Ex-Grasshoppers star demands more attention for grassroots sports
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- Category: Sports
- Written by David Ngobua
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Former Nigerian female handball star, Oluchi Ogwo has made a passionate appeal for a quick return to grassroots sports, if the present decline in the country’s sports is to be arrested.
The ex-international who played in the European Champions League for HYPO Suelstadt of Austria began her handball career with the famous Grasshoppers of Owerri from where she moved on to play in six different countries.The successful business woman and motivational speaker based in the USA blamed the dwindling fortunes of Nigeria in sports to total disregard for grassroots sports and prevalence of mediocre leadership.
She said as long as sports is not administered by professionals who took active part in it, there is no way Nigeria would come out of the present quagmire.
Oluchi who is the National Co-ordinator, Sports, Health and Longivity Affairs in Diaspora to the Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values said too much concentration at the national level would not bring back Nigeria’s lost glory in sports.
She said: “The reason responsible for the dismal performance of our sports in recent times is beyond what we can achieve at the national level. Rather we need to get back to the drawing board and pay serious attention to our grassroots sports.
“ On the way forward, the ex-international whose career took her to Tunisia, USA, Germany, Austria and Switzerland said the practice of putting square pegs in round holes should be stopped without further delay.
In addition, she maintained that sports administrators must display credibility, administrative acumen and must be proactive so as to maintain a cordial relationship with their superiors and athletes.
Oluchi said she now that she has voluntarily come to give back to society what she gained playing professional handball abroad, she would concentrate on grassroots re-orientation and mobilization.
“My role as the National Co-ordinator in this area is simple. I will focus on grassroots re-orientation. For this reason, you will soon see less of me at the national level and more of me at the schools, villages and communities”.
“There is need for us to get down to the local communities so as to reach out to these budding talents so they would be nurtured early through to professional level”.
She also volunteered to give peep talks on nationalism to national athletes who are camping for international competitions as she said she has been there before and she knows better what it means to put on the national colours.
Articles
Ex-Grasshoppers star demands more attention for grassroots sports
Category: Sports Written by David Ngobua Hits: 2027
Former Nigerian female handball star, Oluchi Ogwo has made a passionate appeal for a quick return to grassroots sports, if the present decline in the country’s sports is to be arrested.
The ex-international who played in the European Champions League for HYPO Suelstadt of Austria began her handball career with the famous Grasshoppers of Owerri from where she moved on to play in six different countries.The successful business woman and motivational speaker based in the USA blamed the dwindling fortunes of Nigeria in sports to total disregard for grassroots sports and prevalence of mediocre leadership.
She said as long as sports is not administered by professionals who took active part in it, there is no way Nigeria would come out of the present quagmire.
Oluchi who is the National Co-ordinator, Sports, Health and Longivity Affairs in Diaspora to the Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values said too much concentration at the national level would not bring back Nigeria’s lost glory in sports.
She said: “The reason responsible for the dismal performance of our sports in recent times is beyond what we can achieve at the national level. Rather we need to get back to the drawing board and pay serious attention to our grassroots sports.
“ On the way forward, the ex-international whose career took her to Tunisia, USA, Germany, Austria and Switzerland said the practice of putting square pegs in round holes should be stopped without further delay.
In addition, she maintained that sports administrators must display credibility, administrative acumen and must be proactive so as to maintain a cordial relationship with their superiors and athletes.
Oluchi said she now that she has voluntarily come to give back to society what she gained playing professional handball abroad, she would concentrate on grassroots re-orientation and mobilization.
“My role as the National Co-ordinator in this area is simple. I will focus on grassroots re-orientation. For this reason, you will soon see less of me at the national level and more of me at the schools, villages and communities”.
“There is need for us to get down to the local communities so as to reach out to these budding talents so they would be nurtured early through to professional level”.
She also volunteered to give peep talks on nationalism to national athletes who are camping for international competitions as she said she has been there before and she knows better what it means to put on the national colours.