October 2024

Celebrating Progress and Community :

at RELENTLESS FOOTBALL ACADEMY

This month, we’re excited to highlight the Relentless Football Academy program in Nigeria. We want to share its story and how it came to be. The academy was founded with a simple yet powerful idea: using football to make a real difference in the community. By teaming up with Isaiah P. Lengmang in Nigeria, we saw the immense potential of football to empower young people. It became more than just a game—it became a tool for hope, skill development, and creating opportunities for a brighter future.

Since its launch in 2016, the academy has been about much more than winning matches. It’s focused on helping kids and teens grow, learn, and pursue their dreams. In this update, we hear from Isaiah as he shares some of the progress we've made, the challenges we’re facing, and how we’re moving forward to open doors for the next generation of football stars.

Also, don’t miss the action shots from our latest fall tournament!

"Relentless Football Academy started back in 2016, and since then, we've been making strides! We officially registered with the Plateau State Football Association in 2020, the Nigeria Football Federation and FIFA in 2021, and with the Nigerian government in 2022. The academy was born from the collaboration of two visionaries, Michael Dauphinee and Isaiah P. Lengmang, who saw how football could truly empower the community. Their goal was simple: to invest in local talent, help young people develop their skills, and give them the chance to turn their passion for football into a livelihood. From grassroots to professional levels, we’re committed to building a strong football foundation. Our colors—orange, grey, and black—represent our relentless spirit and determination.

Since day one, we’ve had some exciting milestones:
•⁠ Enrolled over 150 players across age groups from under 10 to 18+
•⁠ Run regular training sessions every Monday to Friday
•⁠ Organized the Relentless Foundation Cup for the past three years, now one of the top tournaments in the state.
•⁠ Over 30 players have benefited from our scholarship program, helping talented and underprivileged kids chase their dreams.
•⁠Three of our players were selected to represent Plateau State in FIFA's U15 category for Nigeria—a huge honor for us!​
•⁠ We’ve also trained more coaches in modern football techniques, improving our team’s ability to nurture young talent
•⁠ Our players have competed in various tournaments and scouting programs, and some have even been selected for bigger opportunities.

Like any growing program, we face a few challenges. We’re still training on a temporary pitch and hope to secure a permanent one soon. Transportation is also an issue—getting our players to away games can be tough without a bus. And, of course, running the academy takes resources, so we’re always looking for investment and sponsorships to keep us going strong.

We’re so grateful to everyone who has supported us so far, and we’re excited to keep pushing forward with your help. Together, we can keep making a difference!"

Isaiah P. Lengmang​
Director, RFA, Jos

Relentless Football Academy is one of our many development programs around the world and a great example of how we create opportunities and positive change. Not only does the academy empower young players, but it also provides jobs to men and women in the community, contributing to local development. Whether through sports in Nigeria, clean water initiatives, or education programs in Honduras, our mission is always about uplifting communities and building brighter futures. We can't do it alone, though. If you're inspired by our work, we invite you to connect with us and join us in continuing the relentless mission of making a difference, one community at a time.

Saludos! See you next month!