Lagos Karate Association holds clinic for Game Masters/ Mistresses, targets training 1000 athletes

By Ifeanyi   Eduzor

As part of its efforts at developing karate at the grassroots with special focus on secondary schools. Lagos State Karate Association Tuesday began a two day coaching clinic for Game Masters/Mistresses who by next week will be sent out to various secondary schools   across the four education districts of the state to impact the basic principles of the sport to the students.

Chairman of the association,   Omonolu Bello who also doubles as Vice President of Nigeria Karate Federation explained that the clinic holding at the Sports Bar of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos is important because it will help in galvanizing interest in the sports among the youths and Games masters even as he explained that their target is to train about 1000 athletes in the noble act of self defense.

He also stated that karate being now an Olympic event, there is need not to make Lagos State the hub of karate in Nigeria but to produce athletes that will make a podium finish at the international level just as he admonished parents to encourage their children to take to karate assuring them that no harm will come to them in the sport.

“We’re organizing this clinic as part of our efforts to further develop the sports at the grassroots. We believe that at the end of the day, these Game masters and mistresses will be in a better position to impact the knowledge they acquired to the students thereby helping us produce many talents that will do the country at the international stage especially now that karate is an Olympic sports.

“It’s equally important that I advise parents to allow their children learn karate for self defense especially now that children are being bullied, kidnapped and maltreated  and  I  also want to assure them that no harm will befell their children as karatekas  both in practice the sports and when they have mastered the basic principles of the game.

Bello also announced that apart from training athletes, the association have plans to teach some technical skills to the athletes to make them become entrepreneurs and self reliant when they retire from the sports with an appeal to corporate organizations to partner the association in its bid to re-position the sports in the country

Chief instructor of the clinic who also doubles as Chief Coach of Lagos State Karate Association Sola Shoyoye   posited that the  clinic has lived up to expectation  and he was particularly happy the  participants  were eager to learn noting that they have all shown promising prospects in the game

One of the participants, Ajibade Moses who is the Education Officer District 11 comprising of Somolu, Kosofe and Ikorodu Local Government Areas expressed gratitude to the association for giving them the opportunity to be part of the sports with an appeal that it should be a regular event as they have benefited immensely from the course.