West Africa Little League tourney excites coaches, players

By Olanrewaju Akojede

Coaches and players at the just-concluded Maiden West Africa Little League on Monday expressed excitement about Nigeria having hosted the tournament on home soil.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria played host to the first ever Little League tournament in Africa and Sub Saharan Africa which ended on Sunday.

The competition was backed by World Little League Confederation.

A coach from Bayelsa State, Benson Asekomah, described the competition as timely when the players were looking for exposure.

“This competition is timely because we need exposure of our players and it can not be better than what we are having now.

“We have been having good trainings for our players over the years, the parents have been supportive as well releasing their children to us.

“We have players that can match their counterparts in other parts of the world, what they need is exposure which we are giving them now,” he said.

Rashidat Ogundele, another Coach and Team Manager for a private Baseball and Softball club in Badagry, Rak Angels, said that the historic hosting of the tournament gave her joy.

“I also started off my career in Baseball in the little league which is the foundation and I have grown in the sport, although there was a time I left the game due to my marital status, but I am back.

“To me, Baseball gives me joy and I thank my understanding husband for giving me the opportunity to pursue my career in the sport because it involves a lot of travelling.

“Setting up the club was not easy at all, but I give kudos to the parents who allowed their children to do the sport because another issue is that the equipment for the game are expensive.

“The children are excited to be here at least to showcase what stuff they have. My team are not also doing badly in the tournament,” she said.

Ogundele said that the stakeholders needed to do more in making available the Baseball/Softball equipment while she decried unavailability of the equipment in sports shops.

“It is so sad that there is no single sports shop in Nigeria selling Baseball/Softball equipment, all what we have been depending on is through help from others in oversees.

“Baseball/Softball equipment are not in stock in any of sports shop that I know of, we usually get the equipment as second hand use from abroad which is not easy at all.

“Also, Baseball/Softball kits are very expensive, so we need to thank the parents of the kids for buying the kits for the children. We import everything from ball, to glove to helmet and others,” she said.

For 12-year old Jubrin Tisere, a player and a student of Regina Pacis College, Abuja, Baseball is a passion for her.

“I enjoy playing Baseball and it’s a passion for me, we do play the game in our school and also play at the club level.

“This tournament is a good one to expose us further into what we needed to know about Baseball/Softball,” she said.

Ugboaja Ngozi, a member of Rak Angels, Badagry, also told NAN that the event was what she had been looking forward to.

“I have participated in a number of Baseball competitions, but this is a climax for me.

“I hope we get something better out of the game so that we can qualify to go to Europe, specifically Poland.

“I have great team members who are also ready to give their all after our first victory at the games,” she said.

Other sibling of Ugboaja, Valentina, said that she would love all her four siblings to play Baseball/Softball.

“The game is not hard, I love the game, infact I got more interested because our parents are always supportive, they even want others to join us in the game,” she said.

NAN reports that Adekalu Bulls, Nigeria’s representative at the maiden West Africa Little League tournament, won the Baseball and Softball categories.

Adekalu Bull warded off oppositions from Republic of Benin and Cote D’Ivorie and four other Nigerian teams to emerge champions in the four-day tournament.

Team Benin Republic came second, while Team Cote D’Ivoire came third in the Baseball category.

In the Softball category, Adekalu Bulls are champions, while Lagos-based Team Rak Angels came second, and Team Yenogoa came third.

The tournament was held at Igbobi College, Yaba, Lagos.

(NAN)