Imo Director of Sports, Imo Sports Commission, Chief Emmanuel Metu has exuded confidence that Team Imo Under 15 contingent to the National Youth Games Zonal eliminations holding in Abakaliki, Ebonyi between September 2nd and 5th.
The National Youth Games is slated for October 10th to 20th in Ilorin, Kwara State but the team events will engage in zonal eliminations where the winner in each event will represent the zone at the Games proper.
The amiable Director of Sports in a chat with the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Imo Chapter noted that Team Imo representatives would be taken part in seven sporting events of football, handball, basketball, Volleyball, Hockey, Cricket, and Beach Volleyball.
Chief Metu also stressed the resolve of his administration to revive grassroots sports in the state to harness raw talents for future events.
He regretted the inadequate number of coaches and athletes in the Imo Sports Commission because most of the coaches have retired while the athletes are aging and need replacements.
Metu added that because no waiver has been granted in the past 12 years for athletes to be employed it has become difficult to replace the aging ones.
He however said the commission under his watch has resolved to change the narrative in the commission for positive results stating that some coaches who are not doing much at the commission’s headquarters in Owerri have been sent to the Local Government Areas to work directly with the grassroots talents and thus identify hidden talents.
While lamenting the need for more coaches to be employed which he pegged at 900, he said some Secretaries in the commission have been asked to double as coaches in their area of comparative advantage to complement the coaches’ work especially when they are on assignment.
The former national Karate champion and coach as a way of motivation also took time to clear the air on the delay by the Imo Government to host and reward athletes that represented the state at the National Sports Festival in Edo last year revealing that the state Governor will in no distance time receive and reward them as the committee set up for the exercise which is headed by Deputy Chief of Staff Admin, Dr .Pat Ekeji and him as Secretary have already received athletes regalia for the ceremony.
