Sports
T/Tennis: State Coaches Tasked On Talent Discovery
The Head Coach, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Nasiru Bello, has called on state coaches to assist the federation in the area of discovering talents at the grassroots.
Bello told newsmen in Lagos that since it was mandatory for coaches to discover talents in their areas, they should collaborate in the discovery of new talents for the federation.
“This is the only way to develop the sport. The federation does not have eyes in all the nooks and crannies of the federation.
“It is the coaches that are in the various states. They know who is who in Table Tennis in their localities, for the federation to groom to stardom,” he said.
According to him, there will be minimal reliance on ageing and tired players if talented players were discovered at the grassroots and were forwarded to the federation, on a regular basis.
“The ageing players’ skills are already known by their foreign counterparts but with newly-discovered ones, it will be difficult to predict them for a while.
“I hereby appeal to these coaches to assist us because as time lapses, most of the old players will not be able to withstand the rigour of the sport,” he said.
Bello noted that some of the upcoming players like Tosin Oribamise, Hammed Osibanjo and Babatunde Babafemi, were players that would soon become a threat to their foreign counterparts, because of their skills.
“Most of the players we have taken for international competitions this year are mostly the upcoming players, especially in the cadet category and they have been doing this country proud.
“Oribamise won the ITTF Hope Scholarship last February in Cote d’Ivoire, while she and Babafemi had been selected to represent Africa at the World Cadet Championships, slated for Turkey in June,” he said.
Bello said that quality and young players were at the grassroots awaiting discovery and urged the state coaches to step up their hunting activities.
He added that the federation had various developmental programmes to nurture newly-discovered talents to stardom.
Sports
PH Club Amateur Open Golf Tourney Tees- Off, Oct 9
Preparations are in top gear as this year’s edition of the Port Harcourt Club Amateur Open Golf Championship tees off on October 9, 2023.
The Chairman of the Tournament Organizing Committee, (COC),Dr. Patrick Ohia, who made this known while addressing sports journalists in Port Harcourt, said the championship will take place at the Golf Section of Port Harcourt Club 1928.
Dr. Ohia hinted that over 220 amateur golfers have registered for the tourney, adding that the theme of this year’s championship is “Golfing for Healthy Living”.
According to him, the tournament will feature mostly golfers within the South-South and South-East region of Nigeria, and hinted that registration had since been closed.
He maintained that every necessary logistics have been put in place for a hitch-free championship, adding that this year’s edition of the Port Harcourt Club Amateur Open Golf Championship will be unprecedented in the annals of the golf section.
The Organising Committee Chairman further disclosed that professional golfers will also participate in the championship as mouth-watering cash prizes have been earmarked for them as they play sorely for monetary gains.
He said that the Caddies will play on the first day, while the seniors and the elders will take their turn on the second day of the open, which will precede the Lady Golfers, Professionals and Amateurs tee-off respectively.
Meanwhile, he said the tournament is being bankrolled by Polaris Bank and a list of other sponsors.
Sports
NYG : Coach Expresses Disappointment Over Over-Age Players
The Head Coach of Team Rivers Hockey team, Comfort Nya has expressed disappointment over the fielding of over aged players at the ongoing National Youth Games (NYG) in Asaba Delta State.
She praised her team for their performance, adding that she was disappointed with her opponents, especially, Kaduna state for fielding overaged players.
Nya said this yesterday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after they lost 5-0 against Kaduna state at the ongoing NYG in Asaba Delta state.
According to her, she has been with the team for only three months. She expressed optimism that in another 12 months, the team will turn things around.
“I believe in the team with what I have seen so far, they will do well in next edition.
“ The team started brightly at the game but were overpowered by their opponents.
“I think we still have one game to play against Niger. I am assuring Rivers state that they are not going to do bad in the game.
By: Kiadum Edookor
Sports
Athlete Advises Parents To Encourage Wards In Sports
The first gold medalist of Team Rivers State at the ongoing National Youths Games (NYG) in Asaba, Beauty Jumbo, has advised parents to always encourage and not to give up on any child that chooses or gets involved in sports.
According to her, she fell in love with gymnastics through the advice of her sister and today she is able to do well in the game.
Jumbo made the assertion on Wednesday while speaking with sports journalists shortly after she won a gold medal in gymnastics at the ongoing NYG in Asaba, Delta State.
She expressed joy over winning the gold medal, adding that she wants to be the next generation gymnast.
“ I want to advise parents not to lose hope in any child that is participating in sporting activities because sports pay.
“ My aim is to be the next generation gymnast. I love the game because my sister developed my interest in the game.
“ I want to make my parents and my country, Nigeria proud”, Jumbo said.
The former bronze medalist in the sixth edition of NYG and student of Dominion Noble Global Academy of Port Harcourt said that her coming to the seventh edition was to win gold which she has done adding that she wants to win more in the game.
“I am very excited because my plan has come to past.
“ I want to thank my coach, Tamunosaki West, for what he has been doing during our training,” she said.
By: Kiadum Edookor
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