WISA | WOMEN IN SPORTS AFRICA
16
WOMEN IN BUSINESS SPORT
RACHEL ANKOMAH:
RACHEL ANKOMAH:
BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES
BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES
BEYOND THE FIELD
BEYOND THE FIELD
or Rachel Ankomah, sport has
never been just about the game.
It is about the people behind
it, the opportunities waiting
to be created and the stories that
deserve to be heard. From coaching
and sports administration to media
and grassroots development, the
Ghanaian sports professional is
building a career that reflects the
many possibilities within the sporting
industry.
As the founder of Accra Majestics
Sports Academy and RA Media
GH, as well as the woman behind
Her Field, Her Rules, Ankomah is
passionate about creating spaces
where athletes, particularly women
and girls, can participate, develop
and find their place in sport.
Her journey began long before the
leadership titles. Growing up at
Achimota School, she participated
in hockey, athletics, basketball,
football, cricket and handball before
continuing with hockey and cricket
at the University of Ghana. Although
sport was always part of her life,
she did not initially imagine it would
become the foundation of her career.
That changed as she began to
recognise the bigger picture.
“I realised that there was so much
more to sport than what happened
on the field,” she explains. “There
were athletes who needed support,
disciplines that needed visibility, and
opportunities that needed people
willing to create them.”
Those observations gradually led her
into coaching, team management,
administration, communications
and sports development. Today, she
serves as Head Coach of Ghana’s
National Female Kabaddi Team,
Chairperson of the Greater Accra
Regional Kabaddi Association,
General Manager of the Ghana Jump
Rope & Skipping Federation and
Deputy Organizer for Greater Accra
Skate, among other roles.
Turning Passion into Purpose
Ankomah’s work is driven by a simple
but important belief: talent exists
everywhere, but opportunity does not
always follow.
By Mamello Monyake
Through Accra Majestics Sports
Academy, she set out to help create
an environment where people could
develop their sporting abilities and
grow through participation. What
began as a rugby-focused initiative
has since expanded into a multi-
sport platform.
Her media work follows a similar
purpose. Through RA Media GH, she
seeks to give African sporting stories
the visibility they deserve, particularly
those that are often overlooked.
Building these initiatives, however, has
required more than enthusiasm.
“My journey has involved a lot of
learning, sacrifice, trying things,
making mistakes and starting again,”
she says.
Her experience has taught her
that sustainable sports businesses
require patience, resourcefulness,
strong relationships and a clear
understanding of the needs they
aim to serve. Passion may open
the door, but planning, funding and
accountability help keep it open.