HOPin Academy, a Tamale-based organisation has initiated a project called a plan B as a Backup plan for young footballers to enhance their career
The project in collaboration with FANT and support from CISU and other partners programme is to develop and find the last financial foundation for young footballers in Tamale launched,
The pilot project aimed at building the structures that can help young vulnerable footballers to create a second career option, in case they are not able to make it to the professional level in their football career or when they retire has been launched in Tamale.
The HOPin Academy SEED Plan B project has engaged over 450 young footballers in both Senior High Schools and Local Community Clubs through mentorship sessions and other workshops in an effort to help them develop “Plan B”.
The project aimed at scaling up the impacts an institution called PLAN B CLUB to help young footballers in Northern Ghana. The Plan B Club keeps a network of young footballers and assist them to develop an alternative career plan, skill and also serve as a centre of excellence, providing expert guidance on football-related issues.
The initiative was launched at maiden Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association at the work premises of HOPin Academy.
The main objectives of the meeting were to elect the Board Members of the PLAN B CLUB, adopt the proposed constitution of the club through a plebiscite, seek project feedback from the beneficiaries of the SEED Plan B pilot from project from last two years as it comes to an end and marks the beginning of the long-term PLAN B CLUB programme.
Participants were also taken through the journey and milestones achieved during the previous projects and what the PLAN B CLUB holds.
The meeting brought together Senior High School football clubs and Local community Football Clubs under the Plan B Club and other stakeholders like the Northern Regional Football Association (NRFA), the National Youth Authority (NYA), Sagnerigu Municipal Football Association (SMFA) and the Tamale Metro Football Association (TMFA).
Footballers, students and some coaches and patrons of the institutions were present. The meeting also had the attendance of all the mentors that were engaged during the SEED Plan B project.
Alhaji Abu-Hassan Mahamadu Rhyzo, the Northern Regional Football Association chairman emphasized the need to nurture and mentor the young talented footballers in the Northern Region to meet the national call but also to attend to the lot of personal and social challenges these young footballers face while risking their passion which HOPin Academy and its partners are working to find device innovative solutions to these problems.
It will take a collective responsibility of all stakeholders to help in the development of young players to enhance their talents for the society while making sure that they don’t hard risk of also missing out other opportunities in life beyond just being a footballer he said.
He commended HOPin and its partners for the initiative to unearth and guarding them in their career choices and the potentials of the young one in our society.
MacCarthy Mac-Gbathy, the Executive Director of HOPin Academy said “the Plan B Club is an institution with an independent physical structure which will serve as a support centre for footballers and local football clubs in Northern Ghana.
He said the CLUB will be an institute with football facilities like a proper playing field which would be made available to local clubs during their league sessions and on special occasions.
He noted that space to serve as a centre for technical and vocational skills development as well as provide services like injury management, advice on football contract issues, assistance on scholarships for footballers to have an education, entrepreneurial skill development and also how young footballers find flexible jobs would be designed and rolled out with 10 high schools and professional grassroot football clubs with a first target number of 1,000 young footballers in northern Ghana.
He said, the CLUB would be working with a lot of mentors to help in the grooming of the young footballers in Northern Ghana adding that if you are a football fanatic and would like to volunteer in guiding young footballers to develop a “PLAN B”, you are cordially welcome.
He also said, our goal is to only complement the passion of these young footballers to see themselves as more than footballers. To see themselves as leaders in other fields, to see themselves as business men and women, to see themselves as politicians and decision-makers, to see themselves to be more than footballers.
