Over 200 youth showed up to play some American football at the Adjiringanor Football Park in East Legon this past weekend.  The energy was filled with excitement as they came out to participate in the second annual Kile’s World Foundation Football Camp organized by Titans of Africa in partnership with Ryan M. Glover and his mother Tameka Foster Raymond. They wanted to give back to youth in Africa through sports and Ghana, was a great starting point since they have familial roots.   

“We started the foundation in honour of my son Kile,” Foster Raymond said. Her son died in a tragic jet ski accident during a family gathering in 2012.  “Kile did not play football himself, Kile was an artist and he loved to paint and sing and do theatre. But we wanted the organization to go beyond just what Kile liked.”  She said they often do performing and fine arts camps but wanted to add the element of sports using football.  “Football teaches a lot of discipline, it teaches a lot of focus and it also teaches comradery. You win as a team.”

American Football hasn’t been widely popular in Ghana, but continues to gain popularity as more people are giving a platform to the sport so that the next generation can become fans of the game.  Mohammed Osman Nkosi is the President of Football Operations at Titans of Africa.  He was heavily involved in organizing the camp and is an important part of promoting the sport in Ghana.  “The Kile’s World Foundation camp was really successful. We saw over 200 kids attending and the best part is we were able to take them all through the basics and fundamentals of American football,” he said. “Some of the kids even want to subscribe for constant training to be involved in the sport. Through different platforms, Titans of Africa will provide opportunities for these kids.”  This will be a key part of his continued efforts in promoting American football in Ghana.

Glover, who currently plays college football for UC Berkeley and has aspirations to play professionally in the NFL, believes in the potential for the sport to grow in Ghana.  “Some of these young guys have excellent speed, good strength, very good endurance and that’s the number one thing,” he said. “Right now what I’m trying to do is spread the word about [American] football to Africa.”  The Beyond the Return Secretariat and the Ghana Tourism Authority endorsed the event as an important part of giving back to the community and staying connected with the diaspora who are doing things to support the youth. With so many people in the global African diaspora expressing interest in Ghana, this is certainly an opportune time to connect with those already tied to the sport who share the passion and vision to grow American football in Ghana and other African countries.

The enthusiasm on the faces of the youth drove the energy for the entire day.  They were all excited and had a wonderful time.  “The whole point of this was to give the Ghanaian kids a great experience for the day,” Foster Raymond said.  

Nkosi promises to work hard promoting the sport in Ghana, connecting with key supporters and making sure the youth are presented with the right opportunities so they can become a success playing football.

By: Ivy Prosper

Kiles World Foundation presents its second annual American football camp in Ghana this weekend.  Ryan M. Glover and his mother Tameka Foster Raymond arrived in Accra this week ahead of the camp, which is on Saturday 21st May from 10am-3pm at the Adjiringanor Wembley Football Park (opposite Pot Belly Shack) in East Legon. Their mission is to focus on sustainable development and secure a future of African youth through sports.  It’s an exciting time as Ghana continues to be a hotspot for raw talent in sports.

“Kiles World Foundation is excited to be back in Ghana for our second annual football camp. We absolutely love it here, it feels like home,” said Ms. Raymond, who is best known for her work as a celebrity fashion stylist and designer.” She founded Kile’s World Foundation in honour of her son, Kile, who lost his life in a tragic jet ski accident in 2012. Kile’s World Foundation celebrates young people who transform their thoughts into action and influence others to do the same.

“We decided to come to Ghana last year essentially as a graduation present for my son Ryan. We specifically chose a West African country, because that is where our familial roots began,”  Ms. Raymond said. They hope to provide a special experience for all who participate this weekend because football is known for bringing people together, teaching the value of teamwork and discipline. “We aim to give the youth a different experience from their normal day to day routine.”

It’s wonderful to see young players like Glover working to support the growth of American football in Africa. Last year, Kile’s World Foundation was successful in Accra and they look forward to what the camp has in store tomorrow. They hope that through sports they can help youth to sustain their participation through growth and development in all aspects of life. Each year more athletes from the African diaspora are recognizing that giving back through sports will create a great impact on developing young minds. “The camp happening tomorrow is the start of the journey of the return,” Ms. Raymond said.

American football has been gaining popularity in the continent of Africa with a growing interest in the sport.  It’s also quickly becoming the place to source raw untapped talent. Earlier this year the NFL announced holding a mid-year training camp in Africa, which is exciting news considering there are already players who have roots in Africa including Daniel Adongo (Kenya), Tamba Hali (Liberia), Ezekiel ‘Ziggy’ Ansah(Ghana) and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Ghana).

Mohammed Osman Nkosi, President of Football Operations , Titans of Africa,  has been the key to supporting the camp in Ghana.  He has continued to work on sourcing the right collaborations with the diaspora community to make this camp and future activities possible. “Associating Kiel’s World Foundation and Titans of Africa will go a long way to impact not only Ghanaian youth but youth on the entire continent,” he said. Ghana Tourism Authority and the Beyond the Return Secretariat endorsed this as an event that supports the vision of giving back to Ghana while also recognizing the importance of sports in the growth and development of Ghana’s youth for the future.

For more information about the camp contact Mohammad Osman Nkosi via email at mohammed@titansofafrica.com or through Instagram at www.instagram.com/dirdevmoh.

By: Ivy Prosper