SWAG pledges support for Right to Dream

The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) has lauded Right to Dream Academy for their exploits over the years and said the association would seek to deepen its partnership with the academy as it identifies and develop highly educated football talents.

Yesterday some students of the academy, led by its founder Tom Vernon and its director of partnerships James Meller, presented to the leadership of SWAG a number of trophies the academy had won at international youth tournaments in Europe this year, as part the 16th anniversary of the academy based at Old Akradie, near Akosombo.

Among players who have emerged from the academy are Black Stars duo Abdul-Majeed Waris and David Accam.

Mr Vernon explained that as a centre of excellence, the academy aimed at developing well-educated football stars with character training at the heart of their educational programme.

“We believe the education we are providing for our students is going to allow for a greater traction between the media and Ghanaian athletes in general, because they [students] have the ability to articulate the challenges that they face on and off the field,” said Mr Vernon, a former coach of Accra Great Olympics and Hearts of Oak.

SWAG president Kwabena Yeboah said he was highly impressed with the success stories of the academy, through the talents who had emerged out of it, and in particular its philosophy of providing quality education and character training for the students.

The academy also presented the trophies won to GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi and the FA’s executive committee at the FA’s Ridge Secretariat and met the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr Mustapha Ahmed, at his office.