One of America's greatest soccer players spent a week in Greece working with kids and reminding everyone that the most important moments in sports don't always end with a group of champagne-soaked winners hoisting the trophy. is reminding me.
Former Olympian and World Cup star Carli Lloyd will be joining former U.S. men's greats Kobi as part of “Changing the Game: Sports for Inclusion,” a program organized by the U.S. Embassy in Athens.・Participate in the pitch and Greek community with Jones. Part of his mission is to teach children, and perhaps their parents, the core reasons we play sports: to learn to be leaders, involve others, and be good teammates. is to remind you.
“What's special is that when the kids have a ball at their feet, all the rest of their worries and problems disappear,” Lloyd said in an interview with The Associated Press. “We travel around the world and talk about my journey and the process, the ups and downs, and hope that it helps and helps others.”
The trip also has a geopolitical message.
Lloyd and Jones' trip is part of an initiative launched by the U.S. State Department in 2006 to send elite American athletes and coaches overseas to participate in the Sports Envoy program. Lee Satterfield, assistant secretary of state for education and cultural affairs, told the AP that the U.S. is “elevating sports into a diplomatic platform to engage people around the world” and supports broader U.S. foreign policy goals. Ta.
“We can think of sports as a way to connect with key audiences and reach people in our local communities that we wouldn't be able to reach through normal traditional diplomacy,” Satterfield said.
The United States views Greece as a key partner in a key location, closer than most of its European allies to Russia, North Korea, and other parts of Asia where democracies are absent or at risk. Refugees from Ukraine, North Africa and other parts of Europe come to Greece. Lloyd will be accompanied by children from northern Africa on his visit this week.
It could take an entire flight from the United States to Athens to complete Ms. Lloyd, 41,'s resume. Namely, she has been named FIFA Player of the Year twice and has played in more games (47) than any other American on the U.S. Women's National Team at the World Cup and Olympics.
She has also been ignored. When you're a kid and you don't have a soccer net in your backyard and you have to prove that you can play with the best players, then you're a seasoned veteran and you're starting your own team at, say, 27 years old. Even when I noticed that I was there, I was ignored. “Tears filled her eyes as she felt like a failure,” Garage wrote on her website.
After all, she was just getting started. Almost five years later, in the 2015 World Cup finals, she scored three goals in the first 17 minutes to lead the United States to victory over Japan. After that, she competed in two more Olympics and one more World Cup. Since hanging up her cleats, she's worked as a football analyst for Fox.
This week I have a different role.
Lloyd speaks to children from Greece, refugees, and children with physical and intellectual disabilities on a number of topics including gender equality, mental health, nutrition, and how we all learn from our wins and losses. I'm planning to speak. on and off the field. Every conversation incorporates Lloyd's own experiences overcoming obstacles.
“It makes me reflect on where I live, where I’m from and the opportunities I’ve had,” Lloyd said of his travels around the world over a career that spanned the better part of 25 years. There is always room for improvement everywhere. There is no perfect country, perfect place, or perfect people. Therefore, you will always strive to become even a little better. ”
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