"Once on the field we all speak the same language." -Jay Miller

Envoy Amanda Cromwell joins with members of Club The Strongest

U.S. Sports Envoys Amanda Cromwell, former Women’s National Team member and current coach at the University of Central Florida, and Jay Miller, former U-17 Men’s National Team coach and current Executive Coaching Director of the Atlanta Fire United Soccer Association, conducted soccer skills clinics for over 900 youth athletes and 55 coaches during their seven-day program in Bolivia. Within the framework of the Sports Envoy Program of the U.S. Department of State and in partnership with U.S. Soccer, the two shared their knowledge and skills, while also facilitating an exchange of ideas, techniques and cultural elements. The program occurred between April 21-27 in the cities of La Paz, El Alto, and Coroico, including a diverse view of communities and the soccer culture in Bolivia.

Cromwell and Miller interacted with players of both genders, ranging from five-year old beginners through more advanced, teenage competitors, including clubs such as ABB, Bolivar, and The Strongest. Through the clinics, the pair were able share their preferred drills and techniques, while also giving feedback on the talent that they observed. In addition to the skills, the envoys emphasized sport and physical activity as a components of a healthy lifestyle and stressed that the activities should be fun, allowing competition to be cultivated at higher levels.

Later in the program, the envoys had the opportunity to participate in a clinic with cholitas, who are female soccer players that compete in traditional Bolivian dress. This was an unforgettable experience for both groups, as they shared in the excitement of practicing with one another and observing the various expressions of the culture of soccer.

In each clinic, the U.S. Sports Envoy program donated soccer balls, t-shirts, and training supplies, such as cones, practice vests, and bullhorns.

The Envoys received extensive media coverage, including in-depth stories published in major La Paz and El Alto newspapers (as well as in their online editions), national T.V. networks, and local radios.