University of Ghana to Commence Camping Ahead of 27th GUSA Games
The Sports Directorate will commence camping for athletes of the University from 28th November to 19th December 2021 in preparation for the 27th Ghana Universities Sports Association (GUSA) Games to be hosted by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in April 2022.
About Two Hundred and Seventy student athletes have been invited to prepare ahead of the GUSA Games. These athletes will represent the University in Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Football, Goalball, Handball, Hockey, Netball, Table Tennis, Tennis and Volleyball. during the competition in Kumasi.
Preparation and UG-PAAS Justify
The Coaches are looking forward to putting their athletes in the best of forms for the Games. The residential camping will promote team bonding and will afford the coaches the opportunity to teach their systems and tactics to their athletes.
The Head Coach who is also the Beach Volleyball and Volleyball Coach at the Sports Directorate, Mr. Henry Nii Sackey, explained that the residential camping was needed at this time because coaches will have all their athletes around to train. He added that ideally, this camping should have taken place some weeks before the competition in 2022 but due to the nature of the academic calendar for the 2021/2022 academic year and the proposed date for the Games (17th April to 5th May, 2022), the coaches would not have the opportunity to camp before the Games.”
Mr. Sackey further noted that a few athletes that have been identified under the University of Ghana Policy on the Admission of Athlete Students (UG-PAAS) have been invited for a justifier from 5th to 8th December 2021. Those who will meet the requirements of the Sports Directorate and will be recommended by the team of assessors will join their teammates in camp after the justifier to integrate with their respective teams. Their status as students of the University of Ghana is however subject to them gaining admission into the University.
The UG-PAAS is part of a broader sports strategy of the University of Ghana. It serves as a guide for concessionary admission of students talented in sports.
Adherence to COVID-19 Protocols
The Sports Directorate has partnered with the Public Health Unit of the University Health Services to vaccinate all athletes who are yet to receive their jabs when they report to camp. The Directorate will also provide veronica buckets and hand sanitizers on all the fields and courts during the period of camping to ensure that all COVID 19 safety protocols are strictly adhered to.