NAN-S-7
Basketball
By Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos Nov. 23, 2016 (NAN) The Lagos State Basketball Association (LSBBA) says it will originate 24 coaching centres for the training of youths at the grassroots.
The Chairman of LSBBA, Babs Ogunade, made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to him, the essence of the exercise is to have a control on what the youth are being taught in basketball.
He said that the centres would be spread across Lagos state and would begin training in January 2017.
“The centres will have coaches taking charge of youths in each area, imparting the proper rudiments of the game in them.
“We want to have a good control of what coaches are teaching youths; this is why we organised a four-day coaches’ clinic from Nov. 15 to Nov. 18.
“The 33 coaches that took part were trained by well experienced individuals in psychology, physiology, sports management, health management and other technical aspects of the game.
“We certified the successful participants unlike before when we gave all participants a certificate of participation,’’ he told NAN expatiating on the mission of the government in sports development.
“With this structure, we know those coaches than can handle coaching jobs in Lagos State and then we spread them to the hinterlands.
“The essence of this is to clamp down on all those quack coaches who go around teaching the wrong things to young players in the secondary and primary schools and sports ground.’’
Ogunade said the coaches after their certification had been been empowered so that they could impart the right training in the youths.
“The coaches will be the only ones cleared to cater for youths in the primary and secondary schools, so, we are very strict on the development aspect of our youths,’’ he said.
He said that 2016 had been successful regardless of the fact that the association was unable to stage the yearly Lagos City Basketball Championships.
“We are proud of what we have been able to achieve this year though we regret that we could not hold the City championships; this was due to economic situation in the country.
“However, we can count our blessings and celebrate the year with the successful Youth Alive Basketball Championships held earlier in the year.
“Going into 2017, we are determined to have a successful year and this why we want to have good structures on ground,’’ Ogunade said. (NAN)
BAO/IKU/MO/PDE
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(Edited by Tayo Ikujuni/Morayo Omolade/Peter Ejiofor)