Jordanian Visitors climb apparatus to accomplish team building exercise during ropes course.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of SportsUnited held its first Track and Field program October 12 – 26, 2008.  An all female group from Jordan consisting of 11 girls, ages 15-17 along with two female coaches were here on a Sports Visitors program that visited North Carolina and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area.

This group was comprised of a variety of runners and field events athletes who are members of the Jordanian Ministry of Education’s Track and Field team.

The group began their American experience in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains in the small town of Blowing Rock, NC at Zap Fitness, which is a USA Track and Field training center, taking part in an intensive training program.  During this time, the group participated in a day of touring, track and field training and a discussion on Title IX at Appalachian State University.  The group also visited Watauga High School, in Boone, NC which was their first experience in an American high school.  At Watauga H.S., the girls had the opportunity to shadow student leaders of the school and engage in a dynamic group discussion in a Student Council class where they debated important issues facing today’s teens in both America and Jordan.  From Blowing Rock, the group traveled to Charlotte, NC where they received a tour and a concentrated training session at Johnson C. Smith University.  Johnson’s head track and field coach provided a very detailed (collegiate level) training session for the coaches and athletes, focusing on drills and the importance of proper nutrition.

For the groups' Washington, D.C. portion, they visited two local high schools and an elementary school.  The distance runners in the group participated in a high school cross country track meet in Prince George’s County, Maryland.  The week held training sessions as well as many cultural activities including being able to participate in a wheelchair basketball demonstration.  All the girls unanimously agreed the highlight of their trip was learning from their peers.  Their outlook of the U.S. was changed by their interaction with other American students.

"Before I arrived, I thought America was like in the movies, and everyone would be rude. I was wrong.  America is beautiful with polite people.”
Mayar, Jordanian Track and Field Participant