The Enugu Sports Club has kicked-off its 2017 U-15/21 Tennis Championship, with a charge on the players to make the best out of the opportunity.
Speaking while declaring the championship open, the chairman of the Enugu Sports Club, Chief Ben Etiaba said the essence of the competition was to catch and enhance the skills of the young ones and help them to not just eke out a living but to contribute meaningfully to the development of the society.
“Our emphasis is to catch them young; I can’t really begin to tell how happy I am.
“This is not the first time the tennis section is organizing end-year competition but I have not witnessed such that kick-started with the junior category.
“This is about the future of the kids. It is similar to what we do at the golf section. You are getting the young ones involved and it helps so much towards general sports development.
“This is why during golf tournament in the country, four persons among the top winner always come from Enugu. So, here at the tennis section, I feel so happy that you are using Coach Emily, Nigeria’s former number 2 Female Tennis player, to groom these young ones.
“I can also see the passion to which the Assistant Tennis Captain, ESV. Cosmas Eze has committed himself; I had listened when he made presentations on the efforts he is making and today we are glad to see the results.
“I am so happy that we have given the children the opportunity to play the game. Quite a number of them are not even from rich homes; their parents are not even members of the club, but they are getting the opportunity”, Etiaba noted.
He, therefore, charged the young players “not to take the opportunity for granted but to grab it with both hands; this is a golden opportunity for you to help yourselves.
“If you play well, you don’t know who is watching and if the person takes interest, this may take you to a place you never imagined.”
The Club chairman commended the partnering organizations, “Suntory Beverages and Foods Ltd; PZ Coolworld and Abuja Chamber of Commerce”, for identifying with the championship.
Earlier, the Captain of the Tennis section of the club, Dr. Lawrence Azike said the championship was a demonstration of their commitment to molding young ones, keeping them away from crime and ensuring that they became self-reliant.
He called on other corporate organizations to identify with the vision and ensure that young ones “are given every needed opportunity to develop their talents and become useful individuals.”
While giving further insight on the championship, the chairman of the organizing committee and vice captain of the tennis section, ESV. Cosmas Eze said “after the qualifying series, we are going to enter into the final series which will end on October 21, 2017.”
He said apart from the three sponsors who had made commitments, other partners had shown readiness to identify with the programme in due course.
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