Iraq to America: UT Coach Pat Summitt, Sport 4 Peace, SportsUnited Host Iraqi Girls

[Bball Girl]

http://www.utladyvols.com/sports/w-b...061109aab.html

The idea to host the girls was born after Sport 4 Peace conducted an Olympic basketball training camp for girls and women in Sulaimaniya, Iraq, last July. It was the first girls and women's basketball training camp in nearly 35 years. Upon returning to Knoxville, Sport 4 Peace drafted a proposal to bring a team of aspiring Iraqi girls basketball players to the campus of the University of Tennessee to attend Pat Summitt's Basketball Camp. Sport 4 Peace traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with SportsUnited which embraced the proposed project and agreed to partner with Sport 4 Peace.

"One day at camp last year, we spread the girls out, gave them blank 4x6 note cards and said `please write down your biggest dream'. Each one wrote down that her dream was to visit the United States of America, to attend a WNBA game and to meet Coach Pat Summitt and tell her `thank you for the video, the basketballs and the message she has sent us'. Today, you are seeing the reality of these girls achieving their dream," said UT doctoral student Sarah Hillyer, a co-founder of Sport 4 Peace.

"It is a dream for me. I cannot believe that I am here and speaking with you. My players are playing on the courts in America and it is just like a dream," said Rizgar, the team's head coach. "I hope that this continues and goes along. I hope that other people, not only me, can come here and share their dreams just like I did."

[MsProudSooner]

What a great idea!

[jcarter]

Pat is the best.