2011 Program News

Welcome Reception Brings Together International Coaches and UD Students

The 2011 ICECP began on Sunday with an introduction ceremony that allowed the international coaches to share about their home countries and learn about each other.

Freshmen students from the University of Delaware were also in attendance to learn about the international guests and help welcome them to campus. Each student spent time with one of the coaches and learned about his or her homeland, coaching career, and goals for the program.

The program brought this unlikely group together, which included students from several Mid-Atlantic states and coaches from around the world, at the Newark Courtyard Marriott. It was an opportunity for the young students to meet new kinds of people, ones who lived differently and brought a new perspective, culture, and history to the campus. All the students described the experience as “positive” and “enlightening.”

Halina Mader, a First Year Experience student in Jeff Schneider’s class, really enjoyed the event. She said, “I went into the event not knowing what to expect, but it was definitely a good experience. All of the coaches seemed to be elite athletes in their sports, but were still completely ready to improve and learn more…It really shows how dedicated they are, and I think that it’s wonderful that we are so connected globally and that we do have the opportunity to learn from people across the planet. ” Halina said the coaches commitment makes her consider running track again.
Another FYE student, Emily Brumbach, said, “It was really great seeing so many people from different parts of the world come together to learn from each other. Everyone was so kind and accepting of one another.”

Dr. Robinson didn’t want to stop the students and coaches conversations because they were all sharing and learning so much. He regrettably had to so that the rest of the ceremony could continue.

During the ceremony, each coach introduced him- or herself and talked about their country. They shared the history, facts and culture of 32 different nations, and were all tied together by their mutual involvement and passion for sport.

The coaches hail from countries all over the globe. Some of these nations are more recognizable, such as China, Brazil and South Africa, and some are less commonly known, such as Nepal, Namibia, Bhutan and the Federated States of Micronesia.

The participants of ICECP have a busy schedule ahead of them. After a day of icebreakers and introductions on Sunday, the program dives into an intense curriculum of sports sciences, coaching education, training methodology and project development. The coaches will also spend two weeks at sport-specific apprenticeship sites, learning from the nation’s best in each of their sports.

ICECP gives these coaches the chance to gain new skills and knowledge, which can be applied to creating and improving sport structures in their home countries. It also gives some students a chance to learn about new cultures and broaden their horizons.

“I had wonderful conversations with my coach, and I look forward to meeting with him in the future. I spoke to him and some of the other coaches about possibly meeting up for lunch/ dinner in the future and maybe even visiting them in their home country,” Halina said. “It was a great experience, and I'm really excited to see all of the coaches again on Friday.”

The coaches and students will have a chance to reunite this Friday at the University of Delaware Women’s Volleyball game against James Madison University.