From playing to coaching… and curating
When Samson completed high school, he took to cricket full-time after he managed to convince his parents. He went on to participate in more tournaments and attended coaching courses in Zimbabwe and South Africa, two countries with longer cricketing traditions.
“I believe in education, but I also believe in the power of following your passion. I think when you believe in something and it fills your soul, just take it all in,” Samson said.
The sport of cricket is played by a select few schools in Ghana and the limited number of cricket coaches, equipment and infrastructure is a challenge to the development of the sport.
“The key thing to do to grow cricket in schools is to add it to extra-curricular activities,” Samson advises.
Samson has offered coaching classes in schools with the necessary facilities. Whenever he is free, he also does one hour free training for children in various suburbs of Accra including Haatso, Madina and Ofankor. He hopes to introduce more kids to the game, saying coaching kids is “a feeling that money can’t buy.”
In 2020, after the first easing of pandemic restrictions, a grassroots cricket program was launched in Ofankor. He got a small field to train children in the community. Not only that, he provided them with drinks and water and bought them shoes with his money.
“I like to bring myself down to the level of these kids, understand them and have fun with them. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
Samson has co-founded a cricket club in Ghana called Supreme Cricket Club which is open to children of all ages. It is recognized by the Ghana Cricket Association and they play in the various Ghanaian cricket leagues, including the President’s Invitational Tournament which runs from January to August.
He plans to retire from the game soon after dedicating over 20 years of his life to the game. One of his goals after retirement is to build a cricket facility at the Ghana Elementary School where he currently offers free coaching, with full-time coaching and a technician on his radar as well.
He is already helping ground stewards to ensure that cricket pitches meet international standards, especially now that the African Games are approaching. Currently, the only ground in Ghana that meets International Cricket Council (ICC) standards is the Achimota Cricket Oval, which Samson is working with to help meet the standards ahead of the African Games.
Not only this, he plans to spearhead the construction of more cricket grounds nationwide.