According to Gara Gombe, “It’s funny and shameful that some States take pride in poaching Athletes to complete for them at local competitions in Nigeria.
By Uzor Odigbo
The entire North-East Zone would benefit from expected AthIetics revolution that Gombe State Athletes Association (GAA) have kick-started.
This assurance was given by the executive Chairman Gombe State Athletics Association Alhaji Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe in his welcome address at a 2-day Coaches and technical Officials training Seminar in Gombe.
He noted that the State has intensified efforts in training the trainers in order to realise the dream of catching talented Athletes at a very young age.
“The Seminar is very Important because one can’t hunt for young AthIetes without training Coaches and technical Officials to guide them, ” Gombe said.
Gombe, the sponsor of the Seminar and AthIetics Grand Prix slated for Tuesday, said the fire Gombe State have started with in grassroots AthIetics, would continue to resonate throughout the North East Zone.
The seminar which attractied over 70 participants will be inaugurated on Tuesday as technical Officials.
Resource personnels that anchored the Seminar include Dr. Alex Maina, Garma Yakubu James, Kolo Mohammed, Solomon Achi and Prince Simon Ayuba, who majored in various topics ranging from Track & Field, long, middle distance races, and Sports Politics and The Media.
According to him, “It’s funny and shameful that some States take pride in poaching Athletes to compete for them at local competitions in Nigeria.
He insisted that Gombe AthIetics Association under his watch want to develop its own Athletes, provide facilities and other technical incentives for them instead of poaching.
Gombe said the State had a poor experience at the just ended 21st National Sports Festival in Delta State where the entire State won only two medals as 8 of the Athletes were not indigenes of Gombe State.
All these must change when current effort begins to work in a short time, insisting that the Seminar will snowball into massive talents hunt in Gombe.
He assured, “Very soon, we shall be organising the U- 13, U-15 and U-17 competitions boys and girls in Gombe and the entire North-East Zone.