Coaches Tasked To Raise 2 Teams From States As World ParaVolley Level 1 Course Ends In Lagos

Coaches who participated at the just concluded World ParaVolley Level 1 Course for Coaches and Referees have been tasked to go back to their respective states and raise at least two teams as a way of impacting what they have learnt during the training.

President of Nigeria Paravolley Federation, Kayode Ladele said the Course, which was attended by 28 coaches and 22 referees from different states in the country, was facilitated by the federation in collaboration with ParaVolleyball Africa.

Speaking on the final day of the weeklong course inside the Gymnasium Hall of the National Stadium in Surulere Lagos on Sunday, Ladele, who facilitated the course to be held in Lagos, disclosed that the coaches and the referees have been told that the essence of the course is to see that it reflects in the development of the game in Nigeria.

“While the organisation of this first-ever World ParaVolley Level 1 Course in West Africa was held in Nigeria, it has put us in the vantage position to participate in World ParaVolley Championships in the nearest future.

“For us to begin to see the multiplier effects of this course in the career of the participants, we have tasked the coaches who represented majority of the states in Nigeria, to go back to their respective states to raise at least two teams so that at the end of the day we would have more players playing paravolley in no distance months,” Ladele told journalists.

Secretary General of Africa ParaVolley Confederation, Zimbabwean Oripa Mubika said she was excited with the turnout of coaches and referees.

According to her the Africa body was impressed with the rate the game is being developed especially since the board of the Nigeria’s federation was elected.

‘We are introducing sitting volleyball to Nigeria and the only way we can conveniently do this is to train the referees and the local coaches. This is the first of its kind in West Africa and we encouraged participation from other west African nations. That’s the reason we could have someone from Benin Republic and Ghana at this Lagos course,’ Mrs Mubika said.

She assured that she would be making a favourable report to the World ParaVolley Federation so that Nigeria would begin to receive supports to further take the game to the nooks and crannies of the country.

The international resources person who handled referee sessions during the course, Dr Shanishah Khalid from Libya expressed his happiness with the high level of intelligence in Nigerian referees who he said showed passion to learning fast during the training.

“I can say that Nigerian referees are good. They can fit in anywhere even at the short notice. I took them on what it takes to handle matches in sitting volleyball which is quite different from the standing or normal volleyball. I can say that the course was a success, and more importantly, Nigeria will soon have her referees officiating in world tournament very soon,” Dr Khalid said.

Ugandan, Robinson Tumwesigye who handled the coaches was also highly impressed with the enthusiasm exhibited by the Nigerian coaches to learn from him. He said with what he saw during the course, he foresees a bright future for ParaVolley in Nigeria.

The World ParaVolley Level 1 Course was organised to build capacity and ensure that Nigeria have many internationally recognized officials while enhancing the ability of the coaches and referees.