Sports
AN ex-international, Felix Owolabi, said sports academy was a veritable tool in nurturing raw talents into the global sports stage and a beacon of sports development in Nigeria.
The former Green Eagles player and 1980 AFCON winner said this at the closing of a special August football camp for young talents on Thursday in Ibadan.
The camp was organised by Femben PrepToPro Football Academy.
Owolabi said that the academy came at the right time when Nigeria was struggling with its football development and other areas of sports that unite the country.
He said that a great percentage of great players all over the world and generations of past legends, came from grassroots sports development programmes.
“In the last few years we have been clamoring for grassroots development, the obvious reason is that past football legends were able to get to the top because they started through the grassroots development, “he said.
He expressed concern over the gradual disappearance of school sports competitions, and other veritable sports programmes where grassroots talents could be discovered and groomed for future opportunities.
Owolabi lauded the convener of Femben football academy for dedication and commitment to development of grassroots sports in Nigeria.
“We must embrace this kind of programme, if we have it scattered all over the country, among school children, particularly during the holidays and weekends, it will lead to discovery of the greatest and best talents, “he said.
The guest speaker, Coach Femi Amusan, charged the participants to set a projection of where they want to be in the next five years and work toward its actualisation through discipline, dedication and determination.
A participant, Monjolaoluwa Are, said that the football camp gave participants the privilege to relate with internationally recognised licenced experienced coaches and ex-professional footballers.
Are who doubles as the camp captain said that the football camp was impactful and embedded with both on and off field training.
Earlier, the Convener of Femben PreToPro Football Camp, Coach Femi Olatunji, said that the aim of the programme is to properly develop and prepare talents for professionalism.
Olatunji said that has always been a challenge for some talents to maximise opportunities to become accomplished athletes, due to lack of training.
“It is all about preparation for professionalism, we prepare the participants for what we expect that they will meet in the journey of football.
“We have been doing this since 2018 at our headquarters in South Africa, the August edition is the third one in Nigeria, “he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that total of 25 participants graduated from the August edition of the football camp. (NAN)
Photo Caption: Felix Owolabi
8th August, 2024.
C.E.
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