Sports Groove

...And making Nigeria a name the world must respect By Maxwell Kumoye    In the rising glow of Nigeria’s fast-growing netball movement stands one woman whose dream burns brighter than ever, Victoria Awele Okocha, UK-trained coach, founder of the Roaring Tigers Netball Club and the visionary determined to push the sport “beyond the sky” and make Nigeria a global netball force. For Okocha, netball isn’t just a game. It is a mission, one she has carried from the competitive courts of England to the developing grassroots of Lagos.  A Level 1 England Netball Coach and certified Walking Netball Coach, she has spent over two decades shaping players, building communities, and designing programmes that empower women and inspire young girls across borders. Now back home, she is fired up with one ambition: to build a netball family in Nigeria that will grow, thrive, and eventually conquer the world stage. A DREAM ROOTED IN EXPERIENCE, DRIVEN BY PASSION Okocha’s credentia...

  The Bayelsa State Netball Association with the financial support of the Bayelsa State Government recently organised a two-day basic netball seminar for secondary schools P.E. teachers in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.  The training event which was packaged by CSED (Community Sports and Educational Development) Initiative was held at sports gym of the Federal University Otuoke, in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. 26 new netball coaches were taught the theoretical and practical aspects of netball, which from inception is the only organised sport that is designed for girls and women.  However, in the past few years, the game is now attracting boys and male players in an attempt by world netball to make the game inclusive for all gender. The Government of Bayelsa State decided to sponsor this netball training event in order to build the capacity of P.E. teachers and ensure that the game of netball which is one of the the fastest growi...

By Mishael Emmanuel with additional agency reports     The Taraba State Sports Council in partnership with MAS Foundation, recently held a 10-day non-residential netball training event for primary and secondary school students in Jalingo, Taraba State, North-East, Nigeria. The event which was powered by CSED Initiative, had an average attendance of 40 girls, who were taught the basic skills of netball by coaches Freeman Njeta Godwin and Falin Dauda, who were supported by three other experienced tacticians.  The event which is an initiative of Taraba State Netball Association, is aimed at providing children and youths access to playing netball outside the school environment and to keep them busy with pro-social activities during the school holiday.    Students from GDSS Nyamusala, Howai GDSS Jalingo, Magami GDSS Jalingo and other schools in and around the State capital were transported to the Jolly Nyami Stadium, Jalingo, Taraba State, venue of t...