From 21st to 27th July 2025, a quiet but powerful transformation unfolded among a group of young women footballers in Ghana and beyond. Hosted by the Echoes from Faraday Project, the second edition of the Mental Game Retreat (MGR) brought together a small, passionate group of players for a week-long journey of mental training, emotional healing, and personal discovery.

This year, a total of 18 participants joined the retreat. 13 participated online, and 5 joined both online and residential in-person experience. The participants were aged between 16 and 24 years, representing various backgrounds and football teams across Ghana. Notably, two players joined from Kigali, Rwanda, underscoring the growing reach and impact of the retreat across borders.

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This edition of MGR featured a team of seasoned facilitators with extensive expertise, including Dr. Akua Gyamerah, Morgan Stuart, Jennifer Gbarinaa, Fumey Kafui, Nana Asare, Gifty Ayew, Cosmina, and Anita. While physical drills and tactical sessions are the norm in football circles, this retreat shifted the spotlight to mental strength, emotional balance, and personal vision.

Through sessions on mindfulness, stress management, confidence-building, sexual health, and goal setting, the retreat offered tools that extended far beyond the pitch. It wasn’t just about learning, it was about transforming. The girls reflected, spoke up, shared stories, built vision boards, and learned to listen to themselves.

One standout moment was the screening of Forever, a sports drama about a girls’ football team navigating pride, pressure, and purpose. During the post-movie analysis led by Fumey Kafui ( Faraday), participants connected deeply with the story. “It reminded me that no matter how good you are, pride can hold you back,” Priscilla Amoani, one of the participants, shared.

‎Another highlight was a session on stress, anxiety, and self-care, facilitated by Anita. She introduced the idea that not all stress is bad, and that self-worth isn’t dependent on external approval. Her words, “Nobody is like you, and that is your superpower”, struck a chord with the girls and lingered throughout the rest of the retreat.

‎While the residential group took longer to adapt to the nature of the in-person retreat, many of them eventually found their voices. One of the facilitators observed, “It took time, but by the end, they were connecting, not just with us but with themselves.”

Participants came from teams such as Okyeman Girls Football Academy, Socrates Ladies, Northern City Ladies, Rayon Sports FC (Kigali) and others. The mix of Ghanaian and Rwandan participants created a culturally rich and diverse experience, one that speaks to the potential for greater Pan-African collaboration in future editions.

The team hopes to expand their reach to schools, football academies, and communities across the continent, ensuring more young athletes are equipped mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for the game and for life.

‎The 2025 retreat has left its mark, not just in the memories of those who attended but in the quiet inner shifts they carry back to their teams, families, and communities.