Basketball
How WESIE Is Helping To build Young Women’s Careers In Sports
Joel Ajayi
In a bid to create change within the community by inspiring more women to participate actively in sports among young people and also empower them to excel in life, the Women’s Elite Sports Empowerment initiative (WESIE) has organized a two day tournament to help the stars of tomorrow’s stars.
The winner smiled home with a sum of N500, 000, while the runner up went home with N300, 000 and 200,000 for the third-place winner.
Speaking at the event on Saturday when the prizes doled out for the winner in Abuja, the Founder/CEO Funke Adeniji, said the initiative was borne out of her struggles as a female athlete and the realization of the limited opportunities available to help females achieve their full potential as athletes, hence individuals.
According to her, we have been doing it for 10 years, we have been using our platforms to inspire countries and players, building them to become better players, better coaches and better Ambassadors of their various Communities.
“It has been a long prudent journey to this particular event this year. For this tournament we have had three regional tournaments in the South West where we had about six teams, we did similarly across the country.
“We have six teams here from three different zones, the prize money is a total sum of N1 million in three categories,” she said.
“We also have players that have made progress from here to some of the top leagues across the world and national team in Nigeria and we are passionate about what we do.
“We are focusing on creating local opportunities for the talents in communities. I chose basketball because it is the sport I know best and I played basketball most of my adult life.
“I played in the National league, mostly in the United Kingdom, and played in the International National league as well, and so basketball is a sport I know very well.”
In terms of mentoring players and coaches, “I can say that with basketball, I can have the biggest impacts in the organization I run.”
After this tournament, we are hoping to take things to the next level next year but we know we cannot do it all alone without support, “So we are looking to build on it and so even trade better opportunities for players and coaches we work with.
“This depends on any support we can get and so if you are listening out there and you want to sponsor us or possibly collaborate with us, we are open to such collaborations,” she said.
On his part, Frank John, the General sports Administrator of WESIE, said that they are auto inspired, empowered and this has enabled great performances by players and coaches.
However, COAS Rockets of Kaduna emerged as the winner, followed by Calabar Seasiders of Cross River, while the MVP went to Sarah Alhasan of COAS Rockets of Kaduna and the best behaved team was Impression Basketball of Delta.
Basketball
Nigeria @ 65: Igoche Mark Pays Homage to Nigerian Athletes for Contributions
Joel Ajayi
As Nigeria marks its 65th Independence anniversary on Wednesday October 1, Basketball Promoter and Initiator of Mark D’ Ball Basketball Championship, Mr. Igoche Mark, has commended the country’s athletes for their outstanding contributions.
In a heartfelt message, Mr. Mark praised active and retired athletes for consistently putting Nigeria on the global map through their dedication, hard work, and achievements. “Your dedication, hard work, and achievements have not only brought us pride but have also inspired a generation of Nigerians,” he stated.
The Sports Administrator urged the National Sports Commission to establish a platform to celebrate these athletes and recognize their invaluable contributions to Nigerian sports. He emphasized the need to honour their legacy and provide a framework for their continued involvement in sports after retirement.
To support athletes in transition, Mr. Mark recommended that “retirement plans be implemented to ensure a seamless transition into life after sports. This would enable athletes to plan for their future and maximize their post-athletic careers.”
Furthermore, he proposed a welfare package for retired athletes, including access to healthcare, education, and economic empowerment programs. “By doing so, we can show our appreciation for their service and ensure that they are taken care of,” Mr. Mark added.
As Nigeria celebrates its 65th Independence anniversary on October 1, with the theme “Nigeria @ 65: All Hands on Deck for a Greater Nation,” Mr. Mark’s sentiments echo the sentiments of many Nigerians who believe in the importance of recognizing and supporting the country’s athletes.
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