NAN-S-1
Coaches
By Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos, Jan. 7, 2017 (NAN) Lagos State is set to witness a boom in grassroots sports development with the 33 coaches it trained recently to handle athletes in basketball in secondary schools.
The coaches, trained under “Rim Basketball Coaching Course’’ from Nov. 15 to Nov. 18 last year, were issued licences and certificates on Friday and will work in the Lagos State Basketball Association (LSBBA).
The programmes’s Coordinator, Oluseyi Oyebode, said that the training of such coaches would be continuous, adding that their performance would be monitored.
“We are going to organise more capacity training programme from time to time and hopefully, produce the best coaches for the state.
“For those that have received their certificates and licences to work, we will continue to monitor them and ensure they are doing their jobs in the right manner.
“We will also continue to mentor them in the areas they need our support, especially in the technical aspects of the game that often changes,’’ Oyebode said.
Meanwhile, some of the coaches told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the evening event that they would serve the state to the best of their ability.
The expressed delight with the development with one of them, Hilary Dhasimebo, who came tops at the clinic saying that he was ready to raise talents that would represent the country in the future.
“I believe I am ready and better prepared to work hard at the grassroots for the future of basketball in Nigeria,” Dhasimebo said.
Another, Joyi Tijoho, said that the future of basketball was at the grassroots and having been called to duty he was well aware of the task before him.
“Sincerely, this is how the well advanced world like the U.S. and the rest of Europe developed sports in their regions.
“If nobody pays attention to the grassroots, we may not have a great future in sports, so, I give kudos to the leadership of the LSBBA for their initiative,’’ Tijoho stressed.
Also, Akeem Oyekan, added that the future of basketball in the state was at the grassroots, and as such, all that needs to be done to develop the game at that level should be done.
“I’m proud of the development; we need more of these clinics for the progress of the sport as basketball is the second sports in Nigeria after football.
“I look forward to serving the state in this new capacity I find myself,’’ Oyekan said.
For Jatto Charles, the process was wonderful and knowledge enriching, adding that he was confident that the game had a future in Nigeria.
“I am privileged to be among the first set of participants in the programme. I look forward to greater heights and hope to serve the state to the best of my ability,” Charles said. (NAN)
BAO/ACO/PDE
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(Edited by Abiodun Oluleye/Peter Ejiofor)