C’River Makes Inter-House Sports Compulsory In Schools

The Cross River Sports Council said that it has made it mandatory for schools in the state to observe the annual inter-house sports competitions to regenerate grassroots sports.

The Director of Sports, Jude Amadi, told newsmen in Lagos in a telephone interview that many schools have long abandoned the competitions.

He added that the development had impacted negatively on the growth of grassroots sports in the state.

“The council is fully committed to the development of sports in the state, and the development must start from the grassroots.

“So, as part of our effort to improve the state’s sports profile, we have directed all primary and secondary schools in the state to regularly observe their inter-house sports competitions.

“That is the only way to bring about a bold transformation in grassroots sports in the state; students who are talented will be identified and groomed to stardom.

“We have started on the project and it has started yielding positive results, the Sports Director added.

Amadi stressed that the directive did not exempt private schools in the state, and warned that defaulters would face the penalty.

He said that the council usually sends out scouts to schools’ inter-house sports competitions, to identify budding talents who could be groomed to stardom.

“We have a camping ground for such persons who are exceptional; once we discover them in inter-sports competitions, we groom them for future sporting events,” he said.