NAN-S-18
Absence
By Uwumarogie Peter
Abuja, Feb. 5, 2018 (NAN) The Coach of Flying Star Rollers’ Club of Nyanya in Abuja, Ismail Muhammed, says it is disappointing that Nigeria was absent from the Roller Derby World Cup which ended on Sunday.
Muhammed told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja that Nigerian skaters’ absence was not a good sign on efforts to develop the sport locally.
NAN reports that the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup which was held in Manchester, UK from Thursday to Sunday was the third international women’s Roller Derby World Cup.
Muhammed said roller skating was one sport Nigerian youths had come to love, adding that allowing them to participate in international tournaments would help to build the sport’s popularity.
He said Nigeria has potential in skating which could have been harnessed for tournaments like the one held in Manchester.
“With the good skaters we have here who are below 18 years, it was so sad that Nigeria was not represented at the Manchester event.
“The crop of skaters we have in the country for participation in the tournament can effectively square up with any roller skater anywhere in the world.
“Skating has given the youths in this location (Nyanya in Abuja) a good alternative, to stay out of drugs.
“We had used the club to guide the members to stay out of drugs and to take their education seriously in order to achieve their dreams.
“So, government should help in developing it for these youth to earn a living from doing it,’’ the coach said.
He expressed regrets that the club in 2017 had several invitations to participate in tournaments but could only manage to honour three in Enugu and Lagos.
Mohammed lamented the fact that they could not tournaments outside the country because of fund constraints,’’ he said.
Blessing Onoja, a female skater who is a secondary school student, told NAN that the club’s skaters were very good.
She said they have the capacity to stand up to any skater in the world with some form of assistance.
“It is sad watching skaters on YouTube doing what they can also do to bring laurels to the country, knowing that we can also do the same, if not better,’’ the SS2 student said.
She, however, advised young people to take to skating to remain healthy, smart and intelligent. (NAN)
UP/OMO/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)