Many people dream, but only a few wake up to the reality of those manifested dreams. Today, we follow the story of a young man whose dream was to make a name for himself in the sport he loved - football.

Although not in the same category of celebrated gods of the game like Pele, Messi, or Ronaldo, Owuraku Ampofo has managed to carve out a niche for himself as a player in the Sports Journalism game. 

There is more to discover as he recounts for us how all this came to be. 

Mr. Ampofo, thank you for taking the time to let us in on this aspect of your life. 

Kindly tell us a bit about your origin story and how it all began for you as a sports journalist.

I come from Koforidua. I grew up there till I was 12 and then, we moved to Accra. I attended Presby Boys SHS. After which I played in the Division Three League in Dome for six months. After a couple of failed academy trials, I applied to Ashesi University. At Ashesi, I played in the Ashesi league. Through that, I caught the attention of a student – Benjamin Epton – who thought I looked like someone who could write. So he gave me some writing assignments, which I did. He was impressed with my work, and that's where it all began for me in terms of journalism. 

I started writing for Benjamin's startup. Eventually, I got the opportunity to do a show at Joy. That led to more shows as an intern, and eventually, I did my national service there. Later, I became permanent staff. 

Many people would shy away from such opportunities at that stage, especially when the financial benefits aren't so compelling, but not you. So what were the first few months on the job like?

The first few months were very tough, especially during my national service. The boss put me in a show at 10:30 PM, which meant I got home after midnight. I also had to get back to work early the next day for the morning meeting at 8:00 AM. It was really difficult in the beginning when I was trying to figure it all out. 

Did you ever feel like quitting or moving on to something else?

To be completely honest, No. I never really felt like quitting. I knew it was going to be challenging, and I psyched myself for it. I had many different offers, but this is what I chose to do. The challenges come with the decision, and they were never overwhelming, so I embraced them.

What is the biggest challenge you had to overcome, and what did you learn from it?

My biggest challenge was discovering myself. Sports Journalism is a really broad field, and for a while, I was at sea as to what to focus on. With mentorship from my Dad, Mr. Albert Ocran, I was able to settle on Data. 

It's been an exciting journey since then. People may not know me for everything I can do, but now I am the go-to person for this one thing, giving me an edge in the industry. People come to me for specific data on teams and players. It gives me such a rush knowing I work hard to provide such valuable service to the industry.

What is your most memorable moment as a sports journalist?

In 2019, I was recognized as one of the top 100 young Journalists in the World by the British Council. I think that's when I really started to believe perhaps I was special. It was a huge confidence boost for me.

Which achievement are you most proud of?

That recognition by the British council Doubles as my most outstanding achievement. It came in my second year as a full-time journalist. It was a proud moment because it was a global competition. It showed me I was doing something right, which has profoundly impacted my career and personality.

You are young and still green in the industry. You have a long career ahead of you. What do you want your legacy as a sports journalist to be?

I want to be remembered as someone who helped to revive Ghana Football. Because I am young, I never really experienced the vibrant moments of the league in the early 2000s. I started watching football seriously around 2006/2007 and gravitated towards European football as that had more coverage. So it would be a privilege to take the league beyond its glory days; get people excited about fixtures, and have conversations about teams, players, and fans eagerly anticipating matches. 

That's the quota I feel I can contribute. If I am able to get one more person excited about a team, following a player, staying glued to a match, I believe I will be fulfilled. 

It's rare to find such patriotism in youth nowadays. You've certainly got loads of it. Do you have any final words for your readers? 

We all have a part to play. The ultimate goal for us is to see more people going to stadiums. Promoters will promote, and players will play, but as fans, we need to understand that we have the most significant role to play – That is, to pay attention. We need to show that interest to bring all efforts full-circle. That is how Ghana football can be made great again.

There you have it, folks; the story from the Horse's mouth; so many lessons we can learn from. I'm sure somewhere in some Ghanaian home, a young boy or girl is being inspired to think of how they can also impact various sectors of our economy and industry. It's truly a pleasure hearing from you, Mr. Ampofo. Do have a wonderful day. 

Source: https://blakrise.com/