Right to Dream founder urges Ghana to create national talent identification strategy

Right to Dream Academy founder Tom Vernon has urged Ghanaian authorities to establish a national talent identification strategy to develop athletes across various sports.

Ghana’s performance in major competitions has declined in recent years, with the Black Stars failing to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time in 21 years.

Speaking to Joy Sports, Vernon highlighted the country’s wealth of young talent and the need for a structured system to nurture it.

“There is nothing I can do without the performance of Ghana’s talented youth,” he stated. “Ghana has the potential to transition from a natural resource-based economy to a talent-based economy.”

Vernon stressed the importance of both national and global talent identification, noting that many young Ghanaian athletes switch allegiance to other countries.

“We lose a lot of our sons and daughters to other countries so we need to start with the identification of our youth and beyond, be much more proactive in recruiting the most talented Ghanaians in the diaspora,” he added.

For 25 years, Vernon has led the Right to Dream Academy, expanding it into a global institution with academies and professional clubs in Denmark, Egypt, and the United States.