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Sports247 caught up with Oguike Saran Ifeoma, CEO of Saran-Ify Sports Academy, a subsidiary of Saran-Ify International Foundation for African Children, during the 80th-anniversary celebration of Holy Child College, Ikoyi.<\/p>\n
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The milestone event featured an annual inter-house sports competition, with students participating in various events, including football, athletics, tug of war, high jump, and table tennis. The competition will conclude with its final events on February 14, 2025.<\/p>\n
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READ ALSO:\u00a0 <\/strong>\u201cI Just Started High Jumping Yesterday\u201d \u2013 Ozude Frances Ponder on a Hard-Fought Second Place at Holy Child College\u2019s 80th Anniversary Inter-House Sports<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Speaking on her foundation, Ifeoma explained, \u201cSaran-Ify Foundation is an African foundation dedicated to supporting children and widows. I started with widows because of my own personal experiences. I reflected on how women who lose their husbands cope with life, and since I\u2019ve always been passionate about helping others, I decided to extend that support to children as well. My love for sports led me to create a sports academy as a subsidiary of the foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The foundation and academy have been running for nearly a decade, with formal registration under the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for the past five years. \u201cIf I count all the years before proper documentation, it\u2019s been almost ten years. But officially, with CAC registration, we\u2019ve existed for five years,\u201d she clarified.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Saran-Ify Sports Academy has an ongoing partnership with Holy Child College S\/W Ikoyi, which manages the school\u2019s sports activities. \u201cWe have an affiliation with them. I oversee the school\u2019s sports academy, and we offer training in football, taekwondo, swimming, basketball, tennis, karate, and many other sports,\u201d Ifeoma stated.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Regarding the inter-house sports event, she noted, \u201cI am actually anchoring the inter-house sports. The school\u2019s administrator, Reverend Sister Christina, contacted me because she wanted professionals to handle the sports academy. My team and I came in to oversee the activities.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Ifeoma called attention to the importance of grassroots sports development in Nigeria. \u201cWe don\u2019t have a strong grassroots system in Nigeria, and that\u2019s a major issue. I am deeply committed to developing young talents from the grassroots level. Many of my players who have travelled abroad struggled because they only knew the practical aspects of the game. That\u2019s why I ensure our athletes learn both the theory and practical sides of sports.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n She added, \u201cStudents in our academy often express surprise at how we teach sports. They realise it\u2019s more than just running onto the field to play football. Parents also notice the difference in our training approach.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Beyond Holy Child College, Ifeoma revealed that her academy collaborates with multiple schools to develop young athletes. \u201cIt\u2019s not just Holy Child; I\u2019m working with other schools as well,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Ifeoma is furthering her sports management education to enhance her ability to nurture young talents. \u201cI\u2019m taking a sports management course at the National Institute for Sports (NIS) to gain more experience. This will help me refine our training programs and develop our athletes more effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n She expressed confidence in the academy\u2019s future: \u201cOur sports academy is top-tier. The children excel, and even our new intakes will catch up quickly. Within a month, they will fully grasp what we teach because we ensure they understand sports\u2019 theoretical and technical aspects.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Currently based in Festac, Lagos, Saran-Ify Sports Academy<\/a> continues to expand its reach, providing structured sports education and development opportunities for young athletes in Nigeria.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n As the inter-house sports competition at Holy Child College<\/a> progresses, Ifeoma remains committed to fostering excellence in school sports while ensuring that students receive professional training that equips them with greater opportunities in the sporting world.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
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![<\/a><\/div>\nSports247 caught up with Oguike Saran Ifeoma, CEO of Saran-Ify Sports Academy, a subsidiary of Saran-Ify International Foundation for African Children, during the 80th-anniversary celebration of Holy Child College, Ikoyi.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nThe milestone event featured an annual inter-house sports competition, with students participating in various events, including football, athletics, tug of war, high jump, and table tennis. The competition will conclude with its final events on February 14, 2025.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nREAD ALSO:\u00a0 <\/strong>\u201cI Just Started High Jumping Yesterday\u201d \u2013 Ozude Frances Ponder on a Hard-Fought Second Place at Holy Child College\u2019s 80th Anniversary Inter-House Sports<\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nSpeaking on her foundation, Ifeoma explained, \u201cSaran-Ify Foundation is an African foundation dedicated to supporting children and widows. I started with widows because of my own personal experiences. I reflected on how women who lose their husbands cope with life, and since I\u2019ve always been passionate about helping others, I decided to extend that support to children as well. My love for sports led me to create a sports academy as a subsidiary of the foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nThe foundation and academy have been running for nearly a decade, with formal registration under the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for the past five years. \u201cIf I count all the years before proper documentation, it\u2019s been almost ten years. But officially, with CAC registration, we\u2019ve existed for five years,\u201d she clarified.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nSaran-Ify Sports Academy has an ongoing partnership with Holy Child College S\/W Ikoyi, which manages the school\u2019s sports activities. \u201cWe have an affiliation with them. I oversee the school\u2019s sports academy, and we offer training in football, taekwondo, swimming, basketball, tennis, karate, and many other sports,\u201d Ifeoma stated.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nRegarding the inter-house sports event, she noted, \u201cI am actually anchoring the inter-house sports. The school\u2019s administrator, Reverend Sister Christina, contacted me because she wanted professionals to handle the sports academy. My team and I came in to oversee the activities.\u201d<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nIfeoma called attention to the importance of grassroots sports development in Nigeria. \u201cWe don\u2019t have a strong grassroots system in Nigeria, and that\u2019s a major issue. I am deeply committed to developing young talents from the grassroots level. Many of my players who have travelled abroad struggled because they only knew the practical aspects of the game. That\u2019s why I ensure our athletes learn both the theory and practical sides of sports.\u201d<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nShe added, \u201cStudents in our academy often express surprise at how we teach sports. They realise it\u2019s more than just running onto the field to play football. Parents also notice the difference in our training approach.\u201d<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nBeyond Holy Child College, Ifeoma revealed that her academy collaborates with multiple schools to develop young athletes. \u201cIt\u2019s not just Holy Child; I\u2019m working with other schools as well,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nIfeoma is furthering her sports management education to enhance her ability to nurture young talents. \u201cI\u2019m taking a sports management course at the National Institute for Sports (NIS) to gain more experience. This will help me refine our training programs and develop our athletes more effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nShe expressed confidence in the academy\u2019s future: \u201cOur sports academy is top-tier. The children excel, and even our new intakes will catch up quickly. Within a month, they will fully grasp what we teach because we ensure they understand sports\u2019 theoretical and technical aspects.\u201d<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nCurrently based in Festac, Lagos, Saran-Ify Sports Academy<\/a> continues to expand its reach, providing structured sports education and development opportunities for young athletes in Nigeria.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nAs the inter-house sports competition at Holy Child College<\/a> progresses, Ifeoma remains committed to fostering excellence in school sports while ensuring that students receive professional training that equips them with greater opportunities in the sporting world.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t Post Views:<\/span> 34<\/span> \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n](\"https:\/\/www.sports247.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/mother-day-5.jpg\"){kind=link}