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Other Sports of Wednesday, 19 May 2010

Source: emmanuel k. dogbevi

Ghana to get first baseball academy

Sporting history will soon be made in Ghana, when the country gets its first baseball academy to groom stars of the future for the sport. Apart from football, boxing is the next big sport in Ghana. All other sports, including baseball, despite bringing honour and glory to the country are referred to as ‘lesser known’ sports.

But the plans by a Canadian man to establish the country’s first baseball academy is making a big statement for one of the world’s most lucrative sports. The man, Carl Enns, who is married to a Ghanaian tells ghanabusinessnews.com that he has family living in Kumasi where he has spent much of his time in Ghana, even though the weather is always too hot for him.

Carl is embarking on the project because as he says “I love it there (Ghana). I also have a real heart for the kids in your country and I want to try and give them some of the opportunities that the kids get in our country. I see a lot of potential in the children of Ghana.”

Carl who himself played professional football for six years in Canada told ghanabusinessnews.com that he is not trying to replace football in Ghana “we just want to give the kids an option.”

The President of the Ghana Baseball and Softball Association, Rev. Albert Seth Ocran has confirmed being aware of the development to ghanabusinessnews.com in a telephone interview. He said, “it is a good idea, and we want to see it happen.” Carl Enns has acquired land in Nsawam in the Eastern region for the purpose and he is currently working at raising funds to start the project.

He indicated that he has six people on the ground in Ghana working towards the realization of the project.

When the project takes off, it is likely to boost the game of baseball in Ghana. The sport, most neglected seems to have potential in the country. In another development, barring all other challenges, most of which are financial, Ghana will play host to the ECOWAS Little League in the coming months.