Cultural connection

Two American college basketball players toured youth centres across Egypt. Abeer Anwar reports on what both sides gained

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Faulkner and Freeman at a basketball clinic Former American college basketball players Omari Faulkner and Courtland Freeman visited Egypt to conduct basketball clinics and play exhibition games with student athletes at youth centres across the country. The two also conducted workshops on coaching techniques and game theory. Their tour, from 24 January to 2 February, took them to Cairo, Luxor, Qena, Alexandria and Zagazig. "The tour offers young Egyptian athletes and coaches a wonderful chance to learn about basketball from two model players and American citizens," Gordon Gray, deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Egypt, said. Faulkner and Freeman, who graduated in 2004, were star players at Georgetown University in Washington DC. They are now travelling as envoys for the US State Department's "Culture Connect" programme which draws on the talents of Americans from a variety of backgrounds to connect with young people around the globe. Egypt is their second stop on a tour that includes Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. On a previous trip the players toured Oman, the UAE and Kuwait. They have also been to Asia. Freeman played five seasons for Georgetown University. He was the team's co-captain starting in 2002, the first player in Georgetown history to lead teams for three seasons. He won the Raymond Medley Model Student Athlete Award two years in a row and the Captain's Award for three consecutive years. Faulkner was a member of Georgetown University's basketball team from 2000 to 2004. He too was the recipient of the Raymond award. He has mentored many young people through his service as an academic advisor and coach for various basketball camps in Washington DC and in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. The duo also spent a day with handicapped athletes of Special Olympics Egypt (SOE). A basketball clinic was held with SOE athletes at Misr Language School. They also played an exhibition game. "The SOE players were very happy," SOE President Magda Moussa, said. "It was fun to have two Americans sharing their experience." "They were fantastic and taught us new techniques and how to run with the ball. I enjoyed it very much," one SOE athlete said.