Oyebog Tennis Academy was founded in 1999 in Cameroon, West Africa, by Joseph A. B. Oyebog, a local tennis player who had made it to the US professional circuit. Despite his success, he had a feeling that his time would be better spent trying to give others the chance to achieve what he had. Joseph had dreamed of founding a tennis school for many years, and finally, following the deaths of his father, Marten Oyebog, in 1988 and his mother, Dr. Lucy Atang King Oyebog, ten years later, Joseph decided that it was time to realize his dream.

In late 1998, he founded Oyebog Tennis Academy in memory of his mother and father. With the opening of the first center in Limbe in February of 1999, the Academy was officially underway. Three more centers opened in the spring of 1999, one each in Bamenda, Kumbo, and Douala By the fall of 1999, Joseph had returned to the United States of America to teach tennis and to raise money for his fledgeling academy. With tremendous support from friends, Oyebog Tennis Academy incorporated in Georgia, USA, providing a groundwork for fundraising efforts in the United States. By 2002, the Academy had already produced four players of professional calibre. Dubbed the "Dream Team" within the Academy, OTA's US branch helped to secure these four players spots at US universities where they would have a chance to earn degrees while playing tennis. Due to the enormous cost to the program of relocating these four players, the Academy unfortunately was forced to temporarily shut down its regular tennis program. In November of 2004, Joseph revived OTA's programs in Cameroon through the opening of two competition training centers at the Tennis Club Douala and the Tennis Club Yaounde, following a preselection of players in both cities. A day-long coaching seminar was held in Douala where about 50 coaches from all across Cameroon discussed strategies to implement OTA's program nation wide, addressed existing problems, and proposed ideas to help OTA prosper. All the participants received an attestation of participation, and the event closed with a dinner gala.Thousands of tennis balls, rackets, strings, and a couple of stringing machines were shipped to Cameroon by an OTA volunteer and sponsor. OTA extends its sincere gratitude to John Ndi, a lifelong friend and cousin of Joseph, who covered the shipping costs for these materials.The 2004/2005 season also saw the opening of an OTA program at the Presidential Guard Sports Complex and at SCDP Douala. In addition, during his stay in Cameroon, Joseph participated in the Cameroonian National Championship, earning him his second National title. His participation in this tournament helped to motivate kids to pick up their rackets and keep playing.

The '04/'05 season concluded with an OTA-sponsored challenge tournament, and OTA was congratulated by the president of the National Tennis Federation as "courageous and ambitious" and he asked OTA to continue it's programs. In October 2005, Joseph was called upon to represent Cameroon in the All Africa Games in Tunisia. In what was to be his last international tournament, Joseph led a team of students from the Academy. OTA gained recognition by playing an essential role in clothing the Cameroonian team at the tournament. On his return to Cameroon, OTA focused its attention on reinforcing the camps and staff, and on developing strategies for expanding into other areas of the country. Over the course of a five month stay, OTA accomplished a great deal, including distributing equipment to coaches in Cameroon, a coaches reunion and seminar, and negotiations with local partners to support the cause. Among OTA's partners in the 2005/2006 season were Group CFAO, Adionostalgie, the Presidential Guard, and SCDP. In addition, OTA opened a Pro Shop in Yaounde. Once again, the season was concluded with a challenge tournament. In November of 2006, after a long summer of hard work, a forty foot high cubic container of tennis equipment and a transportation truck left from New Jersey to travel by ship to Douala for the program. Our eternal gratitude goes to the local clubs and volunteers who made this possible. Upon the safe arrival in Cameroon of the container, the 2006-2007 season once again kicked off with a coaches reunion and seminar in Yaounde, followed by distribution of 64,000 cubic feet(!) of tennis equipment. Following an end of year ceremony and the selection of players for OTA's Douala and Yaounde competition training centers, OTA began the opening of it's new PeeWee centers at Bafang, Bamenda, Sangmelima, and Garoua. This was an unusual season, in that although the traditional end of season tournament took place following the opening of the PeeWee center at Bafang, OTA activities continued for a few more weeks.

Upon his return to the USA in March 2007, Joseph took up the position of head tennis coach at Fairfield Warde High School, the school that produced tennis legend James Blake. Among the parents of his students, he found a keen interest in aiding the program and helping to revitalize the Academy. He found additional support amongst the local tennis community in Westport and Norwalk, especially at Norwalk Fitness and Tennis Club, which essentially adopted the program and volunteered their services, time, facilities, and even a $1000 check to help get things started in OTA's new American home of Connecticut. Norwalk Tennis and Fitness, along with many other local clubs, helped the Academy to run a very successful equipment drive. Our profound and eternal gratitude goes to Norwalk Tennis and Fitness, along with the many other clubs and individual volunteers who have helped in one way or another. As new faces and new minds began to take over the day-to-day operations of the Academy, it became clear that the the Academy's organizational structure, which had served the Academy well for 8 long years, was not up to Joseph's ambitious plans. After reviewing the situation, Joseph agreed, with a heavy heart, that 2007 would have to be the year that the US branch of the Academy went into hold so that much-needed work could be done to secure the Academy's integrity, both for now and for the future. Although the US branch of OTA is currently reorganizing itself to be ready for the 10th Anniversary of the Academy in the 2008/2009 season, the Cameroon Branch of OTA will continue to run its program as usual during the 2007/2008 season.

OTA INcorporation in the USA

Donation Online

 

Check Donation:

3 Heron Lake Lane. Westport, CT 06880.

Or

P.O Box 96. Westport, CT 06881