Published July 19, 2004

By Cody Stark
Baytown Sun

Bon Voyage

BAYTOWN — Sterling basketball guard Tony St. Julian is headed to Paris. Paris, France that is.

The senior was selected to participate in the People to People Sports Ambassador program and will depart for Paris Friday for a week of international basketball competition and education.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to go overseas and be a part of this program,” St. Julian said. “Not only am I going to be able to play basketball, but I’m going to be exposed to a different culture and way of life.”

The People to People Sports Ambassador Program was implemented in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower with the intentions to gather people from different backgrounds and let face-to-face encounters provide a foundation for cultural exchange.

St. Julian will compete in the Switzerland Invitational while also being given the chance to explore the European countryside.

“One of the nights that we will be there, they will have a big celebration sort of like the Fourth of July,” St. Julian said. “We also get to take boat rides on the river, have nice dinners where we can meet other players, and we even get to met the mayor of Chartre (France).”

While in Chartre, St. Julian will have a chance to see the riders of the Tour de France cross the finish line and possibly getting to see fellow Texan Lance Armstrong win the race for an unprecedented sixth time.

St. Julian received help from family, friends and his church, Holy Family Catholic Church, in raising money for the trip.

“We had quit a few people donate money to help Tony take advantage of this opportunity,” said Anita St. Julian, Tony’s mother. “The church family came together and really did a great job. We are just so proud of him. Not only is this program about sports, but education as well, and that is what excites me.”

With the recent emergence of the level of competition coming from international basketball, St. Julian will get to witness it first hand. Six international players were selected in the first round of last month’s National Basketball Association draft.

“Its new competition and it is a different style of basketball,” St. Julian said. “I’m anxious to head over there and check out their game.”

 

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