High-Quality Tennis Foundation donations aid Winneba Tennis Academy during Covid-19

Dec 2, 2020
2 min read

Updated: Dec 3, 2020

A new sports foundation has been founded in Ghana, West Africa with the aim to help revitalise tennis at the Winneba Tennis Academy.

High Quality Tennis Foundation is a non-profit organisation who’s aim is to provide for the less privileged and to put smile on the face of helpless kids on the streets of Winneba.

Founded by Eric Okyere, a former Winneba Tennis Academy player in his youth, his motivation for creating the foundation was driven by his desire to give back to the Tennis Academy which had helped him off the streets and a sense of purpose.

'The Winneba tennis academy is where I grew up. Noah (Head Coach) gave me a home to stay and took me in from the street where all my friends are now nowhere to be found -- some have gone to jail, some are school drop outs. I also have the concept that if I Eric, couldn’t play to the top level, I want to see one of the kids get there and also be able to put smiles on the less privileged through the sport of tennis'.

All Masked up! The Covid-19 pandemic wasn't going to stop Eric passing his donations on to the next generation of youths.

Eric was able to receive donations of assorted tennis equipment and financial aid with the help of US based former Winneba player and Ghana Tennis Federation Ladies No.1 Francisca Nyarko, Marcel Tibie Jnr, Nana Kwakye and Greg Cromwell, a past tennis volunteer with overseas volunteering agency Sporting Opportunities

The generous donations of tennis rackets, balls, shoes and clothing were presented by Eric, to the next generation of tennis youths and Head Coach of the Winneba Tennis Academy Noah Bagerbaseh and his team, helping to revive the academy through his foundation with providing aid for after school tennis lessons and clinics for children.

Although only started this year, kind donations are the key to help revitalise and continue the sport at the National Sports College and keep future youths off the streets and on the courts. Eric has big dreams and high hopes for the future to give back to the community that raised him -- he has bought a plot of land in Winneba and is having a house built which he would like to one day be able to house future tennis players of the academy as he once was.