The growth of netball in Nigeria has received another major boost as the Delta State Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education recently organised a two-day seminar for secondary school teachers in Udu Local Government Area.
The training, held at Ovwian Secondary School, Udu, was co-sponsored by the Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation and the Community Sports and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative, as part of the ongoing Project 2027 programme.
Record Teacher Participation
A total of 58 teachers from both government and private secondary schools in Udu LGA participated. Special invitees included teachers from Army Day Secondary School, Effurun (Uvwie LGA), College of Commerce, Warri, and Otokutu Secondary School, Ughelli South LGA.
This makes the Udu seminar the largest single netball training in Nigeria so far, further pushing the reach of Project 2027 closer to its ambitious goal.
Training Content and Highlights
The sessions, which combined theory and practical lessons, were delivered by Netball Africa certified coaches Edema Fuludu, Beauty Obamwonyi, and Onome Fuludu, with support from Ruth Opuene of the Bayelsa State Sports Commission.
Teachers were introduced to:
-
Basic netball skills and rules
-
The seven playing positions and player responsibilities
-
How to properly mark a netball court
A key highlight was a special session on safeguarding students and athletes, reflecting the project’s commitment to sports as a safe and educational tool.
The training ended with a lively practice match between two groups of teachers, showcasing their newly acquired knowledge.
Praise from Education Leaders
The Chief Inspector of Education (C.I.E.) Udu LGA, Mr. Samson Ochuko Omosonwhofa, and the Principal of Ovwian Secondary School, Mrs. Ochuko Gere, commended the organisers for bringing netball to the teachers. They urged participants to transfer the knowledge into their schools’ sports programmes for the benefit of their students and local communities.
Netball’s Global and Local Push
Traditionally a sport designed for women and girls, World Netball has recently encouraged greater male participation to make it more inclusive. The sport is played at the Commonwealth Games and has its own Netball World Cup—the latest held in 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. Discussions are ongoing with the IOC and Brisbane 2032 Olympic organisers to potentially include netball in the Olympic Games.
In Nigeria, however, the sport had been largely neglected until the CSED Initiative launched “Project 2027” in July 2022. The project’s goal is to introduce one million Nigerian school children to netball by training and equipping 1,000 teachers nationwide.
A Step Closer to the Goal
At the end of the Udu seminar, participants received certificates of attendance along with free netball equipment (balls, rims, whistles). With this training, the number of Nigerian teachers and coaches equipped under Project 2027 has now surpassed 500, marking a major milestone on the road to one million children.
Special recognition was given to Mr. Samson Ochuko Omosonwhofa, whose efforts in mobilising teachers contributed to the event’s record-breaking success.