Edo hockey board hosts grassroots tourney

The Edo State Hockey Association Board led by its chairman, Dr Walter Imoedemhe, is organising a one-day Youth Hockey Fiesta on Saturday at St. Maria Goretti College hockey stadium, Benin City.  Featuring at the tourney are St. Maria Goretti College, Benin; Niger College, Benin; Idia College, Benin and Our Lady of Fatima College, Auchi.

Other highlights of the event include veteran masters matches between Edo Hockey Masters (male and female), Goretti Old Girls and UNIBEN hockey teams.

The occasion will witness the donation of 30 sticks, 30 balls, 32 jerseys and goalkeepers kits to students of St Maria Gorretti by the Old Girls Association.

The tournament is to climax the agenda of the association to focus on progressive development of pilot schools, which commenced with the establishment of hockey centres in these schools with assigned coaches from the Edo State Sports Commission.

The tournament is to help assess the efforts of the association in the past one year.

In a recent board meeting, Imoedemhe thanked members for their resolve to fulfill the promise made to the athletes. The chairman thanked members for their support despite the lean support from government.

The association, according to Imoedemhe, is propelled by Setraco Nigeria Ltd, Amobi Engineering, Estymol Oil and Gas with the support of the Edo State Sports Commission.

“We hope the government will complement our efforts by helping to repair the dilapidating training facilities, employ programme athletes for hockey, sponsor the state team to the forthcoming national league in Kaduna on July 29,” Imoedemhe stated.