By Eric Ojo
A frontline Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Community Sport and Education Development (CSED) Initiative, has trained 21 new netball officials in Utoka Town, Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The two-day basic netball training event for Physical Health Education (PHE) Teachers and community youth, is part of CSED’s goal to bring netball to the attention of one million Nigerian school children/youth before the end of 2027.
To accomplish this laudable target, the organization intends to the train 1,200 PHE Teachers, who will then impart the knowledge gained into their students. The beneficiaries will be provided with free netball starter pack, which include netball balls, rims/nets, finger-held whistles and training bibs. The NGO plans to train 100 beneficiaries in Edo State.
The training which is the first to be held in Nigeria by Nigerian trained netball coaches who are certified by Netball Africa, empowered netball practitioners involved both theory and the practical aspect of the game.
Six of the coaches were led by Nigeria’s ex-international football star, Edema Fuludu, who took the trainees through basic netball drills which include netball rules, warming up drills, netball positions, passing and catching the ball, dodging, marking, shooting the ball and footwork/movement as well as game planning.
Utoka Town Hall was used as the venue for the theory aspect of the training, while the practical aspect of the event was held at the playground of Utoka Primary School.
Notably, PHE Teachers from 6 primary and secondary schools in Utoka Dukedom, three students of Utoka Community Secondary School and community youths from adjoining towns (Urumwun and Ovah) participated in the training programme.
The Enogie of Utoka, HRH, Ambassador Airomwanbor Ogiemwonyi was the host of the event and he ensured that everything went smoothly.
At the end of the event, basic netball kits/equipment (netball rims, training bibs, whistles and netball balls) were presented to PHE Teachers of the six participating schools and representatives of Utoka and the other adjoining communities.
Meanwhile, the CSED Initiative) hopes to use the lessons learned from this successful maiden event to fine tune their other upcoming series of two-day netball training programmes which will be held in other towns across the Niger Delta area of Nigeria.
“This event is a good example of the organizers attempt to gradually develop netball from the grassroots level in Nigeria”, the statement stressed.