Lagos – Seyi Stephen, a Tennis Coach with the Lagos State Sports Council, on Saturday urged managements of schools in the state to collaborate with seasoned coaches to train students in tennis.
Stephen told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos in a telephone interview that knowledge of tennis and sports in general could help in the physical and mental development of the students.
He urged school authorities to set a day aside for physical and health education, saying it would encourage more students to participate in sporting activities.
“All sports should be given equal attention, especially in our schools; a sport like tennis is very good because any child that engages in it will know how to make quick decisions.
“Football and athletics are not the only sports they can engage themselves in; they need to be sensitised to the existence of other sports because that is what will help sport development in our nation.
“It will help some of them to develop skills and build careers in sports, they will also learn how to defend themselves during attacks and learn discipline,’’ the tennis coach said.
He said that more efforts needed to be made to popularise tennis in schools, suggesting that it should be included as part of events during schools’ annual inter-house sports.
“Whenever schools hold their inter-house sports, the two major activities are athletics and football; in other words, any child that is not fit in these sports remains a spectator.
“There should be varieties of sports, this will enrich the event and more students will participate in various sports and parents will be excited to see their children demonstrate,’’ Stephen said.
According to him, this step will go a long way to enhance grassroots sports development in the state, where budding talents will be identified in their prime. (NAN)
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