Shuaibu Usman, the Head Coach for Lawn Tennis representing Nassarawa State at the 7th National Youth Games, shared his learning and plans for the future.
He expressed his commitment to improving the training and selection process for the next event.
“I have gained valuable experience from this event, witnessing various challenges. Before bringing my players to the next event, I will ensure better preparation. I encountered unexpected situations that have added to my coaching experience. This is a challenge for me,” Usman shared with Sports247.
He highlighted age-related discrepancies among players, indicating that some players from other states appeared to exceed the U-15 age criteria.
This revelation surprised him, as his players were selected based on the age requirements.
In response, he expressed his willingness to bring older and more experienced players to future youth games if such allowances are made.
Shuaibu Usman welcomed the news that the screening process for the next event would be more rigorous, favoring all states.
He saw this as an opportunity to select fresh and even more skilled players. His goal is to groom them to showcase their talents and bring medals back to Nassarawa State.
Despite initial expectations of winning many medals, Usman was disappointed with the superior performance of more experienced and older players from other states.
This experience has motivated him to revamp his players’ training regimen and upgrade their equipment to enhance their performance and overcome the challenges encountered in this event.
