ALYSHA Clark, a professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has said that she was delighted with the aggressiveness of Tanzanian girls who through their innate talent and determination can go far in their career including their ability to play in the United States.
She is in Tanzania as U.S. Department of State Sports envoy.
The Sports Envoy is helping to bolster the United States’ cultural and social ties with the youth of Tanzania, including the Maasai people living at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest Mountain in Africa.
Speaking during her engagement with over 40 girl players who gathered at Spiders’ court in Dar es Salaam for training through the so-called ‘US Sports Envoy ‘, the towering and energetic WNBA star said that the young girls have talents to promote their career to international standards.
They are highly skilled and can bring about changes through sports should they be empowered and promoted.
During the open court training, the young girls from different sports centres, academies and schools were taught basic skills on basketball and how they can use the sport for their empowerment in life and have awareness on how they can avoid all forms of discrimination and gender issues.
Lightness Sausi, a-18 year player of Ukonga Queens was among the trainees who expressed her joy for being part and parcel of the program.
“I have learned so many things regarding my basketball’s career, which offer more opportunities than just playing in the field,”
“ I would one day like to see myself in America’s popular WNBA as a prominent professional player from Tanzania,” said Sausi.
Tumsini Ndosi of Vijana Queens had the same feelings, saying that what was most interesting for her was that she realized having a similar height as the American basketball envoy could guarantee her a place in the popular American women’s basketball league in the United States of America.
“ I had a mentally that one needs to have a tall height to qualify for the American basketball, but height does not matter a lot, thought its important”
“I see it is possible being there, but we need concrete grassroots plans that will realize our dreams of playing professional anywhere in the world,” she said
“She has indeed inspired me a lot, I think what I need is to work hard in training and stay focused,” she said.
They are all backed up by the Under-19’s national women coach Maureen Sizya who said that the training had inspired a lot of girl players who now see the chances of grooming further to their international career.
“The problem we have here in Tanzania is that we don’t have women basketball role models who played to the international level,”
“But through Clark’s motivation, many of my players now find that they are obliged to work hard and reach the highest level of their career,” said Sizya, who was part of the participants.
Clark had such a programme already in Zanzibar and after Dar es Salaam will travel to Arusha to meet more young basketball girls to shape up their skills and highlight the importance of providing equal opportunities for all through sports.
Since 2003, the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has sent more than 330 U.S. athletes to more than 85 countries on Sports Envoy programmes.
Rwehabura Barongo, who is the Vice President of the Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) welcomed the programme that he said would encourage more young girls to take up the sport to their international standards.
He said the programme is in compliance with the Federation of International Basketball (FIBA) policy that requires 30 percent of women’s representation in the sport
