Hundreds of teenage footballers, school children, media practitioners as well as seasoned football pundits thronged Lizzy’s Sports Complex in Accra last Friday to witness the launch of Samsung’s major initiative ‘I See Your Dreams’ campaign, aimed at grooming youngsters in pursuing their dreams in soccer.
The much talked about football campaign is the brainchild of the electronic giant and the sponsor of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.
The campaign allows young soccer enthusiasts to receive training from professional football coaches who will take the youngsters through exercises and mentor them in skills development to become Africa’s next football legends.
In order to help drive point home, Samsung has chosen former and current Black Stars players Yaw Preko and Andre Dede Ayew as ambassadors for the campaign.
The ex-international winger, Yaw Preko sharing his experience with the aspiring footballers from the Kotobabi 3&4 cluster of schools at in a camp at Lizzy Sports Complex encouraged the players to remain resilient if they are to achieve their dreams in soccer.
He gave an account of his rise in football, recalling how he played barefooted on the Kotobabi Park in Accra yet never gave up until he became one of the most renowned footballers in Ghana.
“Do not allow people to discourage you from pursuing your dreams of playing football, listen to your heart if you wish to become Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. But the most important thing is for you to obey your coaches. Apart from obedience, I also encourage you to have self discipline and dream big,” said Preko.
Yaw Preko urged the young footballers to be time conscious and make God the cornerstone as they strive to pursue their football career.
To whip up interest in the youngsters, the retired star brought some medals he won in his career and as a coach for Ghana under-20 squad at the Barcelona Olympic Games.
Addressing the media, the Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa, Vishwas Saxena, said the initiative was an opportunity to foster “the spirit of professionalism and nurture the love of soccer in Ghanaian youth.”
He however added that Samsung has taken it upon itself “the responsibility of connecting the youth with the game that is so close to their heart.”
“Our greatest passion in Africa is football and the Dream camp gives young footballers the opportunity to go after their dreams. The Samsung ‘I See Your Dreams’ camp is to create tomorrow’s legends and support the football talent. We see this as an opportunity to foster the spirit of professionalism and nurture the love of soccer in the youth.” he said.
Samsung presented some sports items to the young footballers and their coaches to enable them train with their various teams.
The ‘I See Your Dreams’ campaign is to end on February 8, and it is also set for launch in Zambia.
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