SUNDAY AKINTOYE
The Chairmen of Lagos State Sports Associations have agreed that the only way they can develop sports in the state is to focus on grassroots sports development so that more talents would be discovered to represent the state and the country in the nearest future at various international competitions.
This was agreed on Wednesday by the Chairmen of various sports associations at their Inaugural Forum held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
The Chairman of Lagos State Football Association, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi who presided over the Forum expressed displeasure with the dwindling fortune of sports in Lagos noted that if all the chairmen of sports associations work together and embark on aggressive developmental sports programmes, the better for sports in the state.
He charged all the chairmen of associations to organise regular events that will make sports grow and develop in the state.
“The state of sports in Lagos state is worrisome and I believe that if all chairmen of the sports associations can design a long term strategic programmes, the better for sports in the state. Presently, we want to start our programmes for sports from the grassroots by taking all the sporting programmes to schools where we can develop and nurture talents.
“By doing this, we have returned to grassroots sports where Lagos is known for. I want to urge my colleagues in other sports associations to look into this and if there are challenges, we association chairmen can rally round and support such chairman,” he said.
In his own comment, the Executive Chairman of the Governing Board of Lagos State Sports Commission, Dr Kweku Adedayo Tandoh also said that the only way Lagos can reclaim its lost glory is to embark on school sports development.
He noted that his joy is to see Lagos having pool of talents for sports in Nigeria, adding that he is not bother if other states are poaching athletes from his state ahead of national sporting competitions.
“I am not bother if Lagos has not won any national competition in recent time. My focus is how we can develop sports at the schools level. I want Lagos to become a place where talents would be produced and discovered for Nigeria. If our athletes are representing the country in various international competitions, the glory would come to Lagos because what people will be saying is that those athletes are discovered and nurtured from Lagos, “ said.
Tandoh who charged all the chairmen of the sports associations to come up with various developmental programmes in line with the Lagos State Sports Policy.
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You nailed it' the fortune of sports is dwindling in Lagos state' 2. "We need to embark on grassroots sports development".
Pls how do you achieve all these without a functional grassroots coaches? Lagos state cannot employ coaches but wants grassroots devt. Simple arithmetic: coaches develops grassroots athletes.
Lagos sports is likened to an hospital edifice equipped with state of the art facilities and NURSES but without DOCTORS.