FG Urged To Invest In School Sports For Early Grooming Of Athletes

Following the importance of "catching them young" in sports, the federal government has been urged to invest more in schools' sporting activities to enable early and thorough grooming of athletes who will represent Nigeria in different sporting activities globally.

The Proprietress of Greenleaf Montessori School, Efe Josephine, gave the advise during the weekend in Gwagwalada Abuja at the school's annual inter-house sports activities.

Josephine said that an enabling environment for sports would curb vices in children and help them grow into responsible adults.

She stressed the need for the government to also bring private schools together for sporting activities, noting that lots of talents could be scouted and groomed into sports men and women that can bring glory to the country.

She also called on all other stakeholders to encourage children into sports from their young ages, saying that playing sports help children learn to control their emotions as well as channel negative feeling in a positive way.

"That's why we are planning to build 5000 meters sports field in our school for the children because we understand the importance of play in children and also sports as a career.

"Government should please find a way to bring private schools together for sporting activities, maybe from area council to area council to compete under one umbrella and discover talents," she said.

One of the parents, Dr. Vivian Onyenwere, a Pediatrician by profession and Matron of Gold house in the school, stressed the importance of sports for school children to keep them physically fit and stop them from becoming obese, adding that keeping fit also reduces the risk of having diseases like hypertension.

She maintained that government has a huge role in obliging children to engage in sports by making policies that will compel citizens to encourage sports at all levels.

Another parent, a Solar Energy Engineer Victor Chiaha, urged parents to always create time to bond with their children by supporting them during sporting activities and other values, saying that when they right values are impacted most vices in the society will be eradicated.

Similarly, Godwin Attah Okoh, a parent of three pupils lauded the school's commitment to extra curricular activities, maintaining that sports is good for children's health and general wellbeing.

Okoh called on government to "catch them young" by funding sporting activities today in order to get talented sportsmen and women tomorrow.

Over 200 children participated in the school's 2022 inter-house sports activities Including relay race, 100 and 200 meters race and other educational/montessori activities like number race, pegging, building blocks, bursting of balloons amongst others.