Former Super Falcons midfielder, Maureen Mmadu has stated that her desire to ensure that female children are not discriminated against and are allowed to be who they chose to become, influenced her decision to set up kiddies camp for girls that have the potential to play football.
The five day holiday camp for female kiddies between ages 10 and 15 began on Saturday December 19th and will end Wednesday 23rd December and its initiator, Maureen Mmadu told www.dasportstainment247.com what motivated her into organising the programme.
“I’m motivated because young players look up to me as their role model and I believe I’m the person that can convince their parents to allow them to come out because girl children can become whatever they want to be with good guidance,” Mmadu, who played 101 games for the Super Falcons to become the most capped Nigerian, told www.dasportstainment247.com.
“I want to break the barrier because when I was young, my mother didn’t want me to play football.
It has been good. We are having a positive response from the kids. They are all happy.”
Mmadu further explained the objectives of the camping and what the girls stand to gain from attending it.
“We try to teach them how to play football from trapping, controlling football among others. We are also teaching them how to live a healthy life including when to eat, rest, and when to train.
“We are teaching the bigger ones among them the technique and tactical aspect of the game including how they can increase their pace while with the ball.”
Mmadu also informed that an academy could be set up at the end of the programme to enable the tutored kids pursue their football dream through a more coordinated approach and under the best environment and tutelage.
“I have seen a lot of them that can play football. The one we are going to pick, we shall start training them like two or three times a week to nurture them and monitor their progress in football.
“We are trying to see what happens at the end of the camping exercise. It is what we see that will either encourage us to start something or to hold on for now.” She added.
The 45-year-old amazon admonishes his former teammates and other good spirited Nigerians to join in the crusade to give the girl child real sense If belonging and help them achieve their dreams.
“I always encourage anybody that has this kind of dream to do that and come back and give to society. It is not everybody that has that kind of passion. Some have it in mind but no passion to do it.
“I will continue encouraging those with that mindset to give back to society to come back home and let’s give back to society. Let’s build together and make female football to gain its enviable height in the country. We have a lot of talented players that can be nurtured to stardom.” She concluded.
The camp will end on Wednesday with about 100 kids attending the first edition.
and the girls had been taken through all the rudiments of football.
The camp will be held bi-annually with the April edition tagged the Easter camping slated for April 10th to 15th, 2021 while that of December will hold as from 15th to 20th December, 2021.
Born May 7th 1975 Mmadu played for Pelican Stars, Jegede Babes, Linkopings FC, Avaldness, and a host of others and she took part in four FIFA Women’s World Cup, two Olympic Games with the Super Falcons between 1993 and 2011 when she decided to quit the national team.
