How The U.S. Soccer Sports Envoy Program is Changing World Soccer
The game of women’s soccer isn’t just growing in the United States; it’s growing worldwide. To help grow the game overseas and support the United States’ diplomatic efforts, the U.S. Department of State has created the U.S. Soccer Sports Envoy.
They have various Sports Envoys who send athletes overseas to engage youth while also helping to promote peace. Each program is important to growing sports and helping create a bond between countries. Sports are a great way to bring people of all backgrounds together, and this program was created to do just that.
The U.S. Soccer Sports Envoy began in 2006 to help grow the game. Former players like Amanda Cromwell, Kate Markgraf, Angela Hucles, Shannon MacMillan, Cindy Parlow Cone, and many more have all participated in the program in previous years. The program has held camps in countries like Afghanistan, Argentina, Morocco, Thailand, Brazil, and Iraq, to name a few.
Two legends of the game, Carli Lloyd and Brandi Chastain, will headline this year’s U.S. Soccer Sports Envoy.
Lloyd will travel to Greece alongside former USMNT member Cobi Jones, where they’ll hold soccer clinics and leadership workshops. Chastain will travel to the Azores, a region in Portugal, where she’ll conduct soccer clinics for young girls and host leadership workshops that emphasize education and inclusion.
Former USWNT members Joanna Lohman and Kacey White traveled to Cambodia in March. There, they worked with players and coaches in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap to emphasize tolerance, inclusion, and gender equality in soccer.
This program allows stars to engage with many different people across the world and spread the game. This is so important for soccer and women’s soccer specifically. It allows players to learn more about young players of all backgrounds and bring their knowledge of the game to different countries.
Featured image via @ECAatState on X
_
GIRLS SOCCER NETWORK: YOUR SOURCE FOR GIRLS SOCCER NEWS
Girls Soccer Network
Your source for girls soccer news
