The Lagos State Handball
Association (LSHA) says its ongoing Handball Sam Ocheho Summer Clinic is already indentifying talents in the sport for effective grooming.
The clinic, tagged “The making of Champions’’, is open to private and government schools  at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex, Rowe Park, Yaba.
It is restricted to children aged eight and 12 who desire to build a career in handball.
A Lagos State Sports Commission Coach, Agboola Shittu, told newsmen in Lagos that it took a minimum of 10 years to successfully train a young player.
Agboola said that the association would keep track of the the identified talents’ development by ensuring regular training and competitions for them.
He said that the association was moved to organise the training for children by the desire to nurture future champions in handball.
“It is important to adopt measures that will effectively bring our upcoming players to favourably compete with their international counterparts,’’ Agboola said.
He added that the concentration in the clinic would be on children below 12 years.
“Now, we are not doing well at continental and intercontinental events, probably as a result of our faulty foundation.
“This clinic has come to correct the ills that affect the present players because we really want to train the children to make sure they are acquainted with techniques of the sport.
“We will continue to sustain the initiative, especially during school holidays to enable us to keep track of their development, such that their academics will not be adversely affected,’’ he said.
He noted that 100 participants, comprising 50 boys and 50 girls are featuring at the clinic, sponsored by Sam Ocheho, a board member of the state handball association.
The coach, who is a resource person at the clinic, said the players were given kits for training and a meal ticket of N150 daily.
Agboola added that the training sessions which involved theory and practical was divided into two, adding that they had the 10 instructors for this clinic.
He expressed the hope that the objective of the clinic would be achieved as it was already instilling the sport’s disciplines in the participating children.