Recent George Mason graduate, Joyous Tharrington will take basketball abroad as the Lynchburg, Va., native is set to take a trip to Ukraine this month with Athletes in Action (AIA) – a sports ministry founded in 1966 that uses the unique platform of sports to help people around the world build spiritual movements. Tharrington will join several student-athletes from across the nation on the international trip to use the game of basketball to impact others, find purpose and grow in character. While in Ukraine, Tharrington will also get the opportunity to compete against the National Teams and work a youth tournament. The trip will run from June 18-July 3 and GoMason.com was able to catch up with Tharrington prior to the trip for a few questions.
How did you get involved with Athletes in Action?
When I first transferred to Mason, the first organization I sought out was a sport ministry to get connected with. When I realized there was no active organization on campus, I decided to start one on the suggestion by one of our assistant coaches. I started a chapter of AIA on campus this past fall and combined it with another sport ministry called FCA and we called it FCAIA. I applied to do that on campus in the summer of 2012 before the fall semester began. During the summer, I was assigned a “distance coach” who advised me and prepared me to start the ministry on campus.
I decided I wanted to go on a foreign tour with AIA after hearing about them through a friend and the great experiences she had. So I applied on their website for the tour and had to raise $4,500 to go. I drafted about 100 names of people I knew including family, friends, coaches, teammates, pastors and churches and sent out support letters as well as e-mails about the trip. I got kind of a late start but was able to raise the money in a month and a half.
Did you specifically apply to travel to Ukraine or was it a trip AIA suggested?
I applied for the Ukraine trip, which was one of three tours going out this summer. I am also thinking about going to Colombia in July as well with AIA.
How long will the trip last?
The total trip duration is June 18-July 3, but we begin in Xenia, Ohio for training at the AIA Headquarters & Training Center and then we head out to Ukraine on June 21! Below is a brief itinerary for the trip.
June 18-20 – Training in Xenia, Ohio
June 21 – Fly to Ukraine
June 22 – Arrival in Ukraine
June 23 – Visit to churches
June 24-25 – Games with veteran national team
June 26-27 – Playing with junior national team
June 28-29 – Youth Tournament
June 30 – July 1 – Playing with student national team
July 2 – Debrief of tour to Kiev
July 3 – Fly home
Who comprises the team and who travels with you?
From what I know right now, there are eight of us on the team from different schools across the nation and the coach is Joaquin Wallace from San Francisco State University. Most of us are recent graduates from college basketball and the youngest player is an incoming freshman in college.
How will basketball be used fundamentally on the trip?
Basketball will be used as an avenue to interact with others in order to open the door to share the gospel, serve, and build relationships with the teams in Ukraine. While we are there, we get the chance to play against a few national teams and also help work a youth basketball tournament, which will be exciting.
What are you most looking forward to traveling to Ukraine?
I am most looking forward to playing again, getting to know a great group of girls, and serving the Lord. I have never been overseas so being on foreign soil will be a unique experience. I hope it is the first of many more trips to come!
To follow Joyous and the team throughout the trip, visit their blog by clicking here or follow them on Twitter @AIA_Ukraine.
