Fort Worth Sisters Cities
www.fwsistercities.org
Though some of the youngsters might just be learning the meaning of the word, they are ambassadors nonetheless.
Nearly 100 student-athletes from Fort Worth ranging in age from 10 to high school will be representing the city, state and even the nation when they compete in the sixth Tricolore Youth Sports Games in Reggio Emilia, Italy, July 7-13. The delegation leaves in early July and return July 14.
Fort Worth is the only U.S. city represented in these games and has been since the inception of the competition, which is held every four years. Fort Worth and Reggio Emilia are sister cities.
“To see them walking in the opening ceremonies in an Italian piazza carrying an American flag and wearing a cowboy hat, they feel like rock stars,” said Mae Ferguson, president and CEO of Fort Worth Sister Cities International, who is making her fifth trip to the games.
“I still get parents and kids from past games saying it was a highlight of their lives.”
The games, though competitive, are designed to help promote youths from around the world. The student-athletes and coaches will live in an Olympic-style village with athletes from 30 other countries. This will give the athletes a chance to represent not only their city but their nation as well through sportsmanship and goodwill.
Ferguson said that before leaving, the student-athletes are presented to the Fort Worth City Council to be sworn in as young diplomats.
“They are ambassadors. We need it now more than ever, [people who know] how to act,” she said. “People are watching. We want our country to be proud of us.”
The student-athletes will play on four baseball teams, one volleyball team, one beach volleyball squad and one swim team. They are recruited by coaches in the Fort Worth Independent School District. Teams participating are girls volleyball, swimming, and four boys baseball teams.
“We work with a wonderful network in the Fort Worth ISD,” said Beth Weibel, senior program manager for Fort Worth Sister Cities. “We always stress it’s not about winning, though they do always represent us well in that regard. It’s about the experience the students have. The kind of athletes they are going to pick to participate are going to be great ambassadors.”
Weibel said she loves to hear the stories from students after they come home from their once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“Some of them have never been on an airplane before. They come back with hats, T-shirts, pins, and those kids over there go home with one of our cowboy hats,” she said.
Student-athletes raise their own money for the adventure, though Weibel said local businesses and individuals often help.
“They work hard at raising money. Coaches and players get quite industrious,” she said.
“Living with and competing against nearly 4,000 young athletes from around the world, our sports ambassadors will undoubtedly learn they have much more in common with other participants than what separates them,” said Johnny Campbell, chairman of the board of Fort Worth Sister Cities. “These are the types of experiences that help kids shape their understanding and acceptance of people from other cultures.”
Ferguson said such an experience can also pay off later in life.
“It could be a future business opportunity or maybe where they want to go to college,” she said. “The world is so small now, and you have to be able to communicate.”