NGR - UNICEF partners Akiode’s Hope 4 Girls project

ABEOKUTA (Youth camp) - The United Nations Children Education Fund, UNICEF has joined the Hope 4 Girls project being put together by Nigeria’s former female international, Mobolaji Akiode FIBA Africa has learnt. According to the coordinator of the project Biola Shomala, UNICEF is hitting the rock city of Abeokuta – south west of Nigeria - in style and determined to give the young girls all the support they need to make the difference in their lives.

“UNICEF is coming to Abeokuta with educational materials that will be of great help to the girls because the camp is not just about the game of basketball. The girls will have the opportunity of listening to UNICEF officials who are willing to give them a guide on how to better their lots outside the game of basketball. We thank them for joining us and the Ogun State government to change the thinking of the girls as far as their future is concerned,” Shomala said.

Shomala also revealed that all arrangements are in place for the five American coaches that are due in Nigeria for the camp. Some of the coaches are Adia Revell, Mariana Freeman, Kevin Morris and Karlen Thompson. Revell, joined ASA Athletics Department as the first ever Head Coach of Women’s basketball. Prior to ASA, Revell became the youngest board member for “U WANT GAME”, a non-profit organization dedicated to mentoring at-risk high school student athletes. She also worked part-time with the New York knicks as a basketball camp coach and field marketing representative.

Kevin Morris is entering his eight season as head Women’s basketball and just through with his sixth season as head women’s tennis coach. Morris has established both programs as contenders. He was honoured once as New Jersey Athletic Conference Women’s basketball Co-Coach of the year and the NJAC Women’s tennis Coach of the year in 2005—a rare double honour within the same academic year. Morris served during the 2000-01 season as interim head coach at Princeton after seven seasons at Fordham.

 Karleen Thompson was the former Head Coach and General Manager for the Houston Comets for one season prior to the team folding. Prior to joining the Comets, Thompson spent eight years in the Los Angeles Sparks organization. In 2004, Thompson served as interim co-head coach of the Sparks along with Ryan Weisenberg, after Michael Cooper stepped down as head coach to join the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. She helped guide the Los Angeles Sparks an 11-3 record over the final 14 games of the 2004 regular season, clinching the best overall mark (25-9) in the WNBA. Thompson, who joined the Sparks organization in 1997, was promoted to an assistant coach prior to the 2002 campaign.

In addition to the foreign coaches, there are three Nigerians that will assist in working out with the girls. They include Taye Adeniyi, Assistant Coach, Dolphins Basketball who started her playing career at the defunct Eko Flyers in 1991 before moving to the First Bank basketball team in 1993.She retired in 2006 and started her coaching career with the establishment of an academy for girls in 2006. A holder of the Nigerian Coaching certificate, she joined Dolphins basketball team as a Coach-player in 2007.

Shola Ogunade-Shomala is the Assistant Coach of First Deepwater Discovery team. She is in her fourth year as a coach and had a playing career spanning nearly 20 years. She featured for the First Bank team from 1991-2004 and represented Nigeria at three All-Africa Games (Harare’95, Jo’burg ’99 and Abuja 2003). A holder of the Nigerian Coaching Certificate, she was made an assistant national team Coach in 2005.                                                                   

The third coach is Angela Nzekwe of the Imo State Sports Council and a former Team Manager of First Bank team. She is the Head Coach of the Imo State Sports Council and also holds a diploma in coaching and the IOC Certificate (Olympic Solidarity Course). In 2008, she was made an assistant coach of the Nigerian Under-16 female basketball team.

By Pius Ayinor
FIBA Africa