NABA Youth Camp to go annual Beneofori

Coordinator of the just concluded basketball youth camp for kids between ages 10-14 powered by Nigerian American Basketball Association in conjunction with the Lagos State Basketball Association, Beneofori George is delighted with the turn out and conducts of the kids for the 5-Day camp.

The former Nigeria International bears his mind to our correspondent in the closing day of the camp last Friday at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park that with the turn-out and conducts of the kids he will double his efforts so that the camp will become an annual event. Excerpt:

Your general feeling about the camp?

I am more than satisfied with the positive attitude of the kids who are the main driving force behind the success of the camp, because without them turning out daily there is nothing we can do but their conducts throughout the duration of the camp was excellent.

If I am a parent to one of the kid in the camp I will rally round the organizers by way of moral and financial support so that they can do more because from all indication the kids have really learnt one or two basic fundamental of the game.

I must also commend the various coaches that helped out on a daily basis especially my senior colleagues, coaches such as the former Director of Sports of the Lagos State Sports Council and one of the earliest basketball coaches this state and country produced, Coach Ganiu Otenigbagbe, Coach Agboola Pinheiro and Coach Alabi Adelanwa who came in all the way from Abeokuta to offer his moral support and other coaches who gave their time for the five days, the media must also be commended for a wonderful coverage.

When next should the kids and their parents look forward to another camp?

Oh! With the success of this maiden edition of the camp, the organizers have concluded plans to make the camp an annual event and I believe that our partner The Lagos State Basketball Association will now have the camp as an event in their calendar. So come 2011 we shall be having the second edition of the camp.

We also plan to have another camp this year but not in the mode we just had, the one being planned might incorporate older kids because the general idea to contribute once quota to the development of basketball in Lagos State in particular and Nigeria in general, for some of us basketball is a way of life and we find it hard to go away from it no matter the challenges and our believe is that one should quit complaining and do what he or she can to help the game, the kids and the country.

Onigbongbo LCDA commissions court

As part of the Lagos State Government effort at focusing on sports development from the grassroot, Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area at the weekend commissions its newly constructed basketball court.

Sitting of the newly build basketball court inside a secondary school (Oregun High School) according to the Executive Chairman of the LCDA, Hon. Idowu Obasa is to further take the game of basketball to the nooks and crannies of the LCDA so as to compliment the good works of the state government.

The building of the basketball court which was the brain-child of the Supervisor for Education in the LCDA, Hon. Taiwo Edoga who is basketball enthusiast is coming at a time the Lagos State Sports Month is about to take the centre stage with basketball as one of the prime sport to be competed for by all the 57 Local Governments and Council Development Areas of the Nigeria Commercial City.

The LCDA Chairman (Obasa) promised that his council will do everything within its resources to put the basketball court to good use by way of sponsoring competitions and clinics among the youths of the Council.

Chairman of Lagos State Basketball Association, Babatunde Ogunade praised the LCDA for dimming it fit to construct the basketball court in Oregun High School.

Onigbongbo LCDA Fliers defeated Police Bombers Rookies team by 34-32 points in an exhibition game to herald the commissioning of the court.