A Grassroots Coach,
Kingseley Ogbonna has identified lack of encouragement and low morale as key factors that negatively affect sporting activities, especially football in Nigeria.
He stated that government and multi-nationals were not supporting grassroots sports development enough.
Ogbonna, who is the Chief Coach of Port Harcourt football academy said this in an interview with Tidesport in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
He explained that government and corporate bodies have not been encouraging the youths in sports, in terms of finance and facilities to enable them train effectively. He said that most of the youth who have interest in Sports could no longer continue because of poor funding and were often times driven to engage in vices.
He continued that most of them could not afford three square meal training kits largely because of their poor background.
According to him, before now there was amateur division three league in the state that used to give opportunity to those up and coming players, who have not gotten the priviledge to play in the top teams and stipends were paid, to keep them busy.
He used the forum to appeal to the authorities to bring back youth competitions, in order to discover and engage grassroots talents.
Coach, Ogbonna further said that sports and infrastructural development are imperative in the society and that apart from social interaction and discipline, they also advance careers.

Tonye Orabere