AA Sports International holds maiden Women’s Football Clinic, donates to Okyeman Girls Academy

AA Sports International, a non-profit organization held its maiden Women’s Football Clinic in Suhum-Akyem Akooko in the Eastern Region on Saturday, September 14.

Dubbed “Supporting and Promoting Women’s Football”, the one-day event was aimed at inspiring females to strive for greatness through football and education with Okyeman Girls Football Academy.

The young females between the ages of 11-19 had the opportunity to answer questions from the Guest Speakers, Cultural display and poem recitation as well as presentation of sports equipment (jerseys, balls, sanitary pads among others) to the team by AA Sports International led by Patron , Kudjoe Fianoo.

Speaking at the event, Gifty Ayew Asare, an Ex-Ghanaian international and current Women’s U18 Assistant Coach touched on the importance of staying focused to overcome obstacles that may hinder their progress as they embark on their journey.

According to her, despite being stigmatized, she defied all odds to gain a scholarship to travel to the United States to pursue her football dreams while still studying for her Degree.

“I knew where I came from in a small village in Assin Fosu, it was tough for me as a woman among the boys training before I moved to Accra and because I was focused and wanted to play at the highest level, I never gave up.”

“People will try to bring you down with these words but you have to stand on your grounds and keep pushing. I had the support of my grandma who I stayed with before relocating to Accra to further my career,” she said.

Speaking on the part of parents, she urged parents to give the girl child the opportunity to push their football career and not always assign them to household chores.

Gifty, who currently works as the Assistant Coach of Women’s Premier League side Epiphany Warriors assured the good people of organizing trials to recruit players to the national team.

Another Speaker at the event, Maurice Quansah, Sports Editor with the Graphic Communications Group and a Women’s Football Advocate said everyone should be lifted in the society and that opportunities must be created for women as equally done for men.

“When you look at our population in Ghana, women outnumber men so once you create opportunities for the men, you must as well create the same for women. Kwegyir Aggrey said ‘Once you educate a man you educate an individual but when you educate a woman, you educate a whole nation’.”

“I will say if you empower a woman, you empower all the community and for me that is what I stand for. We always talk about the Black Stars but the first Ghanaian team to play in the senior World Cup was the women in 1999, so it tells you the potentials in Women Football and over the years the game has grown with the opportunities it comes with,” he said.

He added that it is prudent to push energy in uplifting women in the various communities and I’m excited to be part of this great initiative by AA Sports International.

Patron of AA Sports International, Kudjoe Fianoo said giving to women is a good gesture, adding that even in most institutions because of the trust for them, the position of a Treasurer is always given to them.

“They are special and that is why most of us are seen supporting whatever way to grow women’s football, and I think what we have done for Okyeman Girls Football Academy is a manifestation of what we have and we can’t say much but thank the people of Akyem-Akooko for the good reception and the founder of AA Sports International, Mark Adu Amofah for giving back to society.”

He added that more females should be trained in other areas so these footballers will be happy seeing their fellow gender rendering their support to them.

Receiving the items on behalf of Okyeman Girls Football Academy, Priscilla Yeboah together with the President, Cornelius Annor Asare, the duo thanked AA Sports International for the support and also called on other organizations to come to their aid as they prepare to partake in the 2024/25 Women’s Division One League in the Eastern Region.