18th NSF: Rivers Football Team Commences Camping

Rivers State Football team billed to represent the state at
the 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) scheduled to hold in Lagos State, later
this year would commence camping today.

The Chief Coach of the team, Tony Chuku, made this known in
an exclusive interview with Tidesports, in Port Harcourt, recently.

He explained that the state ended the first phase of camping
of athletes Saturday, adding that he plans to go into last camping with is
players on Friday to enable the state defend the gold medal won by the state in
the football events in the 2011 sports festival.

“We just ended general camping on Saturday, but I will carry
players to camp this Friday for effective preparation, so that we can defend
our gold medal,” Chuku said.

According to him, the second phase of camping of athletes by
the state government which is expected to commence next month would not favour
the football team.

“Why I want to take my players to camp this Friday is
because the second phase of camping athletes by state government next month
would not favour my players, because there will not be enough time for adequate
preparation.

I don’t mind spending my money, for the camping, my target
is to defend the gold medal which was won at the 17th National Sports
Festival,” he stated.

The chief coach used the forum to thank the state government
for camping athletes and provision of facilities for them to train.

Tony Orabere