By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Ahead of Africa Volleyball U-19 Championship billed for NIgeria and Morocco simultaneously, President of the NIgeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) Engineer Musa Nimrod Musa has charged the country’s male and female teams to go for the top spot.
Engineer Nimrod gave the charge, while addressing both teams ahead of their departure on Monday at the Media Centre, Ahmadu Bello Stadium (ABS), Kaduna.
According to him, “this is to unveil our U-19 Boys and Girls teams ahead of African championship. U-19 Boys would be heading for Morocco tomorrow (Tuesday August 30) and the girls to Abuja today (Monday August 29).
He explained that the female have to be in Abuja on 29 ahead of full arrival billed for August 30.
“After rigorous training from coaches, they are set to go. Over 30 players were invited to camp for each team, the boys will go with 12 players, but the girls will go with 14 players because we are hosting.
“It’s our desire that they will come first. Our major goal is to see that we get ticket for world championship,” he said.
According to him, NIgeria’s Technical Crew have been assisting them to ensure they excel at their respective competitions.
“We are pleased with their performance. Our U-19 Boys are defending their ticket. We are challenging them that they have to finish tops.
“I want to appeal to all the players, though it has been challenging, but God has been faithful.
“It’s unfortunate that our U-21 girls could not make it to Tunisia because of flight tickets. We are glad that Morocco is even cheaper than Tunisia and they are being sponsored by the federation,” he said.
Speaking further, he said that the game of volleyball is now sought after game at the grassroots and keeps getting huge followership as the days go by.
“Those days in the 1980s, football and volleyball were competing even with the crowd. We pray God helps us to get back and surpass that feat. The league is still going to take place, we pray it is successful.
“We want to thank the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Zonal Coordinator for accommodating us for the past one and half month.
“I see greater things coming ahead for our coaches and players. Your performance determines whether coaches will invite you to the national camp. You have to play as a team, not as individuals. Please work together, move together, talk together, eat together. May God be with you and grant you success,” he charged.
According to him, NIgeria would be hosting six countries in the Africa Female U-21 Volleyball Championship and arrangements have been concluded to host the six Confederation of Africa Volleyball (CAVB) officials expected in the country.
