SWAN advocates return to school sports

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has called for a speedy return to school sports to enable the country to reap abundant talents. At the just concluded National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, SWAN in a communiqué resolved to conscientise sports authorities to leverage school sports to uncover the precocious talents that abound in the grassroots.

“is the development of outstanding secondary school athletes for schools and the Nation.

“In the 1950s and 60s, the old Western Region had an athletics competition called the GRIER Cup, organised in Zones A to D where there was stiff and exciting competition among schools, and from which great athletes emerged.”

While the National Youth Games lasted, there was a plea by the Delta State government to shift the competition’s age bracket from 15 years to 17 years, perhaps for a much more rigorous and robust event.

Yet, another school of thought posited about the retention of the 15 years and under age bracket in the belief that the secondary school age is best addressed with genuine athletes.

Over the years, Delta State, through the Sports Commission has consistently provided technical support for the GCU Relays, with the provision of the Timetronics photo finish equipment, as well as the personnel to deliver on a hitch-free inter-collegiate athletics meet.

As in previous editions, the Gamaliel and Susan Onosode Foundation (GAMSU) has again provided strong backing for the GCU Relays, which will be held on November 9, 2024, at the school’s tartan tracks, built and donated by NNPC/SHELL Petroleum Development Company.Excitement as CCSF, French Embassy reignite Paris 2024 experience in Abuja

From Ernest Nzor, Abuja
The participants were held spell bound at a one-day post Paris 2-24 Olympics workshop  organised by the Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation in conjunction with the French Embassy held at the Springhall British School in Abuja.

The aim of the workshop, which featured over 90 participants, according to the organsers, was to inspire young athletes and educate them about the Olympics, self defence and taekwondo.

In the first part of the workshop, 40 girls from the secondary school were taught self-defence techniques, including the importance of environmental awareness, techniques and the legal use of self-defence.

The practice session, supervised by Olympic medalist, Chika Chukwumerije, included defence against attacks to the face and how to react when being held against your will.

The second half of the workshop had 50 kids from primary schools learning inspirational stories about the Olympics before being taught about the Olympics and taekwondo.

The kids learnt about the Olympic motto, creed, flag meaning, Olympic cycles and sports in the Olympics as well as life lessons about Olympians like legendary gymnast Simone Biles of USA, the inspirational Eric Moussambani of Equitorial Guinea, revolutionary Dick Flosbury of USA and Nigeria’s Taekwondo icon, Chika Chukuwmerije.In the introduction to taekwondo, the kids were taught the etiquettes of the sport, as well as the rules, equipment and scoring , one of the current core sports at the Olympics.

Speaking at the workshop, Attaché to the French Embassy in Nigeria, Magaly Losange, lauded the impact of the programme on the participants and others present, including observers from the French Embassy and Institute Francais.

“It was wonderful. I did personally learn a lot. It was really exciting to see the kids so happy and very engaged. We hope that they will be inspired and be more interested in the pleasure of doing sports. It is not always easy to keep the kids focused but I saw that till the very end, they were very much engaged and had so much fun,” the French Embassy Attaché said.

“We asked different sportsmen and women to come up with a programme that will celebrate the values of the Olympics, and also provide an environment to learn and educate the kids. When we receive a programme from Mr Chukwumerije, we were not only impressed by his credentials, but by the fact he was able to put together a programme that will help the kids to better understand the history of the Olympics and at the same time to learn about Taekwondo,” the attache added.

Explaining the decision to hold the workshop, Olympic medalist, Chika Chukwumerije, said: “I accepted to do this programme because I know it will add a lot of educational values to kids and inspire the young people.

“I loved this kind of impact so I was very happy to see the eyes of the kids light up as we spoke about the different challenges of Olympians and how they overcame it. If anyone stops these kids and asks them about the Olympics and taekwondo, they will give a knowledgeable answer. This makes me happy.” On the self defense lessons for the secondary school girls, Chukwumerije insisted on the importance of self defense training for all females.
 
“Ignorance leads to a lot of pain. There are so many simple things that females should know that will help prevent being in situations of being assaulted and bullied,” he said.

The workshop lasted for three hours across two segments with participants flooding for pictures and autographs after a successful completion of the programme.