The power that lies in the act of saying “yes” was a common concept we discussed during our sport diplomacy trip. And it was the dedication behind one simple “yes” that brought me and a group of 14 Trinity faculty, students, and alumni to North Macedonia for an influential 10-day experience in the first place.
The opportunity to participate in the “Youth Leadership through Sport Program: North Macedonian Volleyball Leadership and Community Development” all started in Summer 2023, as a delegation of 12 Macedonian volleyball coaches visited San Antonio and experienced the American industry of sports and its impact specifically in our local community of San Antonio.
This semester, the time finally rolled around for phase two of the exchange program. The relationships created here in San Antonio would only grow stronger when we traveled to North Macedonia to learn more about their country’s involvement and processes in the sports industry and in educational and civic capacities. I was captivated by the opportunity after learning about the enriching connections and invaluable insights the Macedonian participants experienced during their time spent here with our outbound program leaders.
The program was funded as a sub-award from PH International and part of a larger grant from the Sports Diplomacy Division of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and the U.S. Department of State (DOS). These organizations allowed my group the opportunity to engage in a culture much different, but also similar to our own, that fostered connection. Our connections were made through learning experiences with mayors of municipalities, primary school officials, the Macedonian Olympic Committee, the Macedonian Tennis Federation, local business sponsors, and my favorite of them all … the club volleyball teams. I was inspired by each representative we met with and how they prioritize incorporating sport and physical activity in their organizations. They emphasized how they have noticed the impact sport and physical activity has had on not just young people in their country but their communities’ engagement as well.
Kathryn Detweiler '25 receiving her certificate of completion for the YLS Program. She is accompanied by members of the San Antonio Delegation in Summer 2023, as well as host representatives in North Macedonia: from left to right Dimitar Giatovski, Marjan Trajkovski, and Arso Zdravkovski.
A special part of our time over in North Macedonia was the time we got to visit with each member of the inbound delegation group. These experiences were often involving volleyball practices and matches, where we were invited to play alongside and against their club teams. The interaction and unity I felt overwhelmed me with how powerful the game truly is. Our delegation was able to make lasting connections and contacts through the bonds we made while playing the game we love.
An experience I specifically valued was during a training session with a Skopje youth volleyball club. My teammates and I taught drills we all grew up training on to a very talented, young league two team. Their enjoyment and love for the game were contagious as we played alongside them in the drills and saw ourselves at that age through them. It opened my eyes to the game as a common language and common bond.
Members of the Trinity Volleyball team: Kathryn Detweiler '25, Maddie Fate '25, and Marissa Drange '26, play alongside a team of 14 to 17-year-olds during a training session at Sport Center Forca in a newly taught game of “Queens” in Skopje, North Macedonia.
I am fully convinced that sports, authentic curiosity, and an open approach to learning and knowledge possess the transformative power to reshape the world. I received a glimpse of that in North Macedonia as I compared and contrasted interactions and practices amongst the sports environments in correlation to their social environments. It is with these experiences that I am overly grateful to the Neidorff School of Business and Dr. Jacob Tingle, chair for Sport Management program, Dr. Angela Breidenstein, chair of the Department of Education and director of the Master of Arts in Teaching program, and the Center for International Engagement for creating a culture that promotes and encourages international, transformative learning.
The entire delegation group of Trinity students, faculty, and alumni, and Randall Griffiths, the associate professor of sport management at the University of the Incarnate Word, along with our hosts. The day was spent exploring Lake Ohrid.
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