As part of the efforts of the Lagos State Government to take sports back to the grassroots and contribute to the expertise of the trainers, the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) has organised a three-day clinic tagged: “Train the Trainers” for Games Masters/Mistresses in public and private schools.
The three-day programme is an initiative of the Sports Commission to consolidate the foundation of school sports development and avail the Games Masters/Mistresses and Physical Education teachers the opportunity to learn the rudiments of cricket game.
The training took place at the University of Lagos Cricket Oval, where different techniques were introduced to Games Masters/Mistresses to enhance their capacities and ensure a better understanding of the game, particularly on the important skills of batting, catching, and bowling, among others.
Leading the charge, Lagos State Coach Salako Azeez disclosed that the significance of the clinic is to consolidate the trajectory approach of the state by taking the sport back to the grassroots and seeing the development of the game in Lagos.
While acknowledging Lagos as a cricket hub in Nigeria, Azeez affirmed that the association is looking to maintain the position, as they will do everything possible to continue to engage the Games Masters/Mistresses in every school to give them the basic things they need to know to further develop the game.
A Former Yellow Greens Captain and players’ representative on the board of Nigeria Cricket Federation, Endurance Ofem highlighted that one of the steps that need to be taken in getting more people on board is to popularise the sport and develop talents in schools by equipping the teachers with the right knowledge and skills.
Ofem added that the whole idea is to catch them as young as possible while coaches will be deployed across the state to monitor and give technical support to the Games Masters/Mistresses.
A participant, Ajeniya Monsurat from the Federal Housing Nursery and Primary School, Victoria Island, lauded the initiative as a good opportunity for her to learn more about the rudiments of cricket.
“I have learnt about the important skills in cricket, which are bowling, fielding and batting. I want to learn more about and teach my pupils the fundamentals of the game”, said an elated Monsurat.
Another participant, Sojurin Adebowale from Obele-Odan Nursery and Primary School, Surulere, stated that with what he has undergone in the cricket training, particularly the basic tenets, he’s ready to take the skills back to the pupils in school.
As a state that has been doing everything within its powers to support the holistic development of sports across the school system, taking the sport of cricket to the grassroots level has to go through the teachers, who are the first contact of the students, however, their knowledge need to be scale up in order to cascade it down to the student trainees.
The clinic will be concluded on Saturday, November 2 at the University of Lagos Cricket Oval, Akoka, Lagos.
