The Long Road to Ghana: The Sierra Leone Pickleball Adventure

Dialed in and all heart—Sierra Leone’s players brought their game to Ghana.

It was a chilly morning when the Sierra Leone Pickleball team kicked off what would become a journey full of challenges, heart, and pure grit. Their destination? The All African Games in Ghana. Their goal? To show the world what Sierra Leone’s Pickleball players were made of.

The Sierra Leone Pickleball Association, just two and a half years old, has been operating with limited resources. From transportation issues and equipment shortages to lack of financial support, the challenges have been constant. But that didn’t stop them.

Each week, the association scraped together whatever they could for transportation and water. Despite the odds, excitement to play was unstoppable. There was so much potential, so many athletes eager to learn and grow. Pickleball was their passion, and they were determined to bring the game to every school and community they could reach.

A Dream Opportunity with Real Obstacles

Then cam the invitation to the All African Games in Ghana. A dream come true. But with it came harsh reality: there were no funds to make the trip. Sierra Leone was facing an economic crisis, and national funding for sports had been cut. Only six sports in the country received government support, and pickleball wasn’t one of them.

The team that made it happen. Resilient, proud, and representing Sierra Leone on an international stage.

As the team faced the possibility of missing the opportunity, one of the association’s leaders, Jeremiah Moshopeh Pratt Jr., made a powerful decision. 

A Personal Sacrifice to Keep the Dream Alive

Jeremiah and his wife chose to sell a piece of their land to fund the trip. The $2,000 they raised was enough to cover transport to Ghana. His sacrifice was a reflection of the belief he held in these athletes and the future of pickleball in Sierra Leone.

Four Countries, Endless Challenges

The team began their journey on March 7. First, a bus to Bo City. Then a ride to Liberia. From there, a long haul to Ivory Coast, and finally, to Ghana. The road tested them in ways they couldn’t have anticipated.

Many players had never traveled far from home. They navigated immigration checkpoints, dealt with travel delays, and experienced the stress of long-distance travel without adequate food or water.

When they missed their connecting bus in Liberia, they were stranded overnight. That’s when Liberian pickleball players stepped in, helping them find a safe place to rest. 

Stranded, Sleepless, and Still Moving Forward

After a sleepless night, the team caught a bus to Ivory Coast, only to face another exhausting leg of the trip. At the Ghanaian border, they were low on money and energy, and now needed to pay for vaccinations and permits. Fellow passengers stepped up, lending them the funds needed to keep going.  

At 11:30 p.m. on March 11, they finally arrived in Accra. The opening ceremony had ended, and they’d missed their first matches. But they had made it. They were there. 

Playing on Thanks to the Pickleball Community

Eyes up, paddle ready.

Their participation didn’t end with the missed matches. Thanks to a generous contribution from the Confederation of African Pickleball (CAP), the team joined a special exhibition event at the Games. 

CAP’s Secretary-General, Collins Munene, reached out to partners across the continent who helped raise $1,500 to fund the team’s return trip. It was a moment of shared purpose, support, and community.

The Future of Pickleball in Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone Pickleball Association may be in its early days, but it’s fueled by passion, resilience, and hope. The players, leadership, and growing support network are proof that the sport has found a real home.

For this team, “Pickleball for the people” isn’t just a slogan. It’s how they show up, support each other, and make space for the sport to grow in every corner of Sierra Leone.

And as for Jeremiah? The land may be gone, but what he built through his sacrifice is worth so much more. His story, and this journey, mark the beginning of something special. 

Here’s to smooth roads, and a future that keeps moving forward.