Summary Conference Call #2

First, as a review, your Health Forms should have been faxed or mailed to the program office by March 1. For any of you guys who are new to the program please make sure you have your parents complete and submit this form to the Program Office in Spokane, WA. The correct fax number is on the form itself and is 888-222-8898. Remember to keep the original for yourself since you will need to bring a copy in your travel sleeve when you arrive.

Another reminder is passports, if you have not submitted an application yet, please make it priority to get your passport photos printed and submit your application. Once you receive your passport, please be sure to make a photo copy of the picture page. You should then print your full name and your delegate ID number on the upper right corner of the passport copy. This copy and your passport itself should then go into your travel sleeve. It is vital that you have a photocopy of your passport in your carry on luggage during travel to ensure that your passport can be replaced if lost. Athletes, you also need to bring two extra passport photos to ensure swift replacement in the event that a passport is lost or damaged.

As we get close to travel your final information packet will be sent out and this will include your Sports Uniforms. The package will be sent from the Program Office directly to your homes so it is important to make sure that you give the Program Office your sizing information for both the polo shirt they will provide and for your uniforms. If you haven’t done this yet please make sure you go online to your Locker Room website and click on the “My Sports Information” tab with your parents and update your uniform information. If no size is listed than the uniform cannot be sent or may be quite late in arriving, so please make sure you update your sizing information in the Locker Room.

Your uniforms will be mailed directly to your homes, so if you provided a P.O. Box address as your contact information when you applied to the program, you should make sure the Program Office has your physical address used for shipping. If you aren’t sure what address you provided, you can e-mail the Program Office at info@peopletopeople.com. Make sure you include your name and contact information in any email to the Program Office so that they can find your account.

When you are in that “My Sports Information” section, make sure to complete your sport-specific information. Before we travel we are going place you into interim teams based on this information. During the first two days of training camp when we arrive, all rosters will be finalized. All teams will be subject to change based on coach assessment each of your skill sets. That said, each one of you has earned the opportunity to contribute to the success of the team and coaches will focus on giving equal playing time to all Sports Ambassadors. Every member’s contribution is important to the success of the team.

When you arrive on site, there will be Athletic Trainers and Delegation Managers who will join us. The Athletic Trainers that will support us in Austria will be responsible for handling minor medical situations like icing, taping, bandages, etc. during training camp and competitions. Athletic Trainers will also offer taping assistance in the morning and evening. If you require taping, please bring your own tape and pre-wrap for this purpose. We will also travel with a foreign Delegation Manager who will assist with all aspects of daily activities and itinerary including making sure each team is informed about daily schedules and meal times etc. Our Delegation Manager is a great resource for teaching us about Austrian customs and culture. While a lot of people we meet will know English, the official language in both Austria and Germany is German and our Delegation Manager will help you communicate.

Some last housekeeping reminders before we move forward, if you haven’t finished getting all your Recommendation Forms yet make sure you have these completed and submit them to either me or the coach who conducted your interview. There are also now two Explore Before You Go documents posted to the “Learning Center,” one for Austria and one for Germany which you should print and read to start familiarizing yourself with the history of both countries. Even though we are going to be learning so much onsite, I want you all to have a little background information so you call really understand the cultural significance of the places and people we will visit.
In our March and April conference calls we will be spending a lot of time covering pre-travel information that will help you get ready to travel, especially how and what to pack for your program. For those of you who want to start thinking about this beforehand, there is a packing list and dress code in your Game Plan. One thing you might want to begin brainstorming on some ideas with your parents are good will gifts for the athletes you will meet during the program. As a representative of People to People Sports Ambassadors and of the United States, we recommend that each athlete should come prepared with several good will gifts. Good will gifts are often given by our athletes at the end of their first international game and are token gifts given as gestures of friendship and goodwill to opposing team members. They could also be given to bus drivers, Delegation Managers, and other people you meet during the travel experience. They aren’t meant to be huge or expensive and any gifts that you bring should be small sized items such as magnets, lapel pins, pens, pencils, key chains, recipe collections, or other anything else you can think of which may symbolically represent the United States or your local area. It is important to remember that when giving a good will gift, you should NOT expect a gift in return.