Lagos To Host National Freestyle Football Tournament Tagged “Street Ballbenders” On Friday

Finally Street Ballbenders is going to take centre stage in Lagos. Freestyle Football would find his way back into the Nigeria Sport circuit as arrangements has been concluded for the event to actually rock Lagos as earlier promised.

Football Freestylers from the nooks and crannies of the federation of Nigeria would converge at the Sport Centre, University of Lagos, Yaba to show there dexterity and outwit each other for the top prize of becoming the best football Freestyler in the land.

From Abuja to Warri, From Port Harcourt to Kaduna, Freestylers are already landing in Lagos to grace the event which promises to be a mind blowing and jaw cracking event which will also experience lots of music, dance and comedy to make it an absolute weekend starter.

CEO PodiumView, Suara Abass the event’s organiser has bemoaned the low level of attention given by corporate bodies to events like this and most especially these extremely talented guys who do things that are unimaginable with just a football without actually running around.

He further reiterated that these are the kind of talents that should be seen on the bigger screen for adverts, Tv commercials, concerts and so many corporate events as their kind of entertainment is absolutely next to none.

Abass also said that Freestyle footballers should be engaged to provide entertainment at match venues during league and national team games as their skills will keep football fans optimally entertained.

Lagos To Host National Freestyle Football Tournament Tagged “Street Ballbenders” On Friday

This year’s event, Street Ballbenders 2015 Freestyle Football competition would be going down at the Indoor Sports Hall of the University of Lagos on Friday the 9th October, 2015 with proceedings set to start with the Warm-up activities which double as the Qualifiers by 11am and the battle Royale start at exactly 1pm.

Fans will also be treated to live music performances mixed with comedy and dance in what promises to be a fun filled day.

Further information can be gotten on the official website http://www.streetballbenders.com and official Twitter handle @StreetBBenders

DIRECTOR GENERAL, LSSC COMMENCES SPORTS FACILITIES INSPECTION

Director General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Ayodele Agbesanwa has commenced the inspection tour of sports facilities under the Commission with Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere and Onikan Stadium, Onikan.

Mr. Agbesanwa at the Onikan Stadium said that with the directive issued to the stadiums managers to open up these facilities for communities use, it was necessary to ensure that these facilities are in good shape and well maintained so as to serve the purposes for which they were meant for.

Onikan Stadium Turf

At Onikan Stadium, the Director General had a meeting with some of the tenants on the property and directed that they should ensure clean, healthy and attractive environment as the current environment is not acceptable. He reiterated that he would enforce the State environmental Law against them if they do not comply immediately.

Agbesanwa issued A warning to all the illegal occupants at Onikan Stadium to vacate the premises immediately or face the full wrath of the law for non-compliance. He directed the facility manager of Onikan to ensure that all directives and instructions are followed to the letter. While opining that, Onikan Stadium that has a memorable history should be brought back to its former glory days especially now that it would serve as home ground to one of the two Lagos Clubs that have gained promotion into the GLO Premier League.

DIRECTOR GENERAL, LSSC AYO AGBESANWA COMMENCES SPORTS FACILITIES INSPECTION

While at the Rowe Park Sports Centre,Yaba, the Director General disclosed that the Swimming Pool there will soon be given a facelift for the training of the State Athletes.

He further said that an area have also been created at Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba for a Gym for Lagos State Athletes and also for public use. He added that the Multi-Purpose Sports Facilities at the Centre is open to members of the communities for sporting activities, most especially schools for grassroots sports development.

Mr. Agbesanwa however enjoined both Public and Private Schools that are interested in using these sports facilities not to hesitate in approaching the Facility Manager for enquiries.

Young Basketball Player Slumps and Dies While Training

An athlete with the Dodan Warriors Basketball Academy has passed-on this Tuesday 29th September, 2015 while training alone on the Basketball Court of Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos.

Oke Ayobami, the 22 years Old Athlete suddenly collapsed while training alone on the court and was attended to immediately by the Lagos State Sports Commission, Sports Medicine Centre Medical Team that were also located within Rowe Park Sports Centre. After Several attempts to resuscitate Ayobami, he was immediately transported with an ambulance to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja for further medical attention.

At LASUTH Emergency Unit, Dr. Kayode Michael, Head of Sports Medicine Directorate of Lagos State Sports Commission along with a Consultant immediately attended to the patient who was confirmed Brought – In – Dead (BID).

The officials of the Lagos State Sports Commission and the Dodan Warriors Basketball Academy Coach has since briefed the parents of the deceased, while his remains has been deposited at the mortuary awaiting coronary inquest to ascertained the cause of death.

The Director General of Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Ayo Agbesanwa along with other top officials have since officially visited the family of the deceased athlete to commiserate with them.

Youth Alive Junior League Jumpoff This Weekend In Lagos

The 2015 season of the Lagos state Junior Basketball tagged “Youth Alive” Junior Basketball League will Jump ball on Friday 16th January, 2014.

The annual developmental league for Under 15 and 19’s which has been remodelled, will for the first time feature schools and Academies in seperate a category and 4 different traditional basketball venues across the Lagos metropolis will entertain the best amateaur basketballers in the state.

According to the Technical Director of the Lagos State Basketball Association who doubles as the Cordinator of the Youth Alive Junior League, Mr Gbade Latona said the idea is to avail all interested schools and basketball Academies an opportunity to participate and reduce travel time of teams to the playing arena during game days.

Lagos Youth Alive Basketball Holiday League resumes at Rowe Park

Traditional basketball courts Mobolaji Johnson Sports Center, Rowe Park, Yaba; Police College, Ikeja; Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos Island and the Ilupeju Basketball Court will all be utilised for the League. As matches will hold simultaneously at all venue on Fridays and Saturdays for the 6 month period the League will run.

Opening day fixtures set for this Friday, will see Dodan Warriors Academy A against Raptors Academy U19 s and Del Basketball Academy battles Raptors Academy in the Under 15 category at the Ilupeju center. At the Police College center, Police Rookies will battle Warlord Academy in the U19s, while Phidell play Police Rookies and Diamond Academy against Police Rookies on Saturday.

The Rowe Park Center will see the River Dragons U19s’ against Deepbond U19s’ while Strong Tower and River Dragons battle in the U15 category on Friday. The following day will feature Top Field against River Dragons while we will witness the first female match up of the season when Raptors faceoff against Hope 4 Girls at same venue.

DAWN Games 2014: Lagos dominates gymnastics, as football enters semis

Team Lagos were outstanding in the Gymnastics events of the maiden South-West Secondary Schools Championship tagged DAWN Games 2014 as they won 17 medals to top the medal table of the sport decided at Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex, Rowe Park, Yaba.

The breakdown of medals won showed that the Ortega Akintola inspired Team Lagos won 8 gold, 6 silver and. 3 bronze. Team Ekiti were second with 2 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medal. Ogun were third with 1 gold, 5 bronze while Team Oyo could only win 3 silver and 2 bronze to claim the fourth position.

Football event which enters semi final stage on Wednesday with Team Lagos taking on Team Oyo as early as 8am at Agege Stadium, while the second semi final scheduled for the afternoon will involve Team Ogun and Osun State.

Finals of events such as Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming, Scrabble and Chess will take place at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Meanwhile, chairman, Technical Committee of Lagos State Football Association, Dotun Coker, has said that the football event at the DAWN Games has shown that there is positive and future in the development of football in the Western part of Nigeria.

Coker, said the tournament which was the initiative of DAWN Commission and designed for Secondary School students within the South West zone would create an enabling environment to harness young sports talents in the region.

The Chairman, LSFA Technical Committee, said he had saddled the chairman of Ikeja Football Coaches Council, Rafiu Taiwo, with the responsibility of writing a technical report and also to identify the best 18 football players for the region ahead of future tournaments.

According to him, Coach Taiwo is expected to submit his report to him for ratification and easy passage to the DAWN Commission.

He detested the lackadaisical attitude of the Lagos State Football Coaches Association for not been present at Agege Stadium where football is taking place, stressing that their presence would enable them to present the LSFA a detailed technical report based on their assessment of each participating team.

DAWN GAMES 2014 APPROVED SCHEDULE OF VENUES & DATES

DAWN GAMES 2014 APPROVED SCHEDULE OF VENUES & DATES
FRIDAY 16TH May – SATURDAY 24TH MAY, 2014

MOBOLAJI JOHNSON SPORTS CENTRE, ROWE PARK, YABA

S/N. SPORTS. EVENTS (BOYS) EVENTS (GIRLS) DURATION. EVENTS DATES. VENUES. REMARKS

1 GYMNASTICS. 6. 5. 3 Days Sun 18th May–Tues 20th May, 2014 Sports Hall

2 BADMINTON. 2. 2. 2 Days Weds 21st May– Thurs 22nd May, 2014. Sports Hall

3 BASKETBALL. 1. 1. 3 Days. Mon 19th May – Weds 21st May, 2014. Basketball Courts

4 TENNIS. 2. 2. 2 Days. Mon 19th May – Tues 20th May, 2014 Tennis Courts

TESLIM BALOGUN STADIUM, SURULERE

S/N. SPORTS. EVENTS (BOYS) EVENTS (GIRLS) DURATION. EVENTS DATES. VENUES. REMARKS
5 TABLE-TENNIS. 2. 2. 2 Days. Mon 19th May–Tues 20th May, 2014. Sports Hall

6 TAEKWONDO. 5. 3. 2 Days. Weds 21st May–Thurs 22nd May, 2014 Sports Hall

7 VOLLEYBALL. 1. 1. 3 Days. Mon 19th May–Weds 21st May, 2014 Volleyball Courts

8 SWIMMING. 16. 16 3 Days. Mon 19th May–Weds 21st May, 201 Swimming pool

9 SCRABBLE. 2 + 2 MXD. 2. 2 Days. Tues 20th May–Weds 21st May, 2014 Sports Bar

10 ATHLETICS. 13. 13. 2 Days. Tues 20th May–Weds 21st May, 2014 Main Bowl
3 3. 1 Day Fri 23rd May, 2014 Main Bowl. Additional 1 day for Finals of 100m, 4X100m relay and 4X400m relay (Boys & Girls)

11 CHESS. 8. 8. 2 Days. Tues 20th May – Weds 21st May, 2014. Media Centre

12 FOOTBALL. 1. 1. 1 Day. Thurs 22nd May, 2014 Main Bowl. 3rd Place and Final Matches (Boys & Girls)

AGEGE STADIUM

12 FOOTBALL. 1. 1. 3 Days. Sun 18th, Mon 19th & Weds 21st May, 2014. Main Bowl

DAWN Games kicks off in Lagos

The maiden edition of South-West Secondary Schools Games tagged DAWN Games begins on Friday May 16 in Lagos with over 2,000 athletes and officials in attendance.

The DAWN Games, which will be competed by athletes from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti State, is a 12 sports tournament of Nigeria School Sports Federation, NSSF. The sports are Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Chess, Football, Gymnastics, Scrabble, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Taekwondo and Volleyball. It will be staged in three centres across Lagos: Agege Stadium, Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex, Rowe Park, Yaba and the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, while the NYSC Camp at Iyana Ipaja in Lagos.

According to the schedule of event released to the media by the Technical Sub-Committee of the Main Organising Committee (MOC), athletes and officials are expected to check in to the Games Village on Friday with accreditations taking off in full swing, while events will begin on Sunday May 18 with Football and Gymnastics taking the centre stage at the Agege Stadium and Rowe Park Sports Centre respectively.

According to the schedules, Rowe Park will also play host to Badminton, Basketball and Tennis. At Teslim Balogun Stadium, sports such as Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Volleyball, Swimming, Scrabble and Athletics will be on stage, while Agege Stadium will also host Chess.

It was gathered that Team Ogun, would present 186 athletes, while no fewer than 163 athletes will represent Team Lagos.

Meanwhile, a member of basketball team for Lagos, Ololade Azeez has expressed confidence that Lagos will win gold medal in both male and female basketball event of the competition.

“I am happy to be among the players that will represent Lagos at DAWN Games. Our training so far is superb and very impressive. We are in good form now and ready to win gold medals for team Lagos in Basketball both male and female category,” he said.

Head Coach of Badminton of Team Lagos, Kayode Olatunji said there is high spirit in camp as the players are looking forward to participating at the DAWN Games, adding that the supports the players and officials received from the state government will boost their morale to excel at the Games, which will end on 24 May.

MOC hoists flags for DAWN Game

The hoisting of flags for the South-West Secondary Schools Games tagged DAWN Games was held yesterday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Members of the Main Organising Committee (MOC) chaired by Wahid Oshodi attended the flag hoisting ceremony.

The MOC boss said at the ceremony that the hoisting symbolised the readiness of the host, Lagos to stage a glamorous competition.

“I want to tell our brothers and sisters that from other south-west states that we are expecting them for the Games. We want to show again that we can repeat the show and the glamour of the last National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012 during the DAWN Games,” he said.

“The athletes and officials will experience the hospitality Lagos is known of at the championship. Everything from health, security and all those things that will make us put in place a glamorous competition are ready. The facilities are world class and by Friday this week, the Games will begin,” Oshodi said

The DAWN Games, which will kick off on May 16 to 24 and will be staged at three centres: Agege Stadium, Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba and the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Over 2000 athletes from six states made up of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and host – Lagos are expected to compete in 12 school sports events.

Team Lagos Island LG Win IBILE Games 2014

Team Lagos Island Local Government are the winners of Lagos State Sports Festival tagged IBILE Games 2014 which was concluded on Saturday at the mainbowl of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Lagos Island topped the medals table of the Senior Category of the Games with a total of 366 medals: 151 gold, 108 silver and 107 bronze.

In the distant second position are Team Surulere that won 109 medals: 36 gold, 32 silver and 41 bronze.

Team Ibeju Lekki came third with 93 medals: 29 gold, 27 silver and 27 bronze.

Team Ojo came fourth with78 medals: 25 gold, 29 silver and 24 bronze.

In fifth position are Team Oriade Local Council Development Area (LCDA) that won 63 medals: 24 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze.

In the Junior Category, which featured secondary school students in the state, schools with best performance in each of the 20 sports in this category were listed out by the Technical Sub-Committee headed by Babatunde Fatayi-Williams.

Team Lagos City Senior College, Sabo, Yaba were outstanding in the boys’ category. They were the best school team in four sports Wrestling, Handball, Badminton and Squash, while in the Girls’ category, Wesley Girls junior Secondary School, Sabo, Yaba out shined others in four sports: Weightlifting, Judo, Badminton and Squash.

The football final, which was decided during the colourful final ceremony watched by Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, Sir Molade Okoya Thomas and other important dignitaries, saw Ojo and Surulere Sports City Football Club playing a 1-1 draw in the regulation only for the Ojo team to win the football gold in the penalty shootout that ended 3-1.

Director of Sports, Lagos Sports Council, Dr. Kweku Adebayo Tandoh said that the Main Organising Committee, MOC, headed by the Honourable Commissioner for Sports, Mr. Wahid Enitan Oshodi, appreciated the support received from Governor Fashola, the Ministry of Education, Corporate Nigeria, the media, the athletes, students, Principals, Games Masters, technical officers, Chairmen of all the participating local councils in the state and the spectators for the success and glamour of IBILE Games 2014.

“As we close the IBILE Games, we invite you all to the South-West States Secondary Schools Games “DAWN Games” which holds in Lagos from 16-24 May, 2014,” Tandoh said..

No fewer than 180 secondary schools in the public and private sector took part in this year’s IBILE Games with 39 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) also in attendance.

Ibile Games: Surulere’s Ezeala wins 100m female final

Winner of the Women’s 100 metres in the athletics event of the ongoing Lagos State Sports Festival tagged IBILE GAMES at the main bowl of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Ezeala Nkem of Surulere Local Government, said her performance in the Games is part of her build up to the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Golden League billed for this weekend in Akure, Ondo State.

Ezeala, who dusted Oshibayo Temitope and Okonkwo Precious, breasted the tape with the time of 12.26 seconds to win the 100 Women’s race.

Oshibayo Temitope of Lagos Island Local Government came second with a time of 12. 61 seconds, while Okonkwo Precious of FIBA LCDA was third with a time of 12.62 seconds.

The winner, who is a product of Adopt-A – Talents Sports Programme of the Lagos State Government, said the athletics event in the IBILE Games would help build her confidence and encourage her to perform very well at the Golden League in Akure, adding that her priority is to surpass her previous records in the Golden League so as to stand a chance of been invited to camp for international competitions.

Ezeala, who came third in 200 metres of the Golden League in Ilorin, Kwara State with a time of 24.49 seconds and clinched the third position in the 100 metres at the Golden League in Abuja with a time of 11.61 seconds.

She commended Lagos Government for helping her to build a positive career in athletics and education. She said that her desire is to keep making the Lagos proud for investing in her future.

The athlete, who will depart Lagos for Akure on Friday, said her priority was to become world’s best athlete in her chosen career.

In the Men’s High Jump, Lagos Island West LCDA dominated the event as Ayeni Babatuntomi won the event with a height of 1.90 metres, while Bolaji Tayo came second with 1.90 metres just as Olufarati Aadebayo came third with 1.80metres Meanwhile, International School, Lagos (ISL) defeated Victoria Memorial School 19 – 15 to win gold medal of Junior Category of male event of basketball at Rowe Park, Yaba. While Birrel High School won bronze medal.

In the female, Aiyetoro Senior School beat ISL 25 – 12, while CMS Grammar School won bronze medal.

Sporting associations list gains of Ibile Games

Chairman Lagos State Taekwondo Association (LSTA), Jimmy Okunnowo, has said that the ongoing Lagos State Sports Festival tagged IBILE Games will afford the state a chance to get good athletes ahead of the forthcoming EKO Taekwondo Championship in July.

According to him, the association will get at least 32 taekwondists at the end of the competition which ends on Saturday.

Okunnowo, who sees the games as a positive measure towards paving the way for the growth of grassroots sports in the state, said the list of selected athletes would comprise of taekwondo athletes who won laurels as well as those who were eliminated at the preliminary rounds, stressing that the gesture was to give equal opportunities to the athletes especially those who were technically good but were unable to win laurels.

He added that the invited taekwondo athletes would be exposed to the nitty- gritty of the game so as to be in a good frame of mind ahead of the EKO Taekwondo Championship and subsequent tournaments.

According to him, athletes from other African countries such as Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Republic of Benin will compete with Nigerian taekwondo athletes at the tourney.

In the same vein, Nigeria’s international table tennis referee, John Peter, believes participating in IBILE Games will give Lagos’ ping pongers a good opportunity to excel at the South-West Secondary school championship tagged DAWN Games 2014 which holds from May 16 to 24 in Lagos.

Peter, who is the referee of the table tennis event at the IBILE Games said that he was convinced that the state’s table tennis players would live up expectations at the DAWN Games because the Lagos State Government has made available necessary logistics to boost the players’ morale to win laurels.

He noted that the positive approach of the Lagos State Government towards the growth of grassroots sports would encourage the table tennis players to surpass the records set at the 18th National Sports Festival tagged EKO 2012 Games.

He said the Junior Category of IBILE Games is a good preparatory ground for the players to represent the state at the DAWN Games, and the country at the African Youth Games as well as the Olympic Youth Games.

Ibile Games: ‘Volleyball stars will form core of Team Lagos for DAWN Games’

Lagos State Volleyball Association (LSVA) has assured that majority of secondary schools players featuring at the ongoing Lagos State Sports Festival tagged Ibile Games 2014 will be invited to camp ahead of the forthcoming DAWN Games scheduled to begin on May 16.

Technical Director, Suraj Olajide Olatuga told reporters on Monday that it has been a long time he has seen young volleyball players displaying tactical volleyball skills to the admiration of the association’s technical team, adding that the performance of the players have shown that volleyball has improved following the players’ second liner attack and floating service which are the most effective services in the sport.

Olatuga noted that the initiative behind the Lagos State Adopt- A-Talent Sport Programme has yielded positive result in the building of future Volleyball players for Lagos.

According to him, Lagos will be a team to beat in the volleyball event at the DAWN Games, a competition for Secondary schools in the Southwest of the country.

“We are having a total of 18 secondary schools of eleven boys schools and seven girls schools competing in the Volleyball event of Ibile Games.

In some of the games played on Monday at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, International School Lagos (ISL) defeated New Era Girls’ High School, 2- 0, while Rockford Secondary School defeated Command Day Secondary School, Ikeja, 2- 0 in the girls’ category.

United Christian Secondary School defeated Habibat Mogaji Secondary School, 2- 0 in the boys’ event.

The game is played on round robin format as the participating schools were paired in two groups of five teams in the boys’ event, while their girls counterparts were drawn in two groups of four teams.

The best two teams will qualify for the semi final holding on Tuesday, while finals are fixed for Wednesday.
Meanwhile, former Lagos State number one female table tennis player, Fatimo Bello, has expressed her happiness that she was able to use ongoing Ibile Games to prove that she is still a force to reckon with in the game.

Bello who was sanctioned by Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) was recently left off the hook from the ban placed on her since 2012.

Bello a left-hand player, who represented Itire Ikate LCDA, won the women’s singles after she defeated Alimot Ayinla of Lagos Mainland Local Government by four straight set of 11-8, 11-6, 12-10, 11-3, in the final decided at the knock-up hall of the National stadium, Surulere.

To reach the final, Bello, who was part of the Lagos State table tennis team that went on a training tour of Asia, prior to the 18th National Sports Festival, tagged EKO 2012 Games, beat, Sidi Yaya of Lagos Island West LCDA in the semi final clash.

“Many were thinking that because ofthe ban placed on me, I won’t be on top of my game at the Ibile games, but I’m glad that my critics have been proved wrong with the gold medal Ive won. I’m so happy and I thank God,” she said.