'Once in a lifetime' sports opportunity for five female youth athletes
A once in a life-time opportunity for five female youth athletes (15 – 18 years of age) and one adult chaperone funded by the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Embassy New Zealand.
The U.S. Mission to New Zealand in partnership with New Zealand Football, Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee, and Niue Football Association, are pleased to announce the following young women have been selected for the 2023 Sports Visitor Program which will take place in New Jersey, United States from June 21 – July 5, 2023.
A once in a life-time opportunity for five female youth athletes (15 – 18 years of age) and one adult chaperone funded by the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Embassy New Zealand.
The following selected participants for the program are emerging leaders who are passionate about sports and want to make a positive impact in their communities using sport as a vehicle for change.
Selected Youth Athletes:
- Katie Lewis – Wellington, New Zealand;
- Nicol Tiaore – Rarotonga, Cook Islands;
- Nyah Nikau – Ohinewai, Waikato;
- Sally Sionetama – Tuapa, Niue;
- Xanthe Jane – Kaiapoi, Canterbury.
Selected Adult Chaperone:
- Natalie Broadhead – Rotorua, New Zealand.
The program in partnership with the Julie Foudy & espnW Sports Leadership Academy (JFSLA) with a theme of empowering young women and future leaders, will celebrate the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Participants will explore leadership and the history of Title IX and female sports in the United States and the program will include a football camp, workshops and meetings, sessions on communication, public speaking, and team building, as well as various cultural and sporting events.
It will also build upon the successful Women in Sports campaign the U.S. Mission to New Zealand implemented in 2022 and will span over 2023, culminating with the FIFA Women’s World Cup in July/August 2023.
The program provides timely discussions on issues such as gender equity on and off the field, paving the way for a critical year in women’s sports in the Pacific. Following the first ever U.S.-Pacific Islands Summit in 2022 and the Declaration on U.S.-Pacific Partnership detailing the United States commitment to bringing people together, especially in support of Pacific regional sports development.
Empowering women and girls through sport and recreation is a priority for the United States Government around the world and specifically in the Pacific and a topic of shared interests. The United States Women’s National Team (football) is leading the way in gender equity within sports, with the national women’s team formally signing equal pay agreements, something which would be great to see around the world.
Media:
- ‘Once in a lifetime’ sports opportunity for football-mad Upper Hutt teen (Stuff);
- Young sixteen year old Sally-Beth Sionetama from the village of Tuapa Uhomotu has been chosen as one of five female youth athletes aged between 15 to 18 years who will be going to the United States (US) on a sports scholarship program in June of this year (Television Niue).