TAIWO ADELU
The month-long first edition of Lagos State Hockey League ended at the weekend with Eletu Odibo High School, Mushin and Igboye High School, Epe emerging the champions of Lagos Secondary Schools Hockey League.
Eletu Odibo, who were contesting in the male category of the league with nine other teams beat hard-fighting Okemagba Community High School, Epe 3-2 on penalties after the teams played 1-1 at regulation time.
The final match in both the male and female categories lived up to expectations as the finalists thrilled the spectators that included the Director General of Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Adewunmi Ogunsanya and other senior management staff of the Commission and representatives from the finalists’ schools.
In the female final, Igboye High School, Epe were too much for their opponent, Surulere Girls High School who they defeated 1-0.
Six teams featured in the female category.
While applauding the performance of the finalists, the Director General of the Sports Commission, Mr Ogunsanya said staging the league was part of the Commission’s effort to popularise lesser sports in the state, adding that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has directed that the Sports Commission should focus more attention on schools sports as this is where the future development of sports lies.
According to him, emphasis will be placed on developing talents from the schools and effort will be geared towards ensuring that talents discovered in these competitions are well groomed as the Sports Commission has put in place machinery to monitor the athletes.
Technical Director of Lagos State Hockey Association, Ayodeji Ladehinde disclosed that about 48 matches were played to give the students more playing time for them to be exposed to the rudiments of the sport, while the Chief Coach of the association, Mr Freeman revealed that 33 boys and 21 girls were discovered in the just concluded league, adding that the association will give the budding players close monitoring to further groom and train them.
Awards in different categories were given to individual players and teams. Best Behaved Team award in the female category went to Surulere Girls Senior Secondary School. Nwabueze Unjuwa won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, while Omotayo Mariam won the highest goal scorer award.
In the male category, the Best Behaved Team award went to Isiu Senior Grammar School. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) went to Bello Quam from Eletu Odibo High School while the highest goalscorer award went to Precious Nwazuoka of Eric Moore Senior High School, Surulere.