News From The African Women's Soccer World

NAMIBIA

Young Brave Gladiators off to Train In Germany

The Namibia Football Association women select team will depart for their Germany- tour on June 18, with a fairly young team.

According to national team coach Jacqueline Shipanga, the trip is an opportunity for the youngsters to showcase their potential to possible scouts from various clubs abroad - these players include the likes of Kleintjie Fredericks, Juliana Skrywer, Shirley Cloete and Tomalina Adams and others.

She added that they also want to use the opportunity to already expose the majority of the U20 players to competitive football and thus prepare them adequately for the 2012 Zone VI Games in Zambia. The team will be captained by 20 year old Stacey Naris, a former scholar from Eldorado High School.

Also making the trip will be NFA women Desk Head Jackey Gertze, supported by NFA Secretary General Barry Rukoro, who is on an invite to attend a three-day FIFA Women's Football symposium in Frankfurt and participate in panel discussions as well as deliver a presentation on the successful Galz & Goals programme in Namibia.

Players called up are as follows: Emma Naris, Lovisa Mulunga, Lena Noroses, Albertha Dawes, Vitapamwe Kamahene, Carmel Don, Zenatha Coleman, Kleintjie Fredericks, Juliana Skrywer, Shirley Cloete, Tomalina Adams, Stacey Naris, Marele Polster, Ndapewa Katuta, Susanna Eises, Monique Khrone, Lorraine Jossop, Elmarie Fredericks, Rejoice Kasaona and Vewewiza Kotjipati.

nfa.org.na

NIGERIA

Falcons Depart for Final Training Camp

The National Women's football team, Super Falcons on Wednesday departed for Saalfelden, Austria, venue of a four-week training camp that will usher the African champions into the 6th FIFA Women's World Cup finals starting in Germany next month.

A team of 16 players and the full technical and administrative crew flew out of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Wednesday night aboard a Lufthansa Airline flight, with intensive drills and quality friendly matches to look ahead to.There will be 26 players at the training camp, with nine foreign-based professionals set to join up from different parts of Europe and midfielder Evelyn Nwabuoku billed to re-unite with the group in Europe whenever she gets her visa.

Nigeria play France in their first match of the FIFA Women's World Cup in Sinsheim on 26th June, with games against hosts Germany in Frankfurt on 30th June and against Canada in Dresden to follow in Group A.

Shock defeat in the hands of Ghana's Black Queens that meant elimination from the 10th All-Africa Games scheduled for Mozambique in September has been a sort of rude awakening, and NFF President Aminu Maigari on Wednesday instructed officials to ensure everything that is necessary is done to prepare the team adequately for the global showpiece.

Those who travelled from Abuja on Wednesday night included goalkeepers Precious Dede, Alaba Jonathan, Tochukwu Oluehi and Ogochukwu Kenechukwu, defenders Josephine Chukwunonye, Onome Ebi, Blessing Edoho, Osinachi Ohale, midfielders Esther Sunday, Francisca Ordega, Ebere Orji, Rebecca Kalu and Glory Iroka, and forwards Amenze Aighewi, Stella Mbachu and Desire Oparanozie.

Defenders Faith Ikidi, Ulunma Jerome and Helen Ukaonu, midfielders Uchechi Sunday, Emueje Ogbiagbevha, Ogonna Chukwudi and Rita Chikwelu and forwards Sarah Michael and Perpetua Nkwocha will join the squad in Austria.

The officials are: Eucharia Uche (Head Coach), Bala Nikyu (Asst. Coach), Bala Mohammed (Asst. Coach), Thomas Obliers (Technical Assistant), Omoye Akhigbe (Team Doctor), Chichi Okere (Physiotherapist), Ruth David (Secretary) and Mary Oboduku (Equipment Manager).
The Vanguard





U.S. Department of State Empowers Women and Girls Through Soccer and International Exchanges

Building on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's vision to empower women and girls worldwide, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs' SportsUnited Office will host 18 girls and six coaches from Bolivia, Germany, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, and South Africa May 31-June 10 in New York City and Washington, D.C.

This international sports exchange leads up to the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and the kick-off to the 40th anniversary year of Title IX -- the U.S. law to provide equal opportunity for men and women in academics and athletics. The exchange also launches a SportsUnited series of international soccer initiatives that highlight the direct connection of empowering women and girls worldwide through sports.

The youth soccer players from around the world will attend a U.S. Women's National Team training session and the Send-Off Match on June 5 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., prior to the team's departure for the World Cup, which will be played in Germany from June 26 - July 17.

The international delegation will also engage with American youth by playing soccer with local U.S. teams. They will also meet with local community organizations that provide sports opportunities for youth with disabilities and mentorships through a soccer and literacy initiative.

This SportsUnited soccer exchange highlights the importance of what Secretary Clinton calls "smart power," which uses the full range of diplomatic tools - in this case soccer - to bring individuals together and foster greater understanding among people and cultures.

In addition to this exchange, 2011 SportsUnited exchanges include:

• Former U.S. Women National Team players Briana Scurry and Amanda Cromwell traveled as State Department Sports Envoys to Germany in early May.Envoys are active and retired professional U.S. athletes and coaches who travel overseas to conduct clinics, meet with underserved youth, participate in community events, and lead teambuilding exercises. In July, former U.S. Women's National Team member Michelle French will travel to Brazil.

• A delegation of coaches from Swaziland participated in a 10-day Sports Visitor program in mid-May, which brings international visitors to the United States for a short-term program, where they participated in clinics and teambuilding exercises, visited local schools, and attended a professional soccer match.

• SportsUnited has also awarded several grants to organizations within the United States to conduct two-way international soccer exchanges. In June, a group of 15 Indonesian female soccer players, ages 15-18, will travel to California and Oregon, where they will visit the Nike Campus and meet with top women athletes and business leaders. In July, six American soccer experts and coaches will travel to Shanghai, China for ten days to implement coaching clinics and youth sports management training for Chinese coaches.

For more information, contact Talley Sergent, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs; SergentRT@state.gov; (202) 288-3124.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/iipdigital-en/index.html)