Three Trinbagonian track and field athletes and one coach departed for the United States yesterday to take part in the Empowering Women and Girls through Sports exchange Initiative. The three are Mallia Polo-Chandree from Track & Field Academy and Desiree Harper and Kadisha Francoise from Abilene Wildcats Athletic Club. They were accompanied by coach Carol Carvalho from Track & Field Academy. A release from the US embassy said in partnership with USA Track and Field and the Oregon Track Club, the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs will host 12 girls and four female coaches from The Bahamas, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and T&T for a track and field exchange programme in Washington, DC and Eugene, Oregon, from June 18-28.
During their visit they will observe US Olympic try-outs and visit the headquarters of sportswear-maker Nike, as well as participate in team-building activities and sports clinics alongside their American counterparts. This is part of the Empowering Women and Girls through Sports Initiative, which aims to increase the number of women and girls who participate in sports worldwide. This exchange builds on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s vision of “smart power,” which embraces the full range of diplomatic tools—in this case sports—to empower women and girls and foster greater understanding. Through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ SportsUnited Division, the US Department of State conducts sports exchange programmes to engage youth worldwide. Sports visitors are youth and coaches who travel to the United States for an exchange. Sports Visitors programmes give young people an opportunity to discover how success in athletics can be translated into the development of life skills and achievement in the classroom.
Source: www.guardian.co.tt