A delegation of Dutch sports officials will discuss exercise andsports organizations and tour local recreation facilities in Muncieas part of a tour through America to explore how sports operate inthe United States.
The delegation headed by Roel Bekker, the Secretary GeneralMinistry of Health, Welfare and Sports in the Netherlands, includesrepresentatives from business, government, the Netherlands' OlympicCommittee and other sports committees, publishers, program managersand areas of sports, James Connolly, acting director of BallState's Center for Middletown Studies, said.
The delegation started its tour in New York City where theyvisited ESPN, Madison Square Garden, the National Football Leagues'offices and saw a New York Nick's game, Connolly said.
They will be in Muncie on today and will travel to University ofMichigan.
"The delegation is coming to Muncie to see how sports operate ina typical American community and how sports organizations work insuch a setting," Connolly said.
While they are here, the delegation will participate in a panelon community sports organization, Connolly said. This panel willhave panelists from soccer, basketball, football and baseballorganizations.
"Leaders of various sports organizations in the community willdiscuss how they operate, how they are funded and what they do,"Connolly said.
The delegates will also participate in a panel about communityexercise programs, Connolly said.
"Once adults are outside of school, their participation insports organizations decreases," Connolly said. "Exercise programshave been set up to compensate for this. The exercise panel willconsist of people who have set up exercise programs."
The delegation will tour the YMCA, the Muncie Sportsplex andDelaware Greenways, Connolly said.
Though visitors from other countries come to Muncie, because ofits status as Middletown, this delegation is the first group tofocus on sports, Connolly said.
"Muncie is an attraction for visitors because of its status asMiddletown," Connolly said. "Muncie can give people a quickintroduction to America."
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