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of Educational and Cultural Affairs Through Basketball, Lebanese Teens’ Dreams Come True as Everlasting Bonds Are Formed During U.S. Visit “Through sports we can form bonds. I hope that the rest of the world could learn from our experiences to really make the world a better place.”
The U.S. Department of State’s Sports Diplomacy program hosted a group of 12 Lebanese teens comprised of six girls and six boys in a two-week program in the U.S. These teens, along with two coaches, arrived from various townships in Lebanon with different religious, economic and social backgrounds. During their first week in the United States, the teens traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada observing two U.S. Olympic Qualifying Men’s Basketball games. This was a wonderful opportunity for the group to see the National Basketball Association (NBA) stars in action. While in Las Vegas, the group participated in specialized basketball clinics at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy. These clinics provided the youth with opportunities to develop leadership skills, work ethic, commitment, honesty and integrity through sports. At the end of the week the group assisted with mini-basketball clinics for pre-school children at a Boys and Girls Club. Here the teens coached the little basketball hopefuls during basketball drills. For the second week of their program the group traveled to the Washington, DC area. After sightseeing and museum visits in the Nation’s Capital, the students escaped the city for a ropes course in Maryland. The teamwork, trust and leadership skills they learned during the many basketball clinics in Nevada were tested and developed during this exercise. One student admitted the course gave him courage after climbing a tree and balancing on an iron rope while being secured by a rope. While in D.C., the team attended basketball clinics organized by American University and George Washington University coaches. These coaches focused on essential life skills such as, problem-solving, team-building, self-esteem, sportsmanship and confidence. The group was able to see their progress as a team during these clinics. Most of the teens met at the beginning of this program, and were astonished as to how well they were now playing as a team.
At the end of their second week the teens visited two American high schools. All the students agreed the interaction with other adolescence their age was socially and athletically the highlight of their program. Through contact with other teens, the group was allowed a private look in to the life of an American teen. One of the schools held a scrimmage and pep rally for the players. The entire school attended. The group was overwhelmed by the incredible hospitality demonstrated by the students in both schools. One student stated she was surprised as to how friendly the American students were. She said that before she arrived in the U.S., she had many misconceptions regarding the attitudes of American teens and was glad her assumptions were disproved. Throughout the program, the teens witnessed the great success of American sports and learned how high schools and Universities enable them to pursue their dreams. “You offered us the belief that even in a diversified community such as the U.S., citizens' hand by hand rise among their differences. America is great due to the Americans and their union. You gave us a vision of how we can work collectively to bring our beloved country (Lebanon) back on its feet, with values, liberty, democracy, and how to accept our differences.”
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