The Second Edition of Anambra State Schools Sports Festival, kicked off on Thursday, May 2 and will run through June 7, Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu reports.
Athletes selected from the month-long sporting showpiece will represent the state at this year’s National Youth Games billed for Asaba, Delta State.
Patrick Estate Onyedum, Chairman Anambra State Sports Development Commission, made this known in Awka while addressing sports writers on the preparations for the this year’s edition of Schools Sports Festival, the National Youth Games, among others.
He said ANSSI was the vehicle which the Governor was using to revolutionize sports in Anambra State and noted that within two years of his administration, the glory of Anambra sports was returning at an encouraging speed.
‘At about this time last year, we were all gathered here for the ceremonial kick off of the First Edition.
‘In 2023, about 600 primary and secondary schools registered and participated in the sports festival and I want to gladly inform you that it was not only a success but it has been yielding fruitful results.
‘From that festival, we discovered young, raw talented children from across Anambra who went to National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, and shook the country at that level of sports development.
‘The children of Anambra State became once again, princes and princesses of the tracks, karate and taekwondo prodigies, beach volleyball champions and national sensation.
‘As I speak to you, some of those athletes are on academic scholarships in some of the best schools in Abuja and Anambra.
‘They have continued to progress steadily and this is evidenced in their performances at the ongoing MTN Secondary School Athletics Championship and about four of them have qualified for the final of that competition in Calabar and they are already there as we are gathered here right now.
‘Your Excellency, ladies and Gentlemen, this year’s edition promises to be bigger, better and more exciting.
‘As at the close of registration, about 756 primary and secondary schools have indicated interest to participate in the festival by filling and returning their forms.
‘I want to congratulate the schools for giving their children the opportunity to develop themselves academically and sports wise. Maybe I should suggest that going forward, it should be considered an offence not to allow your students to participate in a festival like this.
‘That child you’re denying the opportunity to participate in sports may be the champion the world is waiting for in the next five or 10 years.
‘The sports Commission will continue to support them especially in the area of sports, infrastructure. Some schools which performed very well last year, like Vision High School, Nnewi; Washington Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha; Girls’ Secondary School, Agulu; all got some form of sports facilities support from us.
‘Already, the preparation for this year’s National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, has started and the young and raw talents that will be discovered from this festival will constitute up to 85 percent of Anambra team to the Games.
‘This year, the students will compete in 12 sporting events, including Athletics, Basketball, Chess, Football, Scrabble, Swimming, Table tennis, Tennis, Taekwondo, Volleybal, Cricket and Ncho.
‘We shall have these games in three categories which are: U 12, U-14 and U-18 at the community, local government area, senatorial district and state levels.
‘Therefore, I want to call on Ndi Anambra to come out en masse and support their children as they begin their journey to sports stardom.
‘I want to thank the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, for believing in this project and providing the raw materials with which we are doing this work, she is a woman who believes that education and sports are two sides of the same coin.
‘Let me also thank Mr Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne, Commissioner for Local Government Affairs; Commissioners; Managing Directors; political appointees, my colleagues, the local government caretaker chairmen and others too many to mention here for their continued support,
‘On behalf of staff and management of Anambra Sports Development Commission, I thank you all for listening,’ he concluded.
