FCT Tops Medals Table As Maiden National School Volleyball Championship Ends in Abuja

FCT Tops Medals Table As Maiden National School Volleyball Championship Ends in Abuja

By Arinzechi Chukwunonso 

The curtain has fallen on the first-ever National School Volleyball Championship in Abuja, with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) emerging the biggest winners in both the boys’ and girls’ categories after days of intense, inspiring action from young talents across Nigeria.

FCT I clinched double gold, topping both divisions of the historic competition. In the boys’ event, FCT I secured the gold medal, Kaduna State settled for silver, while FCT II picked bronze. The girls’ finals saw another all-FCT showdown, with FCT I again taking gold and FCT II earning silver. Bayelsa State completed the podium with bronze.

The championship, organized to strengthen grassroots sports development, brought together players under age 15 from multiple states including Yobe, Adamawa, and Cross River.

Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, expressed delight at the success of the maiden edition, emphasizing that school competitions form the foundation for Nigeria’s future sporting excellence.

“We must congratulate the young boys and girls for being here. At this level, the most important thing is participation,” he said. “Our objective is to ensure we monitor your growth and give you pathways to the national and international stage.”

Dikko encouraged wider participation in future editions and revealed that the Federal Ministry of Education and the NSC are finalizing a new strategic framework to strengthen school sports nationwide.

President of the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), Dr. Olabisi Joseph, hailed the championship as a landmark achievement for talent discovery in volleyball.

“This partnership with the Nigeria Volleyball Federation is a very big step,” she stated with excitement. “We have abundance of talent in the school system. Sports stimulates learning, so we are building a total child.”

She confirmed that standout athletes from the event will be shortlisted to represent Nigeria at the International School Sport Federation (ISF) World School Volleyball Championship scheduled for December 3–13 in China.

“It is an opportunity for our children to showcase their talent before global scouts. We appreciate the support of state governments that ensured their students participated,” she added.

President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engr. Musa Nimrod, pledged to sustain the championship as a key annual program on the national volleyball calendar.

“We believe in grassroots development. You cannot rise to the top without strengthening the base,” he affirmed. “Anywhere you go today, village or community, you see volleyball. Next year will be bigger. Volleyball has awakened.”

Captain of the victorious FCT girls’ team, Mary Anebi, expressed excitement over the victory and vowed that the team will remain focused as the journey now shifts to global competition.

“We are proud of what we achieved here. We fought hard, played together and showed that FCT is strong in volleyball,” she said, brimming with confidence. “We will train even harder and make Nigeria proud in China.”

With unity of purpose from stakeholders and enthusiasm from the young athletes, the maiden National School Volleyball Championship has set a strong foundation for the sport’s future in Nigeria. The next chapters promise even greater victories, as these rising stars continue their journey from school courts to the world stage.