Sam Ogwuche Basketball Camping Opens August 13

Sam Ogwuche Basketball camping in Kogi opens Aug. 13 Coach Daddy Lawal with some of his players By Amaechi Agbo All is set for the 3rd edition of Sam Ogwuche basketball camping in Kogi state slated for August 13, 2018. The camping which will start from 13th August through 18th is geared towards discovering talents in basketball and keeping children out of the streets. According to the organizer and promoter of the camping, coach Daddy Lawal, Mr Ogwuche plans have been perfected to ensure successful camping in the confluence state. Speaking in an interview, the national grassroots coach said that talents discovered in the camping will be trained further to become professionals in the game of basketball. “The camping in Kogi is organized by Sam Oguche. He is planning on how to visit all the states in the federation but there is limited finance to visit them or open camps in all the states at once. That is why he is going to the states one after the other. “The last edition was held in Abuja, Asaba and Kaduna now it is the turn of Kogi and gradually other states will come into the picture. He will be there for the camping because he has passion about basketball. “The camp starts 13th of August and runs till 18th. It is a week-long camping. The target is to take kids out of the streets and make them realize their potentials in basketball. “We always have large turnout of players in each state we have had the camp and they always ask questions. At the end of the camping, we poll these players - the best among them - together and train them. “So many ladies have indicated interest to be basketball players after the camping and we are working with them. We had Mobolaji camping recently and the ladies who participated have been calling me because they were thrilled by our coaching methods. They have all declared their intention to join us here in Abuja to continue the coaching because they felt it is the best. They are narrating their testimonies because they saw their playing patterns and ball reading improve tremendously. “I am marveled by their encomium but I am only doing my little best to help Nigerians and Nigeria get better,” the coach said. Coach Daddy who is the technical adviser of Gilaballs Basketball Club, noted that the club had produced players who are playing abroad and have started their 2018 summer camping on Sunday, July 29. He called on good-spirited individuals, corporate bodies and government to come and sponsor his team in order to do more in talent discovery and taking kids out of the streets. “Gilaballs Basketball Club has produced players and right now some of our players who have been camping in Kaduna and will join the national team. Our players travel outside the country to play professionally. “Gilali Basketball camp started on 29 July and ends on 29th of August. Every kid is at home now and it is better for parents to pick the form at N5, 000 and bring their kids for the camping. There will be certificate of participation for the kids and the coaches that we have invited for the camping will coach them on the best way to become basketball professionals. “They will be impacted mentally, physically and also meet new friends. Anywhere in the world, two-camping is N5, 00 to N10, 000 naira. But here the price is cheap because our aim is not to make money rather to impact on the kids and prepare them for the future. “I want to plead to the public for sponsorship. I have a lot to do in this project. I am taking about 80 to 100 kids out of the street but these are not easy. If I have sponsors, I will be able to take more than 5, 000 kids out of the streets. When we engage these kids, there will be no vices in the country. I need government and corporate entities to come in and let’s build a future for our kids. Nigeria is a big and rich country that we should allow the kids to be consumed in social vices,” the coach pleaded.