The training in Lagos is the first of the kind in the West Africa sub-region
Participants at the just concluded World ParaVolley Level 1 course for coaches and referees have been tasked to make positive impacts with their newfound knowledge.
The organisers particularly enjoined the coaches to go back to their respective states to raise at least two teams as a way of showcasing what they have learned during the training.
President of Nigeria ParaVolley Federation, Kayode Ladele, said the federation facilitated the course, which was attended by 28 coaches and 22 referees from different states in the country in collaboration with ParaVolley Africa.
Speaking on the final day of the week-long course inside the National Stadium Gymnasium in Surulere, Lagos, the President of the Nigeria Paravolley Federation disclosed that the coaches and the referees have been told that the essence of the course is to see that it reflects on the development of the game in Nigeria.
"Why the organisation of this first-ever World ParaVolley Level 1 Course in West Africa was held in Nigeria is to put us in the vantage position to participate in World ParaVolley Championships in the near future.
"For us to begin to see the multiplier effects of this course in the career of the participants, we have tasked the coaches who represented the majority of the states in Nigeria, to go back to their respective states to raise at least two teams so that at the end of the day we would have more players playing ParaVolley in no distant time," Ladele told reporters.
Secretary General of the Africa ParaVolley Confederation, Zimbabwean Oripa Mubika said she was excited with the turnout of coaches and referees.
"We are introducing sitting volleyball to Nigeria, and the only way we can conveniently do this is to train the referees and the local coaches. This is the first of its kind in West Africa and we encouraged participation from other west African nations. That's the reason we could have someone from the Benin Republic and Ghana at this Lagos course," Mrs Mubika said.
She assured on making a favourable report to the World ParaVolley Federation so that Nigeria would receive support to further take the game to the nooks and crannies of the country.
The international resources person who handled referee sessions during the course, Shanishah Khalid from Libya, expressed his happiness with the high level of intelligence in Nigerian referees who he said showed passion for learning fast during the training.
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"I can say that Nigerian referees are good. They can fit in anywhere, even at the short notice. I took them on what it takes to handle matches in sitting volleyball, which is quite different from the standing or normal volleyball. I can say that the course was a success, and more importantly, Nigeria will soon have her referees officiating in world tournaments very soon," Khalid said.
Ugandan Robinson Tumwesigye, who handled the coaches, was also highly impressed with the enthusiasm exhibited by the Nigerian coaches to learn from him. He said that with what he saw during the course; he foresees a bright future for ParaVolley in Nigeria.
The World ParaVolley Level 1 Course was organised to build capacity and ensure that Nigeria has many internationally recognised officials while enhancing the ability of the coaches and referees.
