In a bid to guarantee a factory line of talented footballers and create a memorable summer holiday for children in Apapa Constituency 2, Hon Muyiwa Jimoh Foundation is organizing a U-13 Football drop-in–sessions for boys and girls between ages 8-13 years which will kick off on Tuesday July 31.
This project is a follow-up to the sponsorship of 12 grassroots football coaches by a lawmaker Hon Olumuyiwa Jimoh to the Coerver Coaching course, to obtain a Youth Diploma 1 certification from the premium coaching education organization.
The coaches after the completion of their coaching course returned to the community to transfer their knowledge to the young talents, as a gradual development of diamonds in the rough.
Hon Jimoh who is representing Apapa Constituency 2 in the Lagos State House of Assembly is a son of the soil who grew up in the neighborhood, his memories of how stars have grown from indigent homes to become renowned is a motivation to keep the hope of a better future alive through the football project.
“I see football as a tool for development, fitness while it is also an avenue to educate the next generation that hope is not lost as you develop your body, you should also develop your brain simultaneously,” he said. “As a representative of the people and a political office holder, it should be one of my responsibilities to impact on human beings because that is what will endure.”
Some of those who have benefited from his support for “football for development” have been exposed to international programmes, including the streetfootball Festival 201, an official event of the France Euro 2016 and the Homeless World Cup.
Executive Director of Search and Groom Youth for Development Centre, Mr. Yomi Kuku, who is also the Country Representative of Coerver Coaching, thanked Hon Jimoh for fulfilling his promise to fund the post-training of the Coerver Coaching certified coaches and making the drop-in-sessions free and accessible.
In his words, “We have trained the coaches and the talents are here, so harnessing shouldn’t be difficult.”
One of the coaches that will be working with the children and the co-ordinator of the drop-in-sessions, Mr. Aremu Lawrence Sunday, revealed the enthusiasm of the administrators of the primary schools and junior secondary schools in the area to make their students available for the free drop-in-sessions.
“The reception from the schools and the community is encouraging. As I grant this interview, we have 350 registered children and we are ready also on our part to impact the children because we are well equipped for the task ahead,” he noted.
Metropolitan pitch, White Sand Pitch and Marine Pitch are the three venues that will host the free drop-in-sessions which hold every Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday till the end of the holiday.
The best 150 players will play at a one-day final scheduled for August.
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