Developing grassroots football for youth empowerment
By ESTHER EGBE
President and Manager of WordStars Football Academy, Mr. Kehinde Marcus Oluwole, a sports administrator from University of Lagos, also National Secretary, Association of Grassroots Soccer Developers of Nigeria and the President of WORDstars Football Academy, Lagos, has emphasized the need to develop grassroots football competition to engage the youth and empower them to seek alternative means to livelihood in the current economic hardship facing the country.
Oluwole said that this was part of the reasons for establishing WORDstars Football Academy which was founded on 8th January, 2008 as a result of passion for the game and compassion for lives of jobless youths and wasted talents on the street, in football. “Our vision is to mould talents with life & light (JESUS),” he said.
Oluwole said that he will score Grassroots soccer development low due to non governmental and corporate body’s involvement. “Imagine in Lagos State, there are over 1000 youth teams and academies multiplied by average of 25 players per team, meaning; an average 25,000 matured boys looking unto football instead of Crime. If not for the reason of building our national team, does it not worth the government and corporate bodies backing for the security of our great nation? Or are we going to wait until these youth lost hope in their future and take up arms before we will start to beg with amnesty,” he decried.
He said that to become a Manager of a Grassroots Football Club, one need to have passion for the round leather game, deny himself and family basic things because of the game. Secondly, one must have compassion for wasted talents in the grassroots because most of the outstanding players are from poor homes. Thirdly, one must have knowledge of the game, either formal or informal; you need to know some basic things whether certificated or not. The fourth thing is fund, which has been the bane of virtually all youth teams in Nigeria. To run football at any level require money; payment for training pitches, registration for tournaments, affiliation fees to divisional and state F A, travelling expenses to honour matches, equipment for the game, to mention but a few, he said.
He explained that to curb age cheat in Nigeria Football, government should provide enough jobs for youths that the over aged players hoping for a breakthrough in soccer will have another area of focus. Secondly, the government should stop paying lip service to grassroots soccer development; vote money, formulate policies that will take care of the two arms of grassroots which are: School and Street. Thirdly, corporate bodies should be encouraged, if possible, be enforced to invest more on youth development and empowerment. Fourthly, policies that will reduce the burden on youth clubs owners should be made, like fees for field and affiliation should be reduced or cancelled. He also said that government should stop putting pressures on the coaches to win at all cost; “let us move from the joy and contentment of participation without cheating to adequate preparation, learning from our past mistake, and coming to winning gallantly and gloriously,” he advised.
Oluwole said that this was part of the reasons for establishing WORDstars Football Academy which was founded on 8th January, 2008 as a result of passion for the game and compassion for lives of jobless youths and wasted talents on the street, in football. “Our vision is to mould talents with life & light (JESUS),” he said.
Oluwole said that he will score Grassroots soccer development low due to non governmental and corporate body’s involvement. “Imagine in Lagos State, there are over 1000 youth teams and academies multiplied by average of 25 players per team, meaning; an average 25,000 matured boys looking unto football instead of Crime. If not for the reason of building our national team, does it not worth the government and corporate bodies backing for the security of our great nation? Or are we going to wait until these youth lost hope in their future and take up arms before we will start to beg with amnesty,” he decried.
He said that to become a Manager of a Grassroots Football Club, one need to have passion for the round leather game, deny himself and family basic things because of the game. Secondly, one must have compassion for wasted talents in the grassroots because most of the outstanding players are from poor homes. Thirdly, one must have knowledge of the game, either formal or informal; you need to know some basic things whether certificated or not. The fourth thing is fund, which has been the bane of virtually all youth teams in Nigeria. To run football at any level require money; payment for training pitches, registration for tournaments, affiliation fees to divisional and state F A, travelling expenses to honour matches, equipment for the game, to mention but a few, he said.
He explained that to curb age cheat in Nigeria Football, government should provide enough jobs for youths that the over aged players hoping for a breakthrough in soccer will have another area of focus. Secondly, the government should stop paying lip service to grassroots soccer development; vote money, formulate policies that will take care of the two arms of grassroots which are: School and Street. Thirdly, corporate bodies should be encouraged, if possible, be enforced to invest more on youth development and empowerment. Fourthly, policies that will reduce the burden on youth clubs owners should be made, like fees for field and affiliation should be reduced or cancelled. He also said that government should stop putting pressures on the coaches to win at all cost; “let us move from the joy and contentment of participation without cheating to adequate preparation, learning from our past mistake, and coming to winning gallantly and gloriously,” he advised.
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