B&S YOU (Ball & Stick Young Officiating Umpire) is one of several initiatives under our 1M4H (1 Million 4 Hockey) project. B&S YOU is focused on training female students in schools in becoming Umpires.
This program is designed to attract lots of girls/ladies into Hockey, a sport, highly dominated by males and to allow students to officiate their own matches and tournaments. It is also to offer an alternative for females who sees playing hockey as risky d ue to the equipment used in playing to be involved in the game as officials. These young individuals are being engaged at an early stage where the passion can be easily nurtured till they become proponents of the sport themselves.
Speakers; 1.
Natasha Wilson: Officiating Manager – England and Great Britain Hockey. Natasha is a graduate from the Bishop Grosseteste University-UK. She has been a Referee, Referee Development Officer with Liverpool County Football Association and a FA Referee Tutor.
2.Lelia Sacré: FIH International Elite Panel Umpire-Field Hockey Canada. Lelia is a Canadian and a holder Bachelor of Arts Degree in History-British Imperialism. Lelia moved to Essex England to pursue her dream as a teacher for several years. In England she was actively involved in umpiring at top-level leagues and games in the England hockey league. Lelia has whistled in the Commonwealth Games 2018 at the Gold Coast in Australia and in Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, United Kingdom and in other highlevel hockey tournaments.
3. Sean Rapaport: Head Umpiring -USA Field Hockey Rapaport has more than 20 years of umpiring experience and knowledge and he is FIH World Cup & Pro League Panel Umpire, he has officiated more than 70 senior international matches. Rapaport is a Lawyer by profession and has been practising law for the past 17years whiles pursuing his passion for hockey. Sean over the years has represented South Africa internationally at the highest levels of the game while remaining actively involved in the sport locally as an umpire, umpire manager, coach and disciplinary chairman.
We are very certain that our contribution today and in the years ahead from now can make Hockey a loved sport by all standards and profitable to participants and the entire Hockey community in here Ghana and in Africa as a whole.
This project launch comes off on Friday 11th November at 2 pm at Legacy Girls’ College (Ghana’s first all-girls private boarding school for SHS students, offering an enhanced (A-Level, IGCSE & WASSCE) curriculum located in Akuse- Eastern Region. Akuse is situated between Tema and Akosombo.