The Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation and the Community Sports and Educational Development (CSED Initiative have rewarded the hockey team of St. Maria Goretti Girls’ Grammar School, Benin City, with cash gifts.
 
The hockey team of the school grabbed a silver medal for Edo State during the National Youth Games held in Asaba in July 2025.
 
St. Maria Goretti Girls’ Grammar School is the only secondary school in Nigeria that has a hockey Astro turf pitch. The school’s hockey-playing tradition goes back as far as the early 70s, when the school was under the control of the Catholic mission in Benin City.
 
The event, which was held at the school’s hockey ground, was attended by Executive Directors of the Edo State Sports Commission, Dr Celestina Aletor and Sabina Chikere, as well as Dr Celestina Aletor, who represented the Old Girls’ Association of the school.
 
On the ground to receive the visitors were the Principal of the Senior School, Mrs Abieyuwa Abu-Osagie, Mr Edosa Osaigbovo, Mr Earnest Iyare, and the school hockey coach, Sylvester Aigbo.
 
Sabina Chikere encouraged the students to keep working hard in both their academic pursuits and improving their athletic ability.     
 
She stated that they have a good example in Dr Celestina Aletor to look up to, saying that she is not just a former hockey player who represented the school, but was so good at playing the game at the Federal level, where she got a university scholarship.
 
Dr Aletor pointed out that courtesy of the Old Girls’ Association, the school boasts a well-equipped IT lab that is second to none in Nigeria.
 
The highlight of the event was the presentation of cash gifts to 14 ex-students of the hockey team who graduated in July 2025, as well as 22 current students of the school.
 
As part of the school talent identification programme, some of the current hockey team players are in junior secondary school. In order to ensure that the game of hockey is taken to the next level, the two NGOS have arranged for 25 pre-loved hockey sticks to be delivered to the school hockey team.