• info@msquaredacademy.org
  • Phone # 1-626-502-8588
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Marv M2Academy Logo 2023 WIDE2
M2 Squared Basketball Academy
We are a Non-Profit 501(c)(3) and all donations are
tax-deductible.
  • info@msquaredacademy.org
  • Phone # 1-626-502-8588
  • Follow-Us
Marv M2Academy Logo 2023 WIDE2
M2 Squared Basketball Academy
We are a Non-Profit 501(c)(3) and all donations are
tax-deductible.

Our West Africa Trip | Aug 2024

The founder and president of M2 Squared Academy recently completed a significant 12-day tour across three West African countries—Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal—reinforcing their commitment to empowering student-athletes through academic and sports programs in the region.

The journey began on August 6, 2024, with the founder, Marvin Menzies, and president, Gary Clarke, departing from the US and arriving in Lagos, Nigeria. Just as the trip began, Marvin received life-changing news: Daniel, one of the Academy’s Potential Student-Athletes (PSAs), had finally secured his visa to the United States on his fourth attempt, enabling him to attend college on a full basketball scholarship. The news brought Marvin to tears, representing the culmination of the Academy’s efforts to uplift young athletes and create life-changing opportunities. It was a robust validation of their mission to help these young people reach their full potential on and off the court.

This tour marks another milestone

M2 Squared Academy’s ongoing mission to empower the youth of West Africa, ensuring that every trip leaves a lasting impact on both the local communities and the Academy’s leadership. The 2024 trip provided valuable insight into what we would like to continue doing and the additional programs we plan to implement over the next year and in the 3- to 5-year period.

Leadership Completes Landmark West Africa Tour August 6-17, 2024

In Lagos, Marvin conducted an intensive coaching clinic at the Ikeja local military base gym, engaging with local coaches from 9 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Meanwhile, Gary worked directly with potential student-athletes (PSAs), providing technology, social media, and branding training sessions, along with meeting their families and conducting video interviews. The Lagos Marriott Hotel in Ikeja served as their base, offering a comfortable if not spicy, culinary experience (the wings got Marvin good, LOL). Despite the hospitality, the pair could not help but notice the challenging traffic, poor road conditions, and difficult living circumstances faced by the local population throughout their trip.

 

Each coaching clinic location had its own unique challenges. The gym in Lagos was older and extremely hot, prompting the team to consider using a hotel conference room that could be converted into a court-like setting for future clinics. In Abidjan, they held the clinic in a cramped conference room, highlighting the need to find a more suitable space for next year. Additionally, the language barrier was a significant hurdle, and they recognized the importance of having skilled interpreters and providing French language handouts for all the sessions and participants. In Dakar, the clinic took place on an extremely hot outdoor court, where manual interpretation was required, pointing to the need for high-tech translation devices in the future.

M2 Squared Academy | West Africa Trip 2024 Video Journalistic Blog

Photos & Video Galleries by Gary Clarke

Looking ahead, we plan to return to West Africa in April 2025

Possibly again in August to further develop our initiatives. Through monthly Zoom seminars and the SWISH (Skills, Wisdom, Insights, Strategies, in Hoops) materials, we aim to provide ongoing support to our West African Coaching Family. These efforts will lay the groundwork for the creation of a West African Coaches Association and the eventual opening of additional M2 Athletic Academies outside of Nigeria, catering to both boys and girls.

Marvin first traveled to Nigeria in 1999 and has returned almost every year for recruiting and coaching clinics, but the future holds even more possibilities as M2 Squared Academy continues to expand its reach and impact across the continent.

their families and conducting video interviews. The Lagos Marriott Hotel in Ikeja served as their base, offering a comfortable if not spicy, culinary experience (the wings got Marvin good, LOL). Despite the hospitality, the pair could not help but notice the challenging traffic, poor road conditions, and difficult living circumstances faced by the local population throughout their trip.

Each coaching clinic location had its own unique challenges. The gym in Lagos was older and extremely hot, prompting the team to consider using a hotel conference room that could be converted into a court-like setting for future clinics. In Abidjan, they held the clinic in a cramped conference room, highlighting the need to find a more suitable space for next year. Additionally, the language barrier was a significant hurdle, and they recognized the importance of having skilled interpreters and providing French language handouts for all the sessions and participants. In Dakar, the clinic took place on an extremely hot outdoor court, where manual interpretation was required, pointing to the need for high-tech translation devices in the future.