Beyond basketball: BAL4Her Launches its First Elevate camp in Senegal

On the sixteenth of February 2026, the BAL tipped off the first BAL4Her Elevate Camp in Saly, Senegal. An immersive experience designed to develop elite young female players aged 18 – 26 not just to build their basketball skills, but as confident leaders prepared for life beyond the court.

The camp brought together 30 of the top division one and two players – representing 17 different clubs - from across Senegal. It combined high-level on-court training with tailored off-court learning focused on leadership, financial literacy, and personal development.

The on-court training was led by Coach Cheikh Sarr, Senegal Women’s Senior National Team Head Coach, alongside four assistant coaches from division one and two teams: Fatou Kine Kane of Ville De Dakar Women’s basketball, Sabel Diatta of Keur Madior Women’s Basketball, Nancy Cisse of Mermoz Men and Women’s basketball teams and Aida Niang of Dream Act Women’s Basketball.

“The format of this camp is different…the players get accommodation, stay put, get evaluated. We had workshops relating to leadership, finances and mobility, so that they can carry themselves and know how to be ready as a professional.” Fatou Diagne, BAL4Her Elevate Program Lead and Former Co - Captain National Team, Senegal.

Preparing for Life Beyond the Game

For many of the players in attendance, basketball represents both passion and possibility, a potential pathway to professional careers or broader roles within the basketball ecosystem. Recognizing this, BAL4Her intentionally designed conversations that pushed players to think critically about what sustainability, independence, and success truly look like beyond the court.

To support this vision, we partnered with Wave and Ladies and Basketball, organizations’ whose missioned aligned with empowering women through education, opportunity and access

“A lot of young African women in basketball struggle to manage their financials. So, those workshops help them to know, how to establish their life, how to negotiate a contract, how to save money,” Fatou Diagne, BAL4Her Elevate Program Lead and Former Co - Captain National Team, Senegal.

Through Wave’s engagement, the camp held sessions around financial literacy. The players were encouraged to critically examine their relationship with money; how they spend, how they save and how they budget including an introduction to Wave’s Vault tool. Vault discourages impulsive spending and instead helps the players cultivate a culture where they are intentionally saving.

“Today, they showed us that you can block and create several vaults inside, so you can better distribute the money and know how to plan it.” Mame Fatou Gning, BAL4Her Elevate Senegal Camper.

Expanding the Definition of Success

The camp featured several leadership and self-development sessions including a panel and group discussions with various aspirational Senegalese women who work & lead in an around the basketball ecosystem as well outside of the ecosystem. The goal here being to expose the young female players to the existence of opportunities and the different pathways that exist in and around the sport.

“It's also giving the players the tools and the information that there are other pathways out there that are still in touch with your passion with basketball that you can, pursue.” Zaiya Karas, Future Pro -Social Responsibility and Player Programs, BAL

Some of the key conversations were about entrepreneurship, communication, financial literacy and leadership skills. We challenged them to see themselves not only as athletes, but as decision-makers and role models. For many, this was a rare opportunity to pause, reflect and articulate who they want to become.

“One of the players shared that they had never had the opportunity to reflect like this, asking herself these kinds of questions, critically the way they did during the leadership session.” Mame Diara, Future Pro – Basketball League operations

Talent on Display

On the court, the camp culminated in a series of highly competitive showcase games at the BAL’s first inaugurated court in Yoff - Dakar, including three main matchups and an all-star game featuring the top 20 players from the camp. The intensity, skill level and competitiveness on display reinforced the depth of talent present in Senegal’s women’s basketball landscape.

“I am very impressed with the talent we have here as they represent the future of basketball. I am even looking to select one or two for the tryouts for the National Team.” Coach Cheikh Sarr, Camp Director & Women’s Senior National Team Head Coach (Senegal)

As a result of their exceptional performance during the camp, three of our campers: Codou Diop, Aminata Ndong, and Ramatoulaye Sy earned an invitation to join the Senegalese national team camp as preparations begin for the World Cup qualifiers.

“I think the camp is a great opportunity, both for the players and for the coaches, it’s just the beginning but I believe the girls gave it their all and learned a lot.” Nancy Cisse, Assistant Coach, BAL4Her Elevate Camp.

Aminata Ndong of AS Ville De Dakar, among the standout players of the camp and was ultimately awarded MVP of BAL4Her Elevate Camp - Senegal. This recognition opens the door for her to travel to different countries to participate in additional BAL4Her camps across the region, as well as continued engagement through a follow-up virtual program. The top ten players selected from the camp will take part in ongoing virtual sessions facilitated by Ladies and Basketball, ensuring that learning and mentorship extend well beyond Saly.

Building Momentum Across the Continent

With its first BAL4Her Elevate Camp in Senegal marking a resounding success, the BAL Social Responsibility and Player Programs team is energized to expand the initiative across additional markets. By continuing to invest in elite female talent and holistic development, BAL4Her Elevate is not just shaping better players, but stronger, more prepared leaders within the basketball ecosystem.

As the echoes of bouncing balls fade from Saly, the impact of the camp endures; in the lessons learned, and the futures newly imagined.