Handball
By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, May 22, 2018 (NAN) Akeem Sunmonu, Coach of Jibowu Junior High School, has urged the Lagos State Handball Association (LSHA) to validate the data of players that participated in the just-concluded Secondary Schools Handball Championships.
Sunmonu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that by so doing the use of overage players in subsequent editions could be averted.
NAN reports that the just-concluded championships, tagged “OPEIFA CUP’’, was organised by the LSHA and held from May 14 to May 18 at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba.
“It will be unfair and intimidating to have players that have graduated from school to still be in school team to the detriment of others in their categories,’’ he added.
“There is need for them to go the extra mile to verify the lists of players in school teams made available to them to avoid the use of mercenary in the championships.
“The idea behind the championships is to encourage the game of handball in schools and using the same platform to identify raw talents, so the organisers must target these objectives.
“The LSHA has tried by making the championships a success, we have lots of schools and there is great improvement in the organisation, officiating and welfare,’’ the coach said.
He added that the championships’ requirement should include prescribed penalties for schools that might err to enable them to do the needful.
“There must be implementable sanctions because that is a way of imbibing discipline in this championships; it’s a strictly grassroots tournament not a must win event,’’ he said.
Sunmonu, however, commended Kayode Opeifa, sponsor of the championships for his selfless contributions to the growth of the sport since 2015.
NAN reports that the championships which featured boys and girls in junior and senior categories, had participants drawn from 83 private and public schools in Lagos. (NAN)
MIL/ERO/PDE
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(Edited By Emmanuel Okara/Peter Ejiofor)