PHOTOS:
Albert Ugwudike
Albert (second left) and the rest of the Gold Ambassadors at the Sports Awards 2014
Albert Ugwudike is a wonderful example to other teenagers in the sense that as well as his sporting commitment to basketball he is also a Gold Ambassador at Tasker Milward School who is charged with the responsibility of encouraging other students at the school to take an active part in a range of sporting activities.
Albert was previously a Silver Ambassador for a year and even before that had started out in coaching basketball in school but was then offered the chance of the higher accolade of Gold Ambassador after attending an interview and taking part in a group exercise organised by Jo Williams from Sport Pembrokeshire.
Infectious enthusiasm
He works alongside Rominy Colville, also from Sport Pembrokeshire and working as the ‘Active Young People Officer’ for the school in developing their ‘5x60 Scheme’; whereby they set out to provide as wide a range of sports for students to enjoy.
“Albert is a superstar with us because of his infectious enthusiasm,” Rominy told us. “He is a natural organiser and we are so lucky to have him as a Gold Ambassador at school.”
To qualify as a ‘Young Ambassador’ Albert had to attend training sessions in the Leisure Centre at Tasker Milward School where he showed his general enthusiasm for sport participation – and the responsibility of being involved in the scheme were made very clear.
Enjoys taking part
“It really worked for me,” admitted Albert, “and since I first got started in the coaching of basketball I can say that I enjoy that every bit as much as my playing!”
So now the basketball component in school is organised by Albert, whose enthusia
sm for sport in general is indicated in the fact that he has also played in defence for the football team, usually in a defensive role, and hockey, where he will play anywhere to fit in.“I enjoy taking part in both,” Albert told us, “but it is basketball which is my favourite, and I have played for school and Haverfordwest Basketball Club but sadly they are training in Tenby at the moment and my school work means that I can’t really spare the time to go there on a regular basis.”
But he makes up for that in school, where he coaches the game in lunch hours, and at 16 he also serves on the Student Council and is studying Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Further Maths at the start of his two years of ‘A’ Levels.
Family matters
He hopes to follow his father, also named Albert, who works at Withybush Hospital and Tenby, into medicine, whilst his mother Pamela lectures in Criminology at Swansea University. Both enjoy running as a means of keeping fit and younger brothers Bryan and Justin complete the Ugwudike family.
At six feet three inches tall and with plenty of growing still to be done, Albert is ideally suited for basketball and he takes his groups twice weekly during lunch hours.
“We have all age groups on Tuesdays but focus on the lower school on Fridays,” said Albert, “and I really concentrate on getting the basics skills right from the start so that I can build on them through hard work.”
Total focus on his lunch-time classes
He started out with help from others but now is allowed to concentrate on his classes alone and the only problem is that fact that sometimes he has too many participants to squeeze into the gymnasium!
“Sessions include practising shooting, passing and especially dribbling because I need to build confidence in their hand/eye co-ordination,” said Albert, “and I also focus on the rules of the game because young players have to get them right from the start.
“I tell them that there is no contact allowed otherwise they are penalised, no staying inside the ‘D zone’ for more than three seconds, no travelling (that is carrying the ball without bouncing it every footstep).
“The last-named technique is vital to get feet firmly planted on the ground – and good passing and team work in defence are other areas we look to develop early.”
Other sports now offered
Albert tries to keep a look-out for youngsters in school who shy away from any sporting participation and asks them if there is something they would like to try. A few weeks ago he took part in sessions for alternative sports and the indoor golf was particularly popular with a range of ages and abilities.
‘Dodge Ball’ is another new sport that he has been promoting in school and again he is very pleased with the response so far.
He has also helped organise matches between staff and sixth form students in basketball and netball as a means of promoting interest and is ever on the lookout for new ideas, with the full support of staff at his school.
Shining light at the Sports Awards
Albert recently attended the eighth annual Sport Pembrokeshire awards with other Gold Ambassadors from St Davids, Tenby, Sir Thomas Picton, Pembroke and Crymych where all of them spoke to let the packed audience know exactly what was going on with the ‘Young Ambassadors’ scheme. Interestingly, Albert not only spoke well when his turn came but he also wrote the entire script for all the rest!
The Young Ambassadors scheme is run across the county by Jo Williams and she is full of praise about his commitment to the cause:
“Albert is a real asset to our scheme. He is academically driven but passionate about basketball – and getting other students to get involved in a range of sporting activities.
And finally . . .
Chat to Albert Ugwudike for a short while and his enthusiasm for sporting involvement shines through. It was very much in evidence at the Sports Awards evening when we first met up with him and it is clear in conversations since then that he is an influential Young Ambassador for sport in our county – and long may his genuine enthusiasm continue to shine through!