A one-day Youth Hockey Fiesta is being organised by the Edo State Hockey Association Board, with Dr. Walter Imoedemhe serving as its chairman, on Saturday at the hockey stadium at St. Maria Goretti College in Benin City. St. Maria Goretti College, Auchi; Niger College, Auchi; Idia College, Auchi; and Our Lady of Fatima College, Auchi are among the participating colleges in the tournament.
The hockey teams from UNIBEN, Goretti Old Girls, and Edo Hockey Masters—both male and female—will compete in veteran masters matches, which are among the event’s other highlights.
The occasion will witness the donation of 30 sticks, 30 balls, 32 jerseys and goalkeepers kits to students of St Maria Gorretti by the Old Girls Association.
The tournament is to climax the agenda of the association to focus on progressive development of pilot schools, which commenced with the establishment of hockey centres in these schools with assigned coaches from the Edo State Sports Commission.
The tournament is to help assess the efforts of the association in the past one year.
In a recent board meeting, Imoedemhe thanked members for their resolve to fulfill the promise made to the athletes. The chairman thanked members for their support despite the lean support from government.
The association, according to Imoedemhe, is propelled by Setraco Nigeria Ltd, Amobi Engineering, Estymol Oil and Gas with the support of the Edo State Sports Commission.
“We hope the government will complement our efforts by helping to repair the dilapidating training facilities, employ programme athletes for hockey, sponsor the state team to the forthcoming national league in Kaduna on July 29,” Imoedemhe stated.
