BY HANANEEL JACKSON
And the shuttling continues for Badminton Federation of Nigeria’s ‘Shuttle Time’ as Bayelsa State takes its turn. The Shuttle Time is a global effort to take the sport to the grassroot.
The event in Bayelsa State is the fifth in the series after similar training and grooming sessions in Ogun, Anambra, Kwara and states. ‘Shuttle Time’, according to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) is a project in which lessons are designed to provide children with a positive image of badminton through many opportunities to have fun, engage with others and experience success.
The event in Nigeria is been organised by the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) in partnership with Community Sport Educational Development (CSED) Initiative.
The Yenagoa programme at the multipurpose Hall Hall Samson Siasia Stadium, involved 21 schools and their teachers who are games masters/mistresses.
The schools that attended are: Belary Group of Schools, Tare Pet Montessori School, CSS Otuokpoti, Tessy Nursery, Pry. & Sec. School, Samara Montessori & High School, St. Judes Girls Amarata, GGS Okolobiri, CSS Oruma, CSS Elebele, GSTC Okaka, Best Breed School, GSS Ovom, CSS Okodi, GSTC Swali, GSS Obogoro, CSS Otuoke/Otuaba, CSS Okiama, Blossom School, Bayelsa State Sports Academy Osoama and Bayelsa State Sports Council Badminton Team.
The Games master of Community Secondary School Otuokpoti, Funsho Ekundayo, remarked that they were pleased with the ‘Train the Trainers’ program, saying that the training has impacted positively on them the teachers and the lads.
He noted that the program has in the last two days engaged the minds of the kids and he is confident of seeing world champions emerge from this program.
Also, the National Shuttle Time Coordinator, Coach Suleiman Tajudeen, commended the schools for the show of passion displayed by the various secondary schools, adding that it was one of the training programs with very high number of participants in attendance at the grassroots level.
Declaring the event closed, Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development Chief Daniel Igali, represented by the Director of Sports Bayelsa State Sports Council, Sir Braveman Wodi, reiterated the ‘Prosperity Government’ commitment towards the development of sports.
Sir Wodi asserted that the turn out from the secondary schools is a reflection that Bayelsa State is the hub of sports in Nigeria, stressing that the Bayelsa superlative outing in competitions in recent times was as a result of the governor’s relentless support and adequate funding of sports.
He appreciated the Badminton Federation of Nigeria led by Mr. Francis Orbih and the sponsors Community Sport Educational Development (CSED) Initiative, for taking badminton to secondary schools in the State, describing the initiative as laudable.
Sir Wodi equally commended the Governor, Senator Douye Diri and his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, and the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Chief Daniel Igali, for giving premium attention to sports in the last three and half years of the administration.
The highpoint of the program was the presentation of equipment (rackets, nets and shuttles) courtesy of CSED, to the various secondary schools and group photographs.
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