American Vietnamese Soccer Experience

Sports Exchange Program

The 2008 American Vietnamese Soccer Experience Sports Exchange Program, led by the US –

Vietnam Trade Council in co-operation with the Vietnam Administration of Sports and Physical

Training and the Vietnam Football Federation and its affiliated football departments at the

provincial level, as well as Hong Bang University and the Dong Nai Department of Sport and

Culture, serves to strengthen relationships between the two countries through the sport of

women’s soccer. This exchange program was made possible by a grant from the U.S.

Department of State Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs and brings U.S. and Vietnam

citizens together in the spirit of sport, camaraderie, and team building, while supporting efforts to

strengthen the overall bilateral relations with Vietnam.

The School for the Blind Hanoi Clinic Group Teaching Skills in Hanoi

The American Vietnamese Soccer Experience Exchange Program consists of two main

components. The first component included sending four American soccer coaches to share

the United States Soccer Federation’s latest coaching methods including “US Best Practices”

and its “E” license manual to youth players and instruct local coaches in the Vietnamese cities

of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province. The American Coaches included, Janine Szpara, a US “A” Level License coach, top Oregon youth club and NCAA coach, plus former

US National Team, WUSA, and NCAA All-American player at the Colorado College, Emily

Patterson, a top Oregon Youth coach and former University of Portland Final Four player, Leslie

Gaston, a top Atlanta Club youth coach and former US National Youth team and NCAA All

American player at the University of North Carolina, and Katy Daly, an Oregon youth club

coach who also has Special Olympic Soccer coaching experience and former University of

Puget Sound player. Over 310 Vietnamese players from the ages 14-21, attended these clinics,

including 40 people with disabilities. Most of the players invited were female, but 20 male

players participated with the disabled groups. In addition to the new players to the sport of

soccer, some of the top players in Vietnam from Hong Bang University also attended these

clinics. With assistance from the U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council and Nike, the American Coaches

also visited and donated gifts to the School of the Blind and the Thu Duc Youth’s village

orphanage. The US Vietnam Trade Council hosted two receptions in Hanoi and HCMC with

sponsors such as Nike, Highland Coffee, the US Embassy, and participating soccer groups

attending. Nike provided soccer ball and t-shirts for all participants as well as give-away

mementos for both clinic players and for the blind school and orphanage. Highland Coffee

provided drinks for the players and administration at all clinic sites. US Coach Janine Szpara

commented to a local newspaper: “Before our Vietnam trip, we don’t know much about

Vietnamese women. However, after 2 training days in Hanoi and HCMC, we are very much

impressed by Vietnamese women’s good skills, as well as their friendliness, open and eager to

learn”. Ms. Szpara has recommendations for Vietnamese women: “If you love sports, you

should go for their favorite one. You can play in group, in club to increase sport opportunities

for yourselves”.

Clinic in Hong Bang Hong Bang Group Orphanage

The second component of the American Vietnamese Soccer Experience consisted of a 9

day tour of the United States by 9 Vietnamese players and 2 coaches. This U.S.

component was a joint hosted effort by several Nike partners, including Stanford

University, Nike athlete Brandi Chastain, Tualatin Hills United Youth Soccer Club, Portland

State University, and numerous Nike personnel and its facilities in Beaverton, Oregon. In

addition, several other local community programs also hosted the Vietnamese group to

provide cultural experiences and friendship opportunities.

Cheering on Stanford Training with Brandi Pier 39 in San Francisco

The Vietnamese group enjoyed 4 days in the San Francisco Bay Area. The group stayed

in Palo Alto, near Stanford University, so they could easily walk to nearby shops and the

campus grounds. The Stanford University Women’s Soccer team provided a special

welcome for the Vietnamese at a home match with the players and coaches meeting

after the game to exchange photos and autographs. The Vietnamese coaches were

very impressed with the level of play by Stanford University and felt the quality

superseded that of its own Women’s National Team. The South San Jose Bay youth club

hosted the Vietnamese players and coaches to a typical American training session

followed by a friendly inter squad game at St. Teresa High school in San Jose. One of the

trip highlights was a very spirited dinner at a local American Italian eatery were the South

San Jose players sang American Pop songs with the Vietnamese girls. Nike Athlete

Brandi Chastain spent a day with the group, first training the players in US National Team

type activities at Santa Clara University, followed by a small discussion on the importance

of believing in yourself and following your dreams. Lastly, Brandi took the group over to a

local elementary school to join a group of young children being taught life and physical

skills by top women college athletes from the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative.

Training with South San Jose Training with Tualatin Hills United Learning new exercises

The American Vietnamese Soccer Experience Group then traveled to Portland, Oregon

to further their understanding of the United States and its people. “It is so green and

beautiful”, one of the players gushed. In addition to the city, the group also visited

nearby Mt Hood and saw snow for the first time. Nike youth club Tualatin Hills United

served as hosts for the Vietnamese in Portland and welcomed the players to several

training sessions by their top licensed coaches and players. The Tualatin Hills club had

several American Vietnamese members who provided a special bond and friendship ties

with the Vietnamese players. Both the Vietnamese and Tualatin Hills United players

trained on the Nike campus, toured the iconic buildings and enjoyed a sit down lunch

and meeting with Nike employees. Lastly, the Vietnamese players and coaches

participated in the American tradition of “Trick or Treating” on Halloween in the nearby

neighborhoods. The Vietnamese were very surprised that these American strangers

would offer so much candy and good will to them.

The Vietnamese group was very grateful and happy with the U.S. tour. The opportunity to

meet Americans their own age, form lasting friendships, and inspire their dedication to a

balance of sport and studies were common impressions of the trip. The Vietnamese

students also seemed to be impressed with American friendliness and independence.

All of players asked for the continuation of the exchange program. One player summed

up her thoughts. “Through this program, we learned the real experience about the

{exchange of sport and culture}, is overcoming the difficulty in life by our own effort,

custom, culture and the working spirit of American people. We do hope that this

{exchange} program will be held annually and the people who take part in this program

will become {the leaders of } society in the future.”