St. Cornelia Connelly College, Uyo, recently hosted a two-day training clinic of Physical Education Teachers in netball, powered by CSED Initiative in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State Secondary Education Board (SSEB).
The SSEB Director of Sports, Pastor Emmanuel Ebong, who represented the Chairman of the Board, Dr Ekaete Ebong Okon, expressed delight to witness the return of netball, which she played in secondary school.
Forty-six physical education teachers (including two secondary school students) drawn from all the councils of the state attended the training, conducted by three certified coaches, Dr Grace Ataha, Edema Fuludu and Onome Edema.
Head, Department of Physical and Health Education, University of Uyo, Professor Ukeme Eyo, thanked the initiative for choosing Akwa Ibom to be one of the first three states to hold the training.
The three coaches took turns in teaching participants the theory and practical skills of the game.
On the second day, netball drills were introduced after the participants were divided into four teams and practiced what they learned, followed by a practice session. The coaches also talked to the participants about their safeguarding responsibility, by ensuring that students who take part in sports, do so in a safe and abuse-free environment.
Dr Grace Ataha also talked about the negative impact of drug abuse in sports just as the SSEB Director of Sports promised to introduce netball into Akwa Ibom youth games and inter-house sports competitions. He urged the trainees to retrain others and make sure the game flourished.
A representative of the participants, Charity Etukudo, thanked the initiative, promising to make good use of the knowledge gained. At the end of the training session, certificates and 31 netball starter packs (netball rims/nets, netball balls, finger-held whistles and two separate colours of netball training bibs) were given to the participants.
Netball is currently the only sport specifically developed for girls and women.