of enthusiasm and determination. I am so inspired by these kids who are overcoming many obstacles to earn an education and to excel in sports. I want to continue to help them in any way that I can!

Today Ebony and I attended the 3-on-3 SportsUnited Hoopfest Lebanon, a youth basketball tournament that had been organized specifically for our visit. We had a great time watching these kids compete on the court, and then congratulating each other afterwards. For me, the tournament represented unity among all the communities of Lebanon. I had so much fun judging the slam dunk contest – those guys have some serious game! The winner was a young athlete named Simon from Zahle, which we visited yesterday. He has so much talent and so much potential – I’m going to keep an eye out for him in the future! The competition brought back great memories of my days on the court. The youth of Lebanon have such great hearts and great spirit. I am honored to have been a part of their lives this week.

Ebony Hoffman:

Today was extremely fun – the kids came out to the 3-on-3 SportsUnited Hoopfest Lebanon with determination, and they played with extreme grit and heart. It was a lot of fun to be involved in the slam dunk competition! I was definitely the toughest critic, compared to U.S. Ambassador Michele Sison and Rolando. We had a great time and got to watch some really talented kids demonstrate their skills.

Reflecting on this week in Lebanon, I have learned so much about this country and the potential of its youth. I would love to travel as a U.S. Sports Envoy to other countries to spread this message of unity and hope to more kids. It’s so important to get young girls and boys to be active and to stay healthy. I want to help bring their basketball up to the next level and also to help make them better human beings. That’s what this program is all about! I am so thankful to be a part of it, and I’m looking forward to the next Sports Envoy program!

WNBA President, Donna Orender, with basketball clinic participants in Lebanon

Donna Orender:

What a great final day I had in Lebanon! We spent the day in Zahle, a village in the Bekaa Valley. Our friend Pierre had organized the day’s events in Zahle, and I was so impressed by Pierre’s pride in his hometown. He was so honored and proud that we were spending time in Zahle, and I know that this will be a lifelong memory for him that will also be remembered in his community for a long time. I was thrilled to be able to interact with the local basketball coaches from Zahle, and I enjoyed a traditional Lebanese lunch among new friends – what a feast! The food was delicious, and I even tried some new dishes (I’ll let Ebony tell you all about that!).

My time in Lebanon has been an incredible, eye-opening experience. I am so motivated to help these youth, especially the girls, reach their potential through sports. I know that I will continue to build upon the relationships that I have formed over the past few days, and I look forward to coming back to Lebanon someday!

Ebony Hoffman:

We had a fantastic time out in Zahle today, working with the kids and with the local coaches. The kids were so enthusiastic – Coach Rolando put them through some pretty tough yoga-like stretching, and they put their hearts into it! I loved working with the kids on their defensive stances and quick footwork. There are some very talented kids here in Lebanon, and I feel honored to be able to work with them and to call them my friends!

One highlight of the day was watching Donna eat frogs' legs at lunch – we didn’t tell her what she was eating until after she tasted it! As they say, it tastes like chicken. That was a great moment. We got to enjoy some beautiful countryside going from Beirut to Zahle, and the people there greeted us so warmly. I have loved seeing different parts of Lebanon – for a small country, there is a lot to visit! I hope my visit has helped inspire these girls to continue to play to the best of their ability. They are smart, capable girls who will accomplish great things if they put their minds to it! I am so glad to have been a part of their lives this week.

Rolando Blackman:

I was inspired today to work on a peer-to-peer level with the coaches out in Zahle. We were able to get really hands-on and discuss technical details of defensive strategy and full-court offensive plays. They are a talented group and I enjoyed taking their coaching to the next level. The camaraderie in the group has been incredible. I have made so many new friends, and have really enjoyed reconnecting with my Lebanese friends who came to visit the U.S. back in July. They are all doing fantastic work with their young athletes here in Lebanon, and I want to continue to help them build up the basketball program here. Lebanon is a beautiful country, and I am so blessed to be a part of this Sports Envoy visit!

WNBA President, Donna Orender, directs a clinic participant while Rolando Blackman and Ebony Hoffman look on

Donna Orender:

Our day in Lebanon was an overwhelming experience – the warmth and openness that everyone has shown us has touched my heart. On the administrative level, it is impressive to see the real desire of the kids to improve their basketball skills, to gain an education, and to make connections that will help them succeed in life. These young players have demonstrated such a willingness to learn and to take their game to the next level. They worked so hard at today’s clinics! I am so glad that our visit can have a positive impact on their lives. Looking forward to more great clinics tomorrow!

Ebony Hoffman:

Today was a powerful experience for me. The young players, especially the young girls, have inspired me as a role model. One of the girls even said that we had given her new confidence in basketball and in life. How amazing is that! We had so much fun in Koura today, interacting with kids from all over north Lebanon – kids that would not normally interact with each other. I feel honored to be able to help bring youth together in a positive way!

Rolando Blackman:

The camaraderie that I have experienced with the other Sports Envoys and with the youth in Lebanon has been outstanding. All the communities that we have visited have really opened up to us and made us feel at home. We are communicating directly with the youth and with their coaches – this is the best thing ever! I am so excited to be making a difference for the youth of Lebanon.

WNBA President, Donna Orender, and Ebony Hoffman at the ambassador's reception

Donna:

United we stand! A wonderful reception at the embassy tonight with a remarkable U.S. ambassador. I remain amazed of what has grown from Tony and his coaches' visit. So many enthused and interested people were present. The Lebanese women's national team were there as well. They were wonderful young women and with their recent success in the Asia games can be a wonderful force for good in this country. Such possibilities all around.

Eager to get out tomorrow - proud to contribute!

More tomorrow.

Rolando Blackman shows Lebanese youth a proper defensive stance at a youth basketball clinic in Saida, Lebanon

Rolando:

Today was a super day of interaction with some great kids. The students in Saida were so enthusiastic about basketball, and really gave me a warm welcome. I was greeted by a parade of cheering kids who led me to the gymnasium that had been specially prepared for our clinic. The kids were very receptive to the skills that I reviewed – dribbling drills, defensive stances, shooting techniques, and passing practice. I loved their energy and their thirst for knowledge about the game. It was a great cultural experience for me to interact with the kids!

The coaching clinic in the afternoon was equally rewarding. I got to spend quality time with a group of talented young basketball coaches from all over Lebanon who asked me great questions about defensive strategies and offensive moves. I loved working with the high school team from Champville School. They served as our demonstrators for the coaching clinic, and they did a fantastic job. It is so motivating to see the next generation of Lebanese basketball at work – I hope that today’s clinic will help inspire them to get to the next level!

I am loving my time here in Lebanon, and am looking forward to another packed day of basketball clinics tomorrow!