By Frank Ulom
OGBIA (CONVERSEER) – The Bayelsa State Netball Association, with financial support from the Bayelsa State Government, has trained 26 new netball coaches during a two-day basic seminar for secondary school Physical Education (P.E.) teachers in Ogbia Local Government Area.
The training, organised in partnership with the Community Sports and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative, took place at the Federal University Otuoke sports gym. It focused on both theoretical and practical aspects of netball — the only organised sport originally designed for girls and women, but which has in recent years become inclusive for boys and men under World Netball’s global reforms.
According to organisers, the initiative was part of the state government’s efforts to strengthen grassroots sports and build the capacity of P.E. teachers to offer more opportunities for the girl-child to develop in sports and academics. Last year, Bayelsa sponsored 21 female students to complete the Sporting Coders programme, which combined netball training with basic coding skills.
The Otuoke training was led by Netball Africa-certified coaches Edema Fuludu and Onome Edema, assisted by coaches Catherine Sasuode, Ruth Opuene, and Opusam Ekinisam Ete. Sessions also included modules on student safeguarding in sports. Despite heavy rainfall on the second day, the coaches undertook practical sessions covering court marking, warm-up and warm-down exercises, player positions, and their responsibilities. The programme concluded with a practice match involving the trainees.
Each participant received free starter packs — comprising netball balls, rims, nets, whistles, training bibs, and anti-drug abuse brochures. Fuludu urged them to replicate the training in their schools, assuring that monitoring visits and intra-school competitions would be organised later in the year to assess their progress.
Expressing gratitude, participants thanked the Bayelsa State Government, the Netball Association, and the Ministry of Education for offering them the opportunity to acquire new skills without paying fees. Some described netball as an exciting and demanding sport that builds agility and teamwork.
Coordinator of the Bayelsa State Netball Association, Catherine Sasuode, commended Governor Douye Diri for the financial backing that made the training possible. She appealed for continued government support to build the capacity of grassroots coaches and ensure sustainable growth of netball in the state.
