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.”