Adeyinka give reasons for fencing workshop

Ifeanyi Eduzor
President of Nigeria Fencing Federation, Samuel Adeyinka said the fencing workshop being organised for kids by the Federation in conjunction with United States of America based Fencing Diaspora Foundation is part of efforts at further developing the game at the grassroots, discovering more potential fencers in the country as well as teaching them the basic principles of the game.
He told newstap.com.ng that the children will have the rare privilege of learning the basic skills of the game from three time Olympian, Americans, Daryl Homer and Inkosi Brou who will be a role model to the children.
” The workshop is part of the Federation’s plans to further develop the game of fencing at the grassroots and discover more fencers that will be nurtured to become future champions in the sports.
“This workshop is important because it will be handled by an Olympic / World Championship silver medalist, Daryl Homer and Inkosi Brou who will be there as a role model for the children and the kids will benefit immensely from the workshop.
According to him, the Federation has done a lot in grassroots development of the sports and has organised many training programmes in the past and equally collaborating with the Lagos State Ministry of Education and the state’s Universal Education Board ( SUBEB) in the area of introducing the game to public schools in the state.
Adeyinka who was one time Secretary General of African Fencing Confederation while explaining that the game of fencing has been introduced in five states of the Federation noted that plans are on the pipeline to ensure that the game is introduced to many more states even as he posited that apart from training programmes, the Federation have also sponsored some coaches to South Africa for training.
In his remarks, chief trainer and three time Olympian, Daryl Homer said those who embrace the game can have the opportunity of getting scholarship from some American Universities noting that the country has a lot of potentials in the sports.
Homer who said he’s preparing towards qualification for France 2024 Olympics stated that introduction of school programmes and partnership with different corporate organisations will help in driving the game of fencing in the country.
Also speaking, Inkosi Brou noted that he’s happy being part of the workshop; saying that their visit is part of his foundation plans to spread the sports not only in Nigeria but the entire African continent.
He also admonished the kids on the importance of combining sports with education which he believes will be of immense benefit to them later in life.
In his own remarks, Satellite Tournament Gold medalist, Sawari Tonye described the sports as a unique game without age barrier noting that the workshop is a necessary tool to galvanize the sports at the grassroot.
“I’m happy with what the Federation is going to achieve with this workshop because it’s going to make a great impact on our kids considering the caliber of the resource persons that will handle the session.
” To be sincere with you, I will recommend fencing to everybody because it gives you mental balance and coordination, makes you think fast, calculate well and doesn’t have any age barrier or retirement age like other sports and it is the safest sports”, he concluded.