U-13 Soccer Competition To Hold In Abuja

Six  Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)  are expected to vie for honours at the annual U-13 football competition organised by the FOSLA Academy.

The one-day competition scheduled to hold in the school premises at Karshi, Abuja, on April 6, would have over 150 young footballers participating in the event.

Dr John Ogbadu, Chairman of the Academy’s Board, told newsmen in Abuja, that the competition was aimed at identifying talents who were eager to combine football with academics.

He noted that the school was committed to producing players who would excel both in football and their educational pursuits.

According to Ogbadu, when identified, the talented footballers will be given scholarship to study at the institution, founded by Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA).

He added that the scholarships would subsist up to the tertiary level.

“The players must be within the age range of 13 years and must be in Primary Six and they are expected to resume alongside other fee-paying students next academic session.

“A total of 31 players are presently enjoying the scholarships in the school.

“ It would interest you to know that FOSLA academy remains the only privately-owned secondary school in Nigeria that has football embedded in its curriculum.

“It’s tailored in accordance with the National Policy on Education,’’ Ogbadu said.

He added that eight of the academy’s players had been shortlisted for possible invitation to the national U-13 male football team, whenever it would converge this year.

Ogbadu explained that the development was an outcome of the feat achieved by the academy in the 2012 NFA U-13 Championship, where its players formed the bulk of the FCT team that won the tournament.

He explained that the academy had in the last one year played 15 friendly matches, winning 12 and drawing three.