The U.S. Embassy in Ghana has concluded a sports diplomacy programme after training 50 coaches and 300 female student-athletes across Tamale, Kumasi, and Accra to strengthen the country’s grassroots women’s football pipeline.
The U.S Department of State initiative brought 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Amy Griffin, alongside former Major League Soccer player Kofi Sarkodie to lead multi-day workshops.
Organised by the embassy’s Public Diplomacy Section, the programme focused on team culture, leadership development, and technical coaching skills for female athletes aged 12 to 18.
Griffin emphasized that the project’s primary goal was to establish a supportive foundation for young women rather than focusing strictly on tactics.
Addressing the broader impact on local football, Griffin noted that lasting progress relies on grassroots effort.
Trainees who participated in the sessions noted an immediate shift in approach, highlighting a move away from rigid instruction toward player empowerment.
One local coach in Kumasi explained that the training shifted the focus from merely giving sideline commands to ensuring every player feels seen and valued. Another participant noted that receiving proper equipment like footballs, pinnies, and water bottles gave the young athletes a genuine sense of recognition and support.
The project relied on a structured model to maximise local impact. Morning workshops focused on mentorship tactics, team culture, and communication strategies, which coaches immediately put into practice during evening sessions by leading drills with cohorts of six youth players.
To ensure long-term sustainability, participating coaches received footballs, while athletes were equipped with pinnies, water bottles, sling bags, and sweat towels.
Daniah Eldridge, Education and Cultural Attaché at the U.S. Embassy, noted that the project draws on lessons from Title IX legislation to expand female sports participation.
Eldridge emphasized that while men’s teams traditionally receive heavy backing, the embassy aims to build a robust foundation to feed into the pipeline for the Black Queens.
By equipping local coaches with reusable mentorship strategies and gear, the initiative creates a self-sustaining foundation for women’s football across the three host regions, she intoned.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
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