Williams smiling for a photo with a group of Bahraini boys. (Photo courtesy of Jaffar Ali, GOYS)

Former NBA and WNBA players, Jerome Williams and Andrea Stinson traveled to Bahrain from June 13-18, 2009, to conduct basketball clinics for coaches and youth. The two Sports Envoys taught dynamic techniques and spoke about the importance of hard work to Bahraini boys, girls, and coaches. The Public Diplomacy program was conducted by the SportsUnited Office in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in conjunction with the National Basketball Association, the General Organization for Youth and Sports, and the Bahrain Basketball Association. U.S. Embassy in Manama graciously hosted the opening ceremonies, which took place at the Zain Basketball Arena.

During their first day of camp, the envoys conducted basketball two clinics with athletes ranging from ages 11-18. Both clinics stressed the importance of proper stretching and consistent warm-up routines. Williams was particularly excited to work with the Bahraini girls, commenting, “It is very inspirational to see all of the women here, especially the young ladies since it is a sign that the role of women in society is progressing in the right direction.” Similarly, Stinson gave advice to the Bahraini girls. “Despite some of the cultural restrictions that may limit women's participation in basketball, they should still strive to succeed as college and professional basketball players.”

Teamwork and comprehensive drills were the focus of the remaining clinics for the two basketball superstars. On their final day in Bahrain, Stinson and Williams were fortunate enough to visit the U.S. Naval Base, where they held an advanced level clinic for basketball players ages 18-24. Afterwards, they had the chance to play wheelchair basketball with members of the Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation. Jerome was pleasantly surprised by the skills demonstrated by some of the younger athletes, especially their ability to overcome any physical impediments and having fun by challenging themselves.

This successful program was covered in the local press by a prominent newspaper, the Gulf Daily News. The Sports Envoys also spoke with a number of Arabic and English news reporters during their stay in Bahrain.