African Sports Monthly Vol I. Issue II February 2018 | Page 48

He noted that the awards have enhanced his performance and inspired him
to play better, but his biggest weapon is discipline and devotion to practice.
Only God knows why he would not get a sixth SWAG awards nomination for
2017, a season that he conquered all that came his way.
“It is the work of God, I have to focus and go for greater glory. "The Sky is not
my limit" - my target is to go above the skies and win everything I can.
I want to go past being a Ghanaian Champion, I want to be the African and
eventually the world Champion.
My problem is high level international coaching and competition, if I was to
get a world class trainer and be exposed to regular competition, you would
see the real Abrefa emerge”.
He however praised his local trainer Eben Whyte who is a strict
disciplinarian and one who inspires him. He has an eye to see emerging
stars, he discovers them from the youth championship level.
The native of Berekum, Ghana in the Brong Ahafo region. Derek Abrefa was
born to Yaw Barimah Abrefa and Sophia Obenewah. He attended the
Maranatha Preparatory School and LA Enobal '2' JHS, before continuing on
at Presbyterian Secondary School-Osu, where he began playing the game
and  would go on to represent the school and his region.
Tawiah Abrefa loved the game and played well, improving upon each game,
and won all inter schools, regional and national championships.
Though he first played for Ghana in 2007 as a junior player and won many
international tournaments, his most memorable time as an athlete was in
2015 at the All African Games when he led the Ghanaian team to beat host
nation, Congo 3-1.