As part of the global events marking the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), Netballers announced their presence in Yenogoa on 6th April 2023, at a three team netball open challenge event played at the premises of Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenogoa, Bayelsa State.
The event involved students from two secondary schools (Redeemers International School and Tare Pet Montessori School ) as well as the Sports Council All Stars Netball Team.
The ambiance at the venue of the event which had Bayelsa State Director of Sports, Sir. Braveman Wodi, as the guest of honour, was balanced with peace, sport and secular themed music. Even as the netball teams were kitted by Lord’s Taverners, a United Kingdom based sports kits recycling NGO.
According to the organisers, the series of events tagged ‘PROJECT 2027’, netball training started in Nigeria in July 2022. This is the first time students with netball trained teachers and coaches are having an inter-school event. Netball was re-introduced to Bayelsa State by Community Sport and Educational Development (CSED) in January 2023.
At the end of the matches, Tare Pet Montessori School emerged the winner of the event which was coordinated by Catherine Sasuode and powered by CSED Initiative.
Speaking at a post-event Catherine Sasuode, a Trustee of CSED Initiative, stated that they will do all they can to use netball to empower the girl child in Bayelsa State. This they hope to do by providing the teachers and netball coaches with access to safeguarding training, as well as, access to other free online sports for change courses to broaden their knowledge and help them to nurture well rounded students and athletes.
CSED hope to build on their cordial relationship with the good people of Bayelsa state, by exploring the possibility of bringing badminton (“Shuttle Time”) training to Bayelsa state before the end of the third term of the ongoing school year.
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