By Eric Ojo
Mosogar town in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State recently hosted the ongoing training of netball teachers, which is facilitated by Community Sport and Education Development (CSED) Initiative, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).
The two-day basic netball training for Physical Health Education (PHE) Teachers and College of Education Lecturers, which is part of the CSED’s Niger Delta Training Tour, is driven by its ‘Project 2027’ vision.
The primary target of ‘Project 2027’ is to train and equip one thousand two hundred PHE Teachers and community youths that will bring netball to the attention of one million Nigerian students before the end of 2027.
The free training clinic is aimed at teaching the beneficiaries the basic skills (theory and practical) aspect of netball, so that they can impart the knowledge gained into their students.
Netball is the only sport in the world that is specifically designed for girls and women. The CSED strongly believe that the girl-child in Nigeria should be supported and allowed to play this sport in a safe environment.
This two-day event was held on 14th and 15th of July at the indoor sports hall of Delta State College of Education Mosogar (COEM). Among the 41 new netball coaches were seven staff of COEM who are Lecturers or Sport Coaches at the Physical and Health Department of the college.
Notably, teachers from 17 government secondary schools, 2 government primary schools, PHE Teachers from 9 private secondary schools and one private primary school as well as additional 2 teachers from the office of the Chief Inspector of Education (C.I.E.), attended the training which was conducted by Netball Africa certified Coaches.
Apart from providing the 41 attendees with certificates, 35 of them were provided with free netball starter pack (netball balls, netball rims, finger-held whistles, two sets of netball training bibs and free green ceremonial T-shirts). The CSED representative also reassured that the shortfall in the equipment provided will be addressed within a period of two weeks.
Chief Inspector of Education of Ethiope West Local Government Area, Mrs Oghajafor Ochuko Patricia in her message through her representative, Okotie Igho Precious was full of praises to CSED Initiative and the Physical and Heath Department of COEM for organizing the event. She promised that her office will endeavour to monitor the progress in the use of the equipment donated by CSED.
Similarly, the Director of Sports at COEM, Glory Orugbo who was among the seven staff of the college that participated at the training, said the institution would be keen to partner with CSED Initiative in organizing future training programme that is geared toward developing the capacity of PHE Teachers and grassroots Coaches in the region in Delta State. Orugbo commended the organizers of the event for a job well done.
Another participant from the college, Dr Emoghene Obodo Blessing said netball is a sport she would want to introduce into the area of specialization of future graduates of the Physical and Health Department of the school.
Though netball is almost an unknown sport in Nigeria, this particular training event was oversubscribed, as could be seen in the number of attendees. Till date, 62 PHE Teachers have been trained, out of the 300 that CSED Initiative intends to train in 2022.
Another highpoint of the event was the conferment of the title of volunteer CSED Liaison Officer on Pastor Evelyn Ofoghoro, the Organising Secretary of the Delta State Sports Commission Oghara, by the CSED Initiative, for her wonderful contribution, particularly for supporting and mobilizing of the participants.
The NGO also acknowledged the commitment and support of the Director of Works at COEM, Engr. Anthony Okakuro before and during the training.