The coach of the Akwa Ibom female cricket team, Ogba Osondu Uyok has expressed delight with the squad’s progress at the ongoing 8th National Youth Games in Asaba, where they have qualified for the semi-final.
Coach Ogba said it is a thing of joy seeing the young girls pick up two straight victories in what he revealed is their first outing at a major competition.
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He added in an interview with sports247 that he is already looking towards getting a spot in the final, following his team’s back-to-back victories over Taraba and Kebbi States.
Ogba said, “We won against Taraba State in our second game of the tournament. Our first game was against Kebbi State, and we also beat them.
“Our victory against Taraba helped us move ahead into the semi-final. From there, we hope to reach the final and win the gold medal.”
Ogba added that the task before his girls is huge, because their male colleagues won silver at the last Games, and expectations are high back home for a step higher this time.
“Last year, our male team finished second, and we hope the girls will do better this time out. We have started well, but in sports, you can’t predict results.
“So, we are taking it game after game. We are now looking forward to either Osun State or Edo State. Whichever team wins between them will face us in the semi-final,” Ogba disclosed.
He, however, conceded that he is in Asaba with a developmental squad, as the girls are all debuting at this level, but expressed optimism that they will do much better once they are guided and encouraged.
The soft-spoken cricket tactician stated, “All the girls we brought here are in their first competition. It’s under 15 and a challenge to most of them, considering that they have not seen these types of faces before.
“They have not before seen such faces as they are seeing now, and they have not played under such conditions as this before.
“We, as coaches, always know that there is bound to be nervousness in young players, and we can’t do away with it.
“So, all we can do is to encourage them and tell them that they can do it.”
He concluded by projecting into the future, based on the possibility of the same set of players still lining out together when the NYG advances to the under-17 category next year.
“Our expectations are even better for next year, as the commissioner has said this competition will be for under-17.
“So, we are believing that, come next year, we should be able to come with this same set of players and, by that time, they would be more mature,” Coach Ogba enthused.
