By Joseph S. Conteh
In the heart of Jama Town’s Crossing Village, a new football academy is making waves and providing opportunities for young aspiring players. The Jungle Strikers Football Academy, founded just four months ago, is dedicated to developing talented footballers between the ages of 10 and 15.
The academy is the brainchild of Hassan Fornah, the team manager, who was approached by a group of young boys seeking his guidance. A group of young boys came to me and asked me to help manage their team,Fornah explains. I decided to take them under my wing and thus the Jungle Strikers Football Academy was born.
The academy operates under a strict code of conduct and memorandum of understanding with the players’ parents, which has helped maintain a smooth-running operation despite the challenges of bringing together players from different communities. We monitor the academic performance of our players, and it’s part of our code of conduct that they must score 70% or above in their schoolwork,” Fornah says. If a player falls below that, they are no longer part of the academy.
The academy’s head coach, Mohamed Lamin Bangura, is a former player of Devoted United in Freetown. I didn’t have the opportunity to sit the WASSCE exams, but coming from a single-parent family, I’ve seen the importance of education,Bangura says. That’s why we’re so focused on ensuring our players excel both on the field and in the classroom.
The academy has already played twelve matches, winning nine and drawing three. They are now appealing to the authorities to come and tap into the young talent they have on offer, not just in the Western Area but also in the rural districts.
These players are so talented, and they just need the right technical advice and support, Fornah says. We’re hoping that by showcasing their skills, we can help them secure opportunities to play for big teams in the Sierra Leone Premier League, the national team, and even in Europe.
The academy has received support from Alex Fischer, a German company called ELEKTROTECHNIK GMBH, which has provided the team with balls, jerseys, and first aid kits. However, Fornah and Bangura are calling on more authorities and organizations to come to their aid, as running a football academy in Sierra Leone can be a challenging endeavor.
One parent, Bobor Mansaray, attests to the positive impact the academy has had on his child. The academy has really helped our children he says. They are very disciplined, and their academic performance has improved significantly.
With its dedication to nurturing young talent and its focus on education, the Jungle Strikers Football Academy is poised to become a beacon of hope for aspiring footballers in Jama Town and beyond.
