basketball clinics

Two American basketball players are arriving in Tanzania on Saturday, May 14, to conduct basketball training clinics for Tanzanian basketball players, especially young athletes in secondary schools.

The two players, Courtland Freeman and Alvin Green, graduates from Georgetown University and Coastal Carolina University respectively, serve as Cultural Envoys in the U.S. Department of State's Culture Connect Programme. The Programme utilises the talents of young Americans to engage with other young people around the globe.

According to a press release from the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam, some of the schools that will participate in the basketball clinic include Jitegemee and Makongo secondary schools, the International School of Tanganyika, and the Don Bosco Youth Centre.

On Sunday afternoon the players will put on an exhibition game at the Don Bosco Centre with Savio - a local semi-pro team - that will preceed the final game of a youth tournament being organised by EMIMA, a non-profit organisation that uses sports to educate young people on HIV/AIDS.

Courtland Freeman graduated from Georgetown University on May 22, 2004, where he was a member of the Georgetown basketball team for five seasons. He was the team co-captain, the first person in Georgetown history to be captain for three seasons. In his final season, Courtland started every game averaging eight points and five rebounds.

Courtland's leadership skills were displayed on and off the court during his tenure at Georgetown. In 2004, he won the Raymond Medley model student athlete award as well as the captain's award. After the 2003 season, Courtland received the Mary Fenlon scholar athlete award, the captain's award, and was selected to the Big East Conference's all academic basketball team.

Alvin Green graduated from the Coastal Carolina University on May 7, 2005, where he was a member of the Coastal basketball team for five seasons on a full scholarship. He was nominated "MVP" of the team by his peers for the 2002-2003 seasons. From 2002 to 2005 season, Alvin was the team co-captain for three seasons.

While attending CCU, Alvin participated in Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) which helped implement new programmes for student athletes in the local community as well as learn how to become a better leader. He also coached and instructed various basketball camps at Coastal Carolina University.

Previous Cultural Envoy programs have taken the basketball players to South America, Europe, the Middle East, West Africa, North Africa, and the Far East. After their visit to Tanzania, the Cultural Envoys will continue on to Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa.