Talent Sports Academy develops children's skills and character in Erbil
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Karla Sabah, 10, enjoys basketball practice three days each week at Erbil's Talent Sports Academy (TSA). There she has found friends outside of her home and school.
Sabah and her teammates at TSA practice for 90 minutes each session under the supervision of experienced coaches. She told Kurdistan 24 that the TSA gives her an opportunity to have fun with her new friends as well as develop and improve her basketball skills.
The academy doesn't just focus on sport. According to its official Facebook page, its mission is to build a bridge between education and sport, achieve excellence in the latter, and create a healthy society.
"Our society needs healthy citizens to develop more and more," it said.
Coach Nosherwan Rostam established TSA in early 2019. It began with only 18 players, mostly boys. Now it boasts 50 players aged 6-17. TSA has a boys' team, a girls' team, and a team for children under 10.
"Our goal is not only the sport," said Rostam. "Our society needs healthy and responsible citizens, and TSA builds that kind of character through sport."
Sabah recalled her experience traveling with the academy to Sulaimani for a friendly match with another team.
"The trip was so much fun, and we learned from our mistakes in the game, and it was a good experience," she said.
TSA's girls' team is now training to participate in the Iraqi Champions Leagues Tournament set to kick off on September 29, 2021.
"Our team is new, and it is in the process of building itself, but this tournament will be a good experience for the next round," said Rostam.
The players and the coach are proud of the TSA's diversity. The academy welcomes players regardless of their race, color, nationality, or gender.
"We have Kurds, Arabs, Armenians, Turks, and other nationalities who speak different languages, each has a different cultural background. That has made us proud and happy," said Rostam.
"I enjoy playing and practicing with the TSA," said Lohan Goran. "It is a diverse group, and it has good players."
TSA had another trip to Duhok in August for another friendly match, this time for the boys' team.
"It was a lifetime experience for my friends and me," Goran said.
The other positive side of TSA is that it involves the parents of the players.
For the children, TSA might only mean fun and sport, but it means much more than that for their parents. They are happy to see their children getting out of the house rather than remaining inside fixated on various screens for hours at a time.
"I am happy that my children spend time at the academy," said Kani Mohammed, a parent. "It is much better than sitting at home and watching screens all day."
For this reason, Mohammed and other parents wished the TSA had events every day after school.
"I encourage all other parents to find activities such as basketball or any other thing for their children. It is healthier and better," said Mohammed.
TSA has plans to engage more children in basketball and other games too.
"I have so many things in my mind, but I can say this, I have plans to include orphans in the near future so that they too have a chance to have fun and be healthy," said Rostam.