By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON, Kaduna.
Preparing to make a huge impact, Kaduna State has stepped up its preparation for the 2016 National Youth Games, billed to take place in Ilorin.
Director of Sports, Mr. Elisha Yashim stated this while fielding questions from newsmen on Thursday at the opening ceremony of the National Sports Commission (NSC) North West Zone/Engineer Musa Nimrod Volleyball Clinic for Primary and Secondary Schools held at the Indoor Gymnasium Hall, Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.
“We have gone to do our best to register our athletes for the Games, where we intend to participate with no fewer than 80 athletes that we are optimistic will shock others,” he said.
Speaking further, he said that the present administration, led by Governor Nasir el-Rufai places premium on all round youth development, hence the emphasis on talent development and grooming.
Commenting on the volleyball clinic, he praised the organizers for pulling together resources to discover new talents, in spite of the harsh economic realities being faced.
“The problem of lack of continuity in grooming of our athletes has been militating against our sports for a long time. Such neglect is what resulted in our dismal outing at the Rio Olympics,” he observed.
Yashim added that when such potentials are abandoned shortly after they were discovered, they fail to become world stars that they would have naturally transformed into if given the deserved attention.
