Sports
Coach Canvasses Grassroots Attention For Athletics
A Lagos State Athletic Coach,
Dennis Joseph, has appealed to the Government, National Sports Commission (NSC) and Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to focus more attention on grassroots development.
Joseph told newsmen in Lagos that upcoming athletes to be identified from grassroots competitions would later represent the country at international competitions.
“I would prefer the Sports Ministry or those in charge or Federal Government to pay attention to the grassroots because they are the ones to make the country proud tomorrow.
“Yohan Blake was taken to the Olympics 2008, as a spectator, they took him there to sit down and watch.
“But this year, we all saw what Yohan Blake did, he threatened even the Olympic champion in person of Usain Bolt to the core.
“So that tells us that in the next Olympics, we do not have to debate on who will win, if somebody came all the way to threaten even Bolt to that level.
“So it is definitely sure that in the next Olympics, Bolt might not be there, but the Jamaicans are still sure of defending that Gold three times consecutively.
“Here in Nigeria, we only wait for the ready-made, we do not think on how do we, what do we do to get these things done to the extent.
“As it is now, countries like Australia, Canada have already begun their training for Brazil 2016. For Nigeria, such file is not yet opened, so those are the issues.
“We need more conditions like secondary school games to come forth. Initially, during the time of MKO Abiola, we did have athletics for the junior called MKO Abiola U-20,’’ he said.
He noted that the senior athletes had already hit the limelight, stressing that those to take over from them should also be provided fair opportunity.
“By the time you want to take a junior athlete to Nigeria Mobil they will tell you this athlete has not gone here to compete, has not gone there to compete.
“Whereas those competitions are no longer there for them. So, I feel there should be more attention because the senior ones have already gotten to the limelight, they can hang on there.
“Am not saying they should not be encouraged, they need to be encouraged the more because presently they are the ones carrying the flag for the country, they need to be encouraged as well.
“But let us look at those that will take over from them. We should start bringing people and by the time we have reliable legs, It will enable them work hard.
“While these ones too will think of overtaking them,’’ he said.
He, then, urged that the right people should be appointed into prominent positions in sports.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
-
Featured4 days agoWASSCE: RSG Distributes Science Materials To Secondary Schools
-
News4 days ago
Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Lives More Important Than Foreign Investment – Oshiomhole
-
Rivers4 days ago
MBA Forex Trial Adjourn To June 3, Amid Bereavement … As Court Declines Cost Application
-
News4 days ago
ActionAid Demands Probe Of Govs Using Public Funds For Campaign
-
Aviation4 days ago
Passengers Stranded As Delta Airline From Atlanta Route Back Eight Hours After
-
Business4 days ago
Customs Impound N2.35bn Cocaine, 15 Trailers of Rice
-
Politics4 days ago
2027: Bayelsa Senator Gets Critical Endorsement For Second Term
-
Politics4 days agoINEC Sets Rivers South-East Senatorial By-Election For June 20