LAGOS – Edet Bassey, Head Coach of the Lagos State Hockey Association, on Friday called on the
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Federal Government to provide infrastructure for the development of the game at the grassroots.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
Edet told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the provision of such infrastructure was [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]necessary if the country hoped to become the best in Africa.
He said the lack of infrastructure and the absence of a strategic programme for hockey development [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]were a major challenge for the development of the sport in the country.
He said that a country such as South Africa was among the world’s best hockey-playing nations because it had focused on infrastructure and grassroots development.
“In South Africa, every county has a pitch; every local government has not less than ten pitches, which people have access to.
“Equipment there might not be as costly as it is here; for example, to kit a goalkeeper, you need at least N350, 000,” he said.
Bassey said that Lagos at the moment lacked standard hockey pitches for training but noted that things could get better with time.
He said that, in spite of the challenges, Lagos state has a good team that could compete for medals at the National Sports Festival (NSF).
“We don’t have any right now, but the state is trying. Not a single hockey pitch and the pitch we have is claimed to have been built on the National Stadium soil.
“That is where the former hockey pitch was. This is where the National hockey pitch had been. It was Lagos State that built it for the FIFA U-17 competition.
“I am quite sure that with the team we have on ground, Lagos team is one that can’t be beaten by any team easily.”
He, urged governments at the various levels to pay attention to hockey and pleaded with the private sector to also assist governments in supporting the growth of the sport.