Moroccan Female Teen Soccer Players: Soccer Playing and Life Skills

Ten Moroccan girls and their two female coaches participated in a Sports Visitors program for the office of SportUnited, a program organized by US Dept of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The group spent twelve days in the U.S. improving their soccer skills, learning to be leaders, and meeting with their American contemporaries.
Their fast paced program included five soccer clinics organized by U.S. Mens National Team coach Jay Miller and Washington Freedoms Clive Watson. Jay Miller and former Womens National Team Member, Lorrie Fair, served as Sports Envoys to Morocco last spring. Mr. Miller jumped at the chance to continue to work with the Moroccan girls.
Another highlight for the group was the opportunity to meet and speak with girls their own age. From practicing with the D.C. Stoddert U-15 travel team and Arlington U-15 recreation team to meeting with a group of 15 and 16 year old International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma female students at Banneker. The group was engaged in a variety of lively discussions. Many of the young Moroccan girls were stunned by the diversity of the people they met and pleased to see Muslims accepted everywhere as equals.
Beyond the soccer clinics and meetings, the group had a range of cultural experiences that included visiting Mt. Vernon, touring the U.S. Capitol and the Mall as well as going to see the National Aquarium Baltimore. The group also attended a World Cup qualifier between the U.S. Mens National Team and Cuba as well as a match between the University of Maryland and University of Virginia Womens teams.
Coach Halima Berrad remarked the values that Americans cherish are the same ones that my religion teaches.
A reception and a fundraiser was hosted by the Washington Moroccan Club. Community members welcomed the Moroccan Soccer teens and presented them with a lot of encouragements and small gifts.


The Soccer Girls are:

• Khadija Rajimi
• Hasnaa Al Bouguedraoui
• Safae Ech-Chiri
• Meryeme Bouchaya
• Loubna Hakam
• Naoual Zerouali
• Nadia Babekri
• Hajar Babour
• Khadija Ed Dahbi
• Wijdane Erradouani

The Coaches:

• Fatima Aouam
• Halima Berrad

Thanks to those that made this event possible

• Hosts: The Saout Family
• The Washington Moroccan Club
• The Moroccan America Center
• Mary V. Jeffers
Counselor for Press and Cultural Affairs / American Embassy
• Mitchell Cohn
Cultural Affairs Officer / American Embassy
• Ms. Beverly Attalah
Director of Center for International Exchanges


Special Thanks to


Ms. Touria bernoussi
Dr. Nouredine Gawgaw
Mr. Adbessamad hairy
Ms. Aicha Afifi
Ms. Fatima Zahra Kurtz
Ms. Fatima Zahra Maliki & Association Injaz
Ms. Faiza Mehdi
Mr. Amal Abdelkader
Mr. Nacir Assaadi
Mr. Mohamed Benjelloun
Ms. Fatima Ezzahra Rachidi
Mr. & Mrs. M. Said El Ouafi
Mr. Abdellah Benkirane
Ms. Aicha Bensaid
Mr. Mohamed Belkhyat & Mrs. Jackie McCarthy
Mr. Khalid Lhaggazi
Ms. Ellen Hunt
Mr. Rehan & Mrs. Fouzia Dawer
Mr. Hicham Belmamoun

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