Moroccan soccer visitors hold a sign thanking Americans for their visit to the U.S.

The Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs brought ten Moroccan girls and their two female coaches to participate in a Sports Visitors program for the office of SportUnited.  The group spent twelve days in the U.S. improving their soccer skills, learning to be leaders, and meeting with their American contemporaries.   Their fast paced program included five soccer clinics organized by U.S. Men’s National Team coach Jay Miller and Washington Freedom’s Clive Watson.  Jay Miller and former Women’s National Team Member, Lorrie Fair, served as Sports Envoys to Morocco last spring.  Mr. Miller jumped at the chance to continue to work with the Moroccan girls. 

Another highlight for the group was the opportunity to meet and speak with girls their own age.  From practicing with the D.C. Stoddert U-15 travel team and Arlington U-15 recreation team to meeting with a group of 15 and 16 year old International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma female students at Banneker.  The group was engaged in a variety of lively discussions.  Many of the young Moroccan girls were stunned by the diversity of the people they met and pleased to see Muslims accepted everywhere as equals.

Beyond the soccer clinics and meetings, the group had a range of cultural experiences that included visiting Mt. Vernon, touring the U.S. Capitol and the Mall as well as going to see the National Aquarium Baltimore. The group also attended a World Cup qualifier between the U.S. Men’s National Team and Cuba as well as a match between the University of Maryland and University of Virginia Women’s teams. 

Coach Halima Berrad remarked “the values that Americans cherish are the same ones that my religion teaches.”