REPORT ON THREE DAYS NON RESIDENTIAL BASEBALL CAMP, JANUARY 2020 KUMASI
INTRODUCTION
Rescue Sports foundation in partnership with Breakaway Outreach based in the United State of America organized a three days non residential baseball training program in Kumasi, Ashanti Region of Ghana. The purpose for organizing such an event was to to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ globally through the language of sports in West Africa precisely Ghana. Secondly to make disciples by teaching young people the word of God. The approach to this program of outreach is different from the traditional ways of approaching evangelism/missionary work among the christian churches. It’s extraordinary because we use sports as a vehicle through which we share the gospel, win souls into the kingdom of God and make discipleship whiles having fun.
The VISION of RSF among others is to identify skills and nurture potentials among young people (youth) and expose them to the international platforms where they can display their God given talents and still live their FAITH in JESUS CHRIST and influence their team mates and their fans positively.
It is for these purpose that Rescue Sports Foundation in Ghana collaborate with it partner organization Breakaway Outreach in the USA to train kids in playing baseball and at the same time reaching them with the gospel and making them disciples of Christ for positive transformation and regeneration of their heart towards God.
The Breakaway Outreach team from USA arrived in Ghana on Saturday 25th January 2020. They were met on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport by a team from RSF here in Ghana lead by the board chairman, Rev Ed Arcton and the Director of Rescue Sports foundation, Coach Benjamin Annor. The team after exchanging pleasantries, headed straight to the VIP bus station to board a bus to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region where the training event and all the other activities will be take place. The team arrives in Kumasi late Saturday evening. They rested at their hotel that night to prepare themselves for church service the following day.
It was Sunday morning ready for Church Service at PIWC. The RSF team led our visitors, Coach Jimmy Larche and his son Zak from Breakaway Outreach USA to Pentecost International Worship Center (PIWC), Asokwa to worship and fellowship. The chairman of RSF invited individuals and institutions interested in sports outreach to participate in the event and support the vision and mission of Rescue Sports Foundation to reach out into the sports world with gospel of Christ. The team later visited Living Waters Assemblies of God at Maxima, a suburb in Kumasi also to fellowship. Over there also they invited interested individuals and institutions to participate in the event and to support the sports outreach initiatives and RSF programs.
In the afternoon same day the team visited Spirit FM, a local radio station in Kumasi for an in-studio interview hosted by the Coach Benjamin Annor, Director of (RSF). In attendance was a physically challenged lady who came to share her testimony with listeners of how she defiled all odds even though rejected from family and friends she manage to survive on her own by God’s grace. Rev. Vincent Asamoah the country Director of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) participated. He encouraged the depressed and rejected in society to hold on to their faith because help will always come from God. Some board members (chairman and Mr Adu Baah) the vice chairman and staffs from RSF were present and participated in discussion at the studio. There from in the afternoon we have lunch together with our guest and some officials of RSF. Late in the day the RSF board and some staffs met to officially welcome our resources personnel and recap on the activity lined up for the upcoming event.
DAILY REPORT ON THE THREE DAYS BASEBALL TRAINING, FROM 27TH-29TH JANUARY, 2020.
DAY ONE: (1)
The program started with an opening prayer by the board chairman of RSF (Rev. Ed Arcton), he followed with a motivational speech. He later introduced our resource personnel, Coach (Pastor) Jimmy Larche and his son Zak, Director and founder of Breakaway Outreach in the United States of America to the participants.
First day was an introduction to baseball coaching and training of trainee coaches on the basic rules and techniques in playing baseball, as well as using that medium as Christians to preach Christ as savoir and Lord. Become an agent of change in our society, transformation of many lives and to be followers of Jesus Christ. Our resource persons Jimmy and Zak begin by sharing the word of God. He narrated testimonies of some sportsmen and women who balance their faith in God and fame as athletes to win souls for Christ.
The trainee coaches were later grouped into 5 stations to form the diamond shape, a typical baseball formation of various positions just like soccer having defense systems and attacking machinery. He taught the trainee coaches the importance and lessons of each station, their functions, purpose and task as baseball players. He later took them to the sports field to practice what he has taught and what the trainees have learnt for demonstrated.
During the demonstration session the participants were given the opportunity to ask questions concerning the baseball game. It was a fruitful and exciting session at the end of the day. The trainee coaches after the practical session formed a very strong united technical team and were very much prepared and ready for the challenging task ahead of them as pioneers to preach the gospel and make Disciples of Christ on the field of playing baseball. Some breakaway outreach T-shirts were given to those who were in attendance for the first day of the event. About 20 trainee coaches participated on the first day.
The team from (RSF) led by the board chairman together with our resource persons went for a tour at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region of Ghana to learn about the rich culture of the Ashanti Kingdom. At their arrival they were received by a staff that took them round the museum and gave a brief history of all the past monarchs that reigned over the Ashanti Empire for centuries up to date. The resource persons later purchase for themselves some few items from the museum that signifies unity. The team went back to their hotel afterwards to rest for the day and prepare for the following day activity.
DAY TWO (2)
This day was primary for training of kids from different schools in the vicinity. It commenced with an opening prayer from the board Chairman of Rescue Sports Foundation. Coach Jimmy and Zack begins their coaching and training with all participating schools.
Coach Jimmy spoke about the history of baseball and used the opportunity to also introduce Christ to the kids with the story of Morgan and his twin brother in which Morgan had to sacrifice to stay in the prison for his twin brother to be set free. He emphasized, just as Morgan sacrificed for his brother so did our Lord Jesus Christ take our place on the cross and died for our sins to set us free from the bondage of sin.
The various schools were grouped into the 5 stations with coaches assigned to each station. The coaches then took the students through the basic fundamentals of the baseball they were taught and have learnt. Each station was assigned different roles with the coaches as trainers.
Each station’s coach had to take the players through the stage and there was a rotation after 20 minutes of training section and 10 minutes recession after each session. At the end of the day each student had the opportunity to go through all the five stages of the game. In the process of training various gifts such as baseball caps, T-shirts and other souvenirs from Breakaway Outreach were given to outstanding participants. All the kids were refreshed at the end of each day training section. In all, the total numbers of Schools were 17 with 20 teachers as coaches and 165 students participated.
As part of the program outline the team visited Bonwire, the heart of Kente cloth weaving in the Ashanti Region to learn about the dazzling way of weaving Kente as well as the various types of Kente available, its types and symbolic names. The crew were then taken back to their residence rested for the next day.
DAY THREE (3)
Today was the final day for the baseball training event. It began around 9:00am with a prayer and continued with some shake up exercise before engaging everyone with the days training drills and a recap of the previous days training activities. Coach Jimmy after the training session met with the trained coaches and gave them a final briefing on the whole program and the way forward to sustaining and maintaining the purpose of organizing the baseball training camp. Certificates were awarded to the participated coaches and group pictures were taken with the various schools. The kids were then refreshed at the end of the training section. In all, the total numbers of Schools that participated in the baseball event were 20 with 25 teachers as coaches and 207 school pupils as players.
The team from RSF led by the board chairman held a final meeting with our resource persons. The purpose of this meeting was to do evaluation of the whole event and to strengthen the relationship between Rescue Sports Foundation and Breakaway Outreach (USA). Also presentations of gifts were made by the Board Chairman Rev Ed Acton on behalf of Rescue Sports Foundation to our resource personnel Coach (Pastor) Jimmy, his son Zak as well as to the Wife back home in the USA. The team finally returned to their hotel to rest and prepare for their return back home in USA the following day.
View the pdf Version here.
Report-Rescue-Sports-Foundation-and-Breakaway-Outreach-Baseball-Training-and-Coaching-at-Kumasi-City-GhanaReporting: RSF – By Mrs. Martha Acheampong