Coach Calls For Talent Hunt At LGAs

The need for Rivers State Government to organise a talent hunt programme across the 23 Local Government Area’s (LGAs) in order to discover in degenous athletes has been stressed.

The state power lifting coach, Adolphus Ordu, made the statement recently during a chat with Tidesports at the power lifting gymnasium at the Alfred Diette-Spiff Sports Complex Port Harcourt.

According to him, organising sports competitions at the various LGAs in the state would be the foundation for success of the state’s sports.  He  said that it remains the only way the state would be consistent and soar to the desired height in sports.

He said that there were many hidden and abandoned talents at the grassroots that need to be harnessed and brought to the lime-light, adding that the state would in no distant time bring back her lost glory and leading position in the sector.

Ordu, however, recalled his prime days in weight-lifting with his contemporaries from Delta State as they made waves for the state, but after all the training given to them by the state, they left while  he, being an indigene, remained in the state and rose to a coach.

“It would interest you to know that the popularly called “Fish” Obia Inyengiyirabo and the just retired wrestling coach, Geofery Eye and some others were discovered during competitions at their various LGAs”, he said.

Ordu, maintained that if these programmes could be taken seriously in state, it would definitely help the sports ministry to have more indigenous and seasoned athletes that could represent the state in any national and international engagement.

“I remember the days of Eben Spiff as Sports Commissioner, when Elf and other company organised swimming and tennis tournaments at the various LGAs to discover talents for the state, the then government would enroll the winners in any of the schools (secondary or primary) and get employed at the sports council even in school”, he recalled.