The Kumasi Baba Yara stadium Tennis Court was the scene of a memorable \u201c2015 YAK-DAN National Juniors Wheelchair Tennis Camp,\u201d featuring children with physical disability who were introduced to wheelchair tennis for the first time in their life on Saturday 30th May 2015.<\/p>\n
Organised by Ghana Wheelchair Tennis under the theme \u201cBreaking Barriers through Wheelchair Tennis,\u201d the one-day event turned out to be a joyous celebration of sport, personal development and new friendships for the physically disabled children drawn from the Orthopedic Training Centre in Nsawam, Garden City Special Schools in Asokore-Mampong, the Physically Challenged Action Foundation (PCAF) in Offinso and the Ghana Society for the Physically Disabled (GSPD) Social Club in Kumasi.<\/p>\n
The kids were taught basic rudiments of the game to improve their knowledge and technical ability especially in areas such as basic strokes, grips, tactics, movements in the wheelchair as well as through demonstrations and exhibition matches from professional wheelchair tennis players.<\/p>\n
Two physically challenged children, Francis Acquah from PCAF Offinso and Gafaru Mohammed from the GSPD Social Club Kumasi were selected to represent Ghana at the prestigious ITF Johan Cruyff Africa Regional Juniors Camp in South Africa from 28th September to 5th October 2015.<\/p>\n
The two pupils were selected from among 50 children who took part in the practical wheelchair tennis skills for children under the guidance of the head coach of the Ashanti Region Tennis Association Joseph Acquah with support from Yayha Macauley and Andrew Taylor National Wheelchair Tennis Coaches from Accra.<\/p>\n
Indeed, many of the children took to the sport like duck takes to water despite only being introduced to the sport for the first time that day to the delight of the National Coordinator of Ghana Wheelchair Tennis Henry Larbi. \u201cAll the aims and objectives of the camp were met.<\/p>\n
The four institutions that came, came in large numbers and we had more than 50 participants. The first thing was to introduce wheelchair tennis to the children. They all had fun, they danced, played wheelchair tennis and were happy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSecondly, we also brought the God-given talent which is hidden within them out and most of them have identified that they can do more than they are doing and most of them will want to come back again and play wheelchair tennis. I am also calling on corporate and developmental organizations to come support Ghana Wheelchair Tennis to build simple tennis courts for all participating institutions to continue with the development of wheelchair tennis.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day too, we have been able to identify two best players: Gafaru and Francis. For now I think this event has been successful. We had a large patronage both able and disabled tennis players and thanks to Ashanti Regional Tennis Association for hosting us. The Chief Executive Officer of the YAK-DAN Group of Companies, Daniel Nii Mensah said his outfit will continue to support para sports and wheelchair tennis in particularly as part of his company\u2019s corporate social responsibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will support these children to represent Ghana and join the camp in South Africa. This will also boost the psychological aspect of these kids to do better. Other kids will be looking up to them as role models. They will have to partake in such an event and put their all into it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will still continue to make this message stronger that sports is not only football. At the moment YAK-DAN Group of Companies is supporting para sports: wheelchair tennis and wheelchair racing. Not only sports, we will also try to give scholarships to children who excel in sports so that we can motivate them to know they can combine their academics with sports.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will also urge parents and guardians to support their children with disability psychologically, motivate them and push them just like they do the abled people and surprisingly most of them can do better than the abled ones. Gafaru Mohammed of the GSPD Social Club Kumasi expressed his delight at the opportunity to represent Ghana abroad.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel very happy right now. I am very happy to be selected as one of the athletes who will be going to South Africa. All the appreciation goes to the almighty God. It is not by might and not be strength. I have never imagined that I will be selected or even become a tennis player.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to be able to show the world I am also someone who can do something. I want to thank everybody most especially the Ashanti Regional tennis coach, coach Acquah and to YAK-DAN.\u201d In his closing remarks, the chairman of the Ashanti Regional Tennis Association Akwasi Agyeman Gyemidi said there plans to organise more competitions for the various clubs in the region to make the impact of tennis felt.<\/p>\n
He added that wheelchair tennis will be supported to reach greater heights to keep people healthy and also get some key players to join the national team.<\/p>\n
The clinic was organised by the Ghana Wheelchair Tennis under the auspices of the Ghana Tennis Federation and the International Tennis Federation with support from the Johan Cruyff Foundation in the Netherlands and the Ashanti Regional Tennis Association.<\/p>\n
The programme was also sponsored by One Yogo, Frooters Ice Baton and Pricelessmom.com Foundation, with additional support from the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled in the Ashanti Region.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: Ghana Wheelchair Tennis Association<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Kumasi Baba Yara stadium Tennis Court was the scene of a memorable \u201c2015 YAK-DAN National Juniors Wheelchair Tennis Camp,\u201d featuring children with physical disability who were introduced to wheelchair tennis for the first time in their life on Saturday 30th May 2015. Organised by Ghana Wheelchair Tennis under the theme \u201cBreaking Barriers through Wheelchair […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":120919,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[3],"yoast_head":"\n