Tennis News of Friday, 13 December 2013

Source: Sammy Heywood Okine

Cruyff Foundation supports Ghana Wheel Chair Tennis

Coach Dan James from the United States of America (USA) was in Ghana together with British Paralympian Louise Hunt to impart new knowledge, skills and technics into Ghanaian wheel chair tennis coaches and players. Under the sponsorship of the Johan Cruyff Foundation based in the Netherlands but linked up internationally, they organized clinics and workshops for the players and coaches. Dan James who had participated in the Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012 said their aim is to develop the talents in Ghana so that they would be prepared for international competition leading to the Paralympic Games. He noted that Ghana has got the girls and boys who are disabled but want to achieve something better in life through sports. He prayed that government and private organisations would support wheel chair tennis because it is an interesting sport and very attractive.

According to Coach James two things he was impressed with was the enthusiasm of the players willing to know more to improve their game and young players in Ghana participating. He said they represent the Cruyff Foundation and they operate internationally promoting and developing wheel chair tennis and sports in general.

Louise Hunt the British wheel chair tennis star who is 20th best in the world has also participated in the Paralympics at London 2012. Both had one mission and it was to share knowledge and ideas.

Henry Larbie, the national coordinator of the National Wheel Chair Tennis remarked that the programme was successful as they toured some places like Sunyani and Kumasi before coming to Accra and the interest shown by Ghanaians was massive. He appealed to corporate institutions to support the disabled sports because they little funds they get can be used to solve any problems and society would be safe and happy.