Anambra Screens 350 Male, Female Football Players Ahead Of Zonal Eliminations
No fewer than 350 players are taking part in the screening exercise for the state male and female football teams ahead of the Southeast Zonal eliminations for intermediate games.
The screening exercise was declared open by Patrick-Agha Mba, the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development in Anambra at the Awka Township Stadium on Friday.
The Commissioner was joined by Chikelue Iloenyosi Chairman of Anambra State Football Association, Emeka Obidimma, the Director of Sports and other officials.
The participants included no fewer than 70 female players and 280 male players between the ages of 16 and 19.
The Southeast Zonal eliminations will be held in Umuahia, Abia states in August while the Intermediate games will be held in Lagos later this year.
Mba said the players were drawn from senior secondary schools and sports academies across the state.
He said Anambra under the administration of Gov. Chukwuma Soludo would build strong football teams in both male and female categories as well as in other sporting events that would not only conquer their peers in Southeast but go ahead to be worthy ambassadors of the zone in Lagos.
He commended Soludo for his commitment to the sports sector while charging the players to be disciplined, dedicated and focused in their academic endeavours and pursuit of a career in sports.
“With the kick off of this football screening exercise for the zonal eliminations in Umuahia here at the Awka Township Stadium, we have kicked off preparations for the Intermediate games in Lagos.
This has been made possible by the governor who is providing the political leadership for sports development just as he is doing for other sectors of the Anambra society.
“From these young and rejected boys and girls, we hope to raise the best from the Southeast and that is why I have told the coaches that they must give us the best among them.
I want to appreciate his Excellency, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo for his support and I and I promise that Anambra will surely succeed in sports,” he said.
Mba used the opportunity to lead the players to chant birthday songs in solidarity with Nonye Soludo who is m
arking her birthday today.
