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ADF Brings MLB Envoy Program to
Ghana
In keeping with the
African Development Foundation’s vision to use sports as a vehicle
of goodwill and development, over 1,200 Ghanaian youths recently
participated in a Major League Baseball (MLB) initiative, called the
Envoy Program. The program entails sending professional baseball
coaches around the world to train children and better organize local
baseball federations.
MLB Envoys,
Tony Torchia and Mike Randall conducted an exciting and fun-filled
2-week program, which lasted from September 16th to September 30th.
The resulting enthusiasm from the youths created great interest
among everyone from parents, to the media, and the Government of
Ghana. Radio, newspapers, and television coverage was constant, and
ADF President, George Ntim, even arranged for the Envoys to pay a
courtesy visit to Ghana’s Vice President, His Excellency Alhaji Aliu
Mahama, who expressed the government’s commitment to support future
baseball initiatives.
During the program,
little league baseball teams in the city of Tema participated in
training clinics to refine their fundamentals and techniques of
throwing, catching, hitting, and running the bases. Moreover, the
Envoy coaches emphasized the importance of being good students,
listening to parents, and developing great character. In Accra the program involved visiting primary schools to introduce
the game of Tee-Ball to both girls and boys. A listing of the
schools is as follows:
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New Abossey Okai 1 Primary School (Odorkor Road)
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Airport Police Primary School (37 Licensing Office Area)
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Rangoon Camp Primary School 1 (Cantonments)
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Rangoon Camp Primary School 2 (Cantonments)
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Ghana International School (Cantonments)
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Osu Presbyterian Preparatory School (Osu)
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Osu Presbyterian Boys Primary School (Osu)
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Sempe 5 Primary School (Mamprobi)
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Sempe 7 Primary School (Mambrobi)
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Aggrey Road 1 and 2 Primary School (Tema)
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Celestial School (Tema)
·
Creator School (Tema)
The success of the Envoy Program was
directly attributed to the joint involvement and collaboration
between the ADF; MLB; the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID); Spalding; Adidas; the Ghana Ministry of
Education, Science, and Sports; the Ghana Baseball and Softball
Association (GHABSA); Irani Brothers; and the Golden Tulip Hotel
Accra.
Dignitaries who attended the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the
program included: the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, and
Sports Hon. O.B. Amoah; the U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission, Sue K.
Brown; U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission for Liberia, Lou Mazel; the
Mayor of Tema, David Q. Annan; USAID Program Officer, Regina Dennis;
USAID Regional Controller, Deborah Grieser; Ghana National Director
of Sports Development, Dr. E. Owusu-Ansah; CEO of Ghana National
Sports Council, Prince Oduro Mensah; GHABSA Chairman, Albert Ocran.
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