Monrovia — Former Liberia Football Association Executive Committee Member Rochell Woodson, who has been advocating for the betterment of women’s football and Liberian football at large, has earned a Master’s degree in Sports Management.
By: Christopher C Walker [email protected] 0777898224/0886723075
Madam Woodson, who has her eyes set on the presidency of the LFA, was among several students who graduated from Northeastern University, College of Professional Studies on May 8th, with a master’s in sports leadership.
The former LFA Executive Committee Member was expelled by then-President Musa Bility for her stance on the poor leadership within the FA. She took her case to the Court for Arbitration for Sports and won.
She later ran for Vice President for Administration of the Liberian Football Association but was defeated by Sekou W. Konneh. Considered the iron lady of Liberian football, Rochell Gbappoh Deconte Kumba Woodson has been involved with sports in the country at both the male and female levels.
Speaking to FrontPage Africa, Rochell said she is happy to have earned a Master’s degree in Sports Management after a difficult and challenging time. “I am happy to be receiving a Master’s degree today in Sports Management. I have always been focused on working to develop sports in Liberia and want other women to involve themselves,” she said.
According to her, she hopes her accomplishment will inspire other women and football enthusiasts to understand the importance of combining education with football. “I think the biggest thing that I will say is you can do anything you put your mind to. When I decided to pursue sports management, things were not going the right way from the beginning, but I made it due to my focus and determination,” Woodson said.
Apart from her latest Master’s degree in Sports Management, she holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Liberia, a Post Graduate Degree in Contemporary International Relations from the Gabriel A. Dennis Foreign Institute. She is a former women’s national team basketball player, former LFA Executive Committee Member, former FIFA Women’s Committee Member, former CAF Match Commissioner, former president of the World Girls Football Club, and presently serving as Vice President of Nimba Girls Football Club based in Saniquelle. She worked with the United Nations Mission in Liberia for over 10 years as an Administrative Assistant in the Human Rights and Protection Section, and she also served two terms as the National Staff Association President of UNMIL. Madam Woodson has been involved with sports for more than 25 years.
Rochell G.D. Woodson is the daughter of the late Hon. Roger B. Woodson, former Managing Director of Liberia Water & Sewer Corporation, and former Development Superintendent of Nimba County.