WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Gallaudet University athletics department opened its doors on Wednesday, October 13, to several dozen Australian Youth Basketball Coaches at the Field House as part of the Sports Visitors Program run by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The coaches from Down Under arrived in the states last week as part of the Sports Visitors Program run by SportsUnited, an international sports programming initiative designed to help start dialogue at the grassroots level with non-elite boys and girls ages 7-17. The Australian Youth Basketball Coaches have made stops for the past week at various colleges and other basketball arenas to receive experience and education from various coaches at different levels. They attended practice sessions with the Georgetown University men's basketball team, the George Washington University women's basketball program, toured the Verizon Center the home of the Washington Wizards and met up with speed, strength and conditioning coach Alan Stein. The group has also been able to sight see in the nation's capital.

At Gallaudet, the coaches viewed the opening conditioning program run by Bison women's basketball coach Kevin Cook, baseball coach Curtis Pride and football assistant coach Kenny Walker. In the morning, the group was part of Coach Cook's player development session in the Field House. Cook and his coaching staff of Stephanie Stevens and Sam Weber did a coaching presentation in the afternoon where they covered practice organization, transition offense, baseline plays and coaching philosophy.

"I am honored that the State Department contacted me and wanted to utilize Gallaudet University and our facilities here for this special visit," said Cook. "It is always fun to get around coaches who love the game, no matter where they are from. This group of coaches from Australia was passionate about the sport and fun to be with."

About SportsUnited
SportsUnited is an international sports programming initiative designed to help start a dialogue at the grassroots level with non-elite boys and girls ages 7-17. The programs aid youth in discovering how success in athletics can be translated into the development of life skills and achievement in the classroom. Foreign participants are given an opportunity to establish links with U.S. sports professionals and exposure to American life and culture. Americans learn about foreign cultures and the challenges young people from overseas face today. For more information visit their website - http://exchanges.state.gov/sports/index.html.

About the Sports Visitor Program
Sports Visitors are youth athletes and coaches who are invited to the U.S. to learn about sports in America. Programs include exposure to athletics in our educational system, technical sports training, sports management, sports and disability, and exposure to valuable U.S. sports contacts. Nominated by our U.S. embassies overseas, selected athletes, managers and coaches are brought to the U.S. for technical sports training, sports management, conflict resolution training and exposure to valuable U.S. sports contacts and then are encouraged to return to conduct in-country clinics for youth with their newly learned skills.