19th NSF: FCT Athletes Begin Preparation

The Director of Sports, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dilichukwu Onyedinma, says athletes in the territory have begun preparations ahead of the 2017 National Sports Festival.
Onyedinma told newsmen that FCT Administration was interested in grass roots sports development, hence the need for early preparations for the festival.
She said the administration, led by Moha, was focused on youth development using sports as a tool.
“Now we are preparing for the National Sports Festival. We are only waiting for the time.
“Though it was supposed to have held in Calabar some two, three years ago, there is a rumour that it might be shifted to another state, which we don’t know”, Dilichukwu Onyedinma said.
“So we are preparing towards that; all our coaches are working; we train every morning and we train every evening to make sure that the athletes are fit.
“So anytime they say go to this state or go to another state, we will come together in a close camp to now prepare them for real.
“We are happy that the administration that is on board now is into youth development.
“They see sports as one of the tool that they will use in developing the youth.
“And that is why they are keying into most of our programmes. The minister has said it that he is ready to help the youths get to their destination.
“And that is what everybody in this country, including adults and people that have the opportunity to assist the youths should be doing.
“Sport is not all about running around, shouting and jumping.
“Now it’s about job creation and economic empowerment.
“It is about health, because first you have to be healthy for you to be able to achieve other things, a sick man does not do anything.
“And it’s only when you engage in sports that you be able to curb some illness and sickness that you get out of not exercising,’’ she added.
Onyeadinma said that the administration would build on the successes recorded in 2016 to better sports performance in 2017.
She said the FCT sports department was interested in developing all the 32 sports adding: “we don’t intend to leave anyone out.’’
It would be recalled that the festival, which is billed to hold in the first quarter of 2017, has been postponed several times.