Coach Asare punches amateur coaches

Internationally certified boxing coach instructor, Ofori Asare, has attributed  Ghana’s inability  to produce world class boxers in recent times to the failure of amateur coaches to build their capacity more meaningfully.

Bemoaning the failure of  amateur coaches in Ghana to upgrade their knowledge and expertise in the sport during an interview with Daily Graphic, Ofori Asare said  the  trend had been thwarting the efforts of the country in producing quality boxers and coaches  to sustain the interest of the sport.

This, he noted, was also impacting negatively on the  growth  of boxing in diverse ways.

The 52-year-old former head coach of the Black Bombers, who  organised a second International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) Level Three Instructors Course in Yaounde, Cameroun, said none of the amateur boxing coaches  in Ghana had been classified as an AIBA Certified Three Star Coach. The  AIBA course organised by coach Asare took place from February 23  to 29 .

Over 50 coaches from Cuba, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad, Seychelles, South Africa, Guinea and Cameroun participated in the course that was geared towards upgrading their knowledge and skills ahead of the Olympic in Rio.

The veteran boxing expert, who became an instructor last year, said the time had come for coaches in Ghana to use such platforms to build their capacity in a meaningful way to enable them to play useful roles in unearthing and grooming talents in Ghana.

Coach Ofori Asare has  played key role in the development of boxing talents such as Joseph Agbeko, Emmanuel Game Boy Tagoe, Rafael Mensah and Maxwell Awuku.

He has pledged his readiness to support coaches in Ghana  to do more for boxing.