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Academy - The Academy's mission is to provide an
environment that will spearhead the growth and development of
students through educational initiatives and sports
instruction. With education and socio-economical development
as its fundamental focus, the Academy is a vehicle for the
growth of opportunities for youth in Senegal; it is a bridge
to encourage cross-cultural exchanges with other national and
international educational programs.
The Academy is attended by a group of promising students
from Senegal who live, study and grow together. Students
receive ten months of academic and sports instruction. These
students otherwise would have no access to, nor any
opportunities for secondary education.
Hoop Forum - Sports Forums (Hoop Forums) are conducted
throughout the year to provide fundamental skill instruction
as well as promoting sportsmanship and the team concept of
play. This past April SEEDS held the fourth annual SEEDS
Academy Hoop Forum Presented by Nike. The Nike sponsored event
was the first of its kind on the continent of Africa. The
forums consist of several separate events over the course of a
week. Events included are: Interscholastic Tournament - The Interscholastic tournament
features the top high school and club teams from
around Senegal. In 2007, Durban High School from South
Africa became the first outside team to travel to Senegal to
compete in the event. The event has taken place as the SEEDS
Academy in Thies and Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar. The
SEEDS Academy team has won the tournament the past four years.
SEEDS standout Aziz Ndiaye received
MVP honors for the tournament in 2007.
Youth Clinic - The youth clinic was organized in conjunction
with the University of Delaware and their International Basketball
Initiative. Over 50 kids participated in the clinic which
was held at the B.C.E.A.O Centre. Camp Directors Myke Scholl
(South Africa), Cynthia Cooper (Houston Comets) and Amadou
Gallo Fall ran the kids through drills and played games during
the two-hour clinic.
Nike Elite Skills Academy - The Skills Academy
features 50 of the top prospects from Africa as numerous
African countries are represented each year including Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon,
South Africa, Cape Verde and
Burkina Faso. The Campers not only receive on court tutoring
but also participate in life skills seminars on the topics
of adversity and goal setting. Campers also hear from guest
speakers such as local hospital representatives who speak on the effects of HIV/AIDS.
Each year the list of camp coaches spans from numerous
countries and continents. Over the past four years the Skills
Academy has had coaches from four
(4) continents including North America, South America, Africa
and Europe.
Media Day - Each year at the Skills Academy a media day
is scheduled to allow the local Senegalese media access
to our campers and coaches. Numerous topics are discussed
such as: The impact of SEEDS on the community, Nike's
involvement with SEEDS and basketball in Africa and the importance
of this camp for the future of African basketball. Over a
dozen media personnel cover the event annually.
Community Outreach - Throughout
the year SEEDS works to provide assistance to local
organizations. At the 2006 Hoop Forum, a group of individuals
including Amadou Gallo Fall (Executive Director), Cynthia
Cooper (Houston Comets) and Dr. Matthew Robinson (Delaware)
were able to tour LeDantac hospitals Pediatric Ward and see
first hand the struggles that cancer and HIV/AIDS have on the
youth in Senegal.
Nike Coaching Clinic - The annual coach's clinic is
a key event in the development of youth basketball players in
Africa. Each year the coaches that travel to the Hoop Forum
address the local Senegalese coaches on their coaching
philosophies and ideas. Each year over 25 coaches are in
attendance ranging from youth coaches to National team
coaches.
Our guest instructors have included:
Sam Ahmedu, Scout, NBA Memphis Grizzlies
Bill Bayno, Scout, NBA Portland Trailblazers
Lance Blanks, Assistant General Manager, NBA Cleveland Cavaliers
Mike Brown, Retired NBA Player & Former NBDL Coach
R.C. Buford, General Manager, NBA San Antonio Spurs
Roberto Carmenati, FIBA Coach Italy
Tim Connelly, Assistant Director of Player Personnel, NBA
Washington Wizards
Cynthia Cooper, Former WNBA 3-time MVP
Blake Flickner, Coach, Dallas Baptist University
Jim Jackson, NBA Alumni
Anicet Lavodrama, Scout, NBA Cleveland Cavaliers
Lisandro Miranda, Scout, NBA Dallas Mavericks
Don Nelson, Head Coach, NBA Golden State Warriors
Renato Pasquali, Head Coach, Basket Club Kiev of Ukraine
Sam Perkins, Retired NBA
Player
Nate Pomeday, Coach, Lake Forest Academy
Kevin Pritchard, Director of Player Personnel, NBA Portland
Trail Blazers
Tony Ronzone, Director of Basketball Operations, Detroit
Pistons
Myke Scholl, Coach, South Africa
John Thompson, Basketball Analyst, Former Georgetown University
Head Coach
Joe Touomou, Skills Development Coach
Masai Ujiri, International Scout, NBA Denver Nuggets
Will Voight, Scout, NBA San Antonio Spurs
Through SEEDS, the Academy has strong relationships with
some of the preeminent basketball organizations in the world,
and our Hoop Forums are built around their knowledge, expertise
and good will. In the future it is our goal to expand our
sports programming to include women's basketball.
National & International Tournaments - Tournaments
are played only during school breaks all student athletes
are encouraged to get involved. Other programs throughout
the world similar to SEEDS are invited to participate. Through
our National and International Tournaments we provide the
opportunity for our student athletes to learn the value of
competition. The tournaments also allow for the enhancement
of social interaction and self-esteem. National and International
Tournaments are the backdrop to their self-development as
a person, individual, and world citizen.
Basketball Camps - In
July 2006, SEEDS
Academy and Senegalese born and NBA player DeSagana Diop
organized the first annual DeSagana Diop Basketball Camp. The
camp was held at the B.C.E.A.O Centre and
was comprised of morning sessions
that consisted of drills and stations with the
afternoon sessions devoted to team concept and full court
games. Over 300 kids from Senegal participated in the two day
camp. Camp highlights included:
motivational speeches from Avery Johnson, Head Coach of
the Dallas Mavericks and Diop,
a camp All-Star game, and
a life skills seminar. The camp was
covered by the local Senegal media.
Additionally, Nita Wiggins, a reporter for a FOX
affiliate in Dallas, TX made the trip and chronicled Coach
Johnson's and Diop's week
in Senegal. Diop's
main focus for the camp was to raise money for the local
hospital, LeDantac. Diop and
Coach Johnson visited the hospital and Diop
made a donation of $15,000 to help the hospital
buy medical supplies. Diop plans
to hold his camp annually in Dakar
and will extend the camps to venues in Dallas, Texas.
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