Photo by Hassan Omar Wamwayi
Barcelona’s La Masia Youth Academy and Ajax’s Youth Academy has always been a reference point when analysts seek to point out the importance of academies as a useful tool in developing world class talents.
Irrespective of the competition, creating a talent development environment that not only encourages the nurturing of young people in sports but also leverages the right resources to track their development has always been a key factor in contributing to the success stories of many nations that have continually topped the charts in medal haulage and recognition.
In Africa, participation in global sporting events, though commonplace, is yet to yield the kind of result as seen by their counterparts in other continents. In the all-time Olympic medal haulage by continent, Europe leads with a total number of 12,866 (Gold – 4072, Silver – 4229, Bronze – 4565), they are followed by Americans with a combined total of 4527 (Gold – 1605, Silver – 1462, and Bronze – 1460). Africa takes the last position out of the five continents with a combined total of 479 (Gold – 139, Silver – 159, Bronze – 181) https://www.olympiandatabase.com/index.php?id=21633&L=1
According to the United Nations, “Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70% of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30. Such a high number of young people is an opportunity for the continent’s growth – but only if these new generations are fully empowered to realize their best potential.” (https://www.un.org/ohrlls/news/young-people%E2%80%99s-potential-key-africa%E2%80%99s-sustainable-development)
Investing in Sports Academies
Africa is a budding field of talent and has produced some of the finest athletes who have cut their teeth on the global stage while achieving success in their respective fields. Whether it is in football, long-distance marathons, boxing, table tennis, etc, the success of Africa’s global sports ambassadors has provided a glimpse of the potential that resides within the continent
However, harnessing these talents can prove challenging due to the shortage of infrastructure and the lack of investment thereof. As part of its efforts to compete, countries from other continents invest in sports academies down to its colleges and high schools. Giving their teenage population a clear path of growth for whatever field of sports they seek to pursue.
In Africa the options of its young budding population is limited. Not only are sports academies few across the continent, there is also a dearth of infrastructure within those facilities that hampers the training and development of African athletes.
While there is a continuous push to encourage the next generation of African youths to get involved in sporting activities, there is a greater need for governments and private sector individuals to invest in sports academies in Africa, bringing them to be at par or even better than those found in other continents.
Developing Black Athletes through Sports Academies
Sports academies over the years have been leveraged to serve a developmental purpose. Beyond improving the performance levels by providing a well-structured environment for an athlete to thrive, it is also a useful platform for providing the necessary academic environment that ensures an athlete succeeds on or off the field of sports.
In Africa, this is crucial to not only bridge the literacy gap but to also impact in reducing the number of out of school children in the continent. By arming Africa’s young budding athletes with all the necessary tools to not only compete and succeed in sports, it is also a way to offer them viable options outside the sporting arena should they choose to pursue professional interests in the world of work.
Sports academies also provide an outlet to export Africa’s talent to the international sports market by offering a pool of talents from which international sports markets, professional clubs, and scouting agents can pick. This not only provides these athletes with the additional tools required to continue growing in their respective fields, but it also affords them the experience required to successfully compete with their peers in sporting competitions where they represent their countries.
Key to the success of the many sports legends known across the globe is not restricted to their raw talent alone, as many athletes would testify, there is also a regimented form of training, nutrition and lifestyle they are expected to adhere to that contributes to their overall success.
Sports academies provide such regimented routines as part of their training process. Not only are athletes placed through the rudimentary training exercise, but they are also required to uphold a respectable form of lifestyle that is devoid of vices which has been having several negative effects on the younger generation of Africans. At these institutions, not only will they be raising the next generation of elite athletes, but they will also be molding the new crop of leaders who will be guiding Africa’s development as time progresses.
If Africa must improve on its laurels in global competition, it is imperative that private and public institutions begin to invest aggressively in human capital development by channeling vital resources to the development of sports academies where the talent pool of the continent can be harnessed to its fullest.
Okechukwu Nzeribe works with the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, in Anambra State, Nigeria, and loves unveiling the richness of African cultures. okechukwu.onicima@gmail.com
