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*Plateau Sports Council Welcomes U-17 Cricket Team from North Central Zonal Qualifiers As the Director of Sports promises better welfare*
The Director of Sports at the Plateau State Sports Council, Prof. Ezra Gunen, has warmly received the Plateau State Cricket Association team that recently represented the state at the Under-17 National North Central Zonal Qualifiers held in Abuja.
Speaking during the reception, Prof. Gunen commended the young athletes for representing Plateau State despite the numerous challenges experienced at the beginning of the year.
“On behalf of the Plateau State Sports Council, we are most grateful for the grace God bestowed on you to represent the state despite the challenges of the first quarter of the year,” he said.
The Director of Sports noted that the council is currently working to reposition sports development in the state, though the task has not been easy.
“We are trying to redefine and reorganise sports the way it should be in Plateau, but the problems are more than the desire,” he stated.
Prof. Gunen emphasised the importance of cricket as a sport capable of instilling discipline and teamwork among young athletes. According to him, the sport allows many players to participate at the same time, thereby providing an avenue for broader youth engagement.
“I am personally taking cricket as a key to inculcating discipline on the pitch and in life for players, as it can involve about 20 players or students at once. However, getting out to play the way it should is very difficult, but my desire for cricket will soon show,” he added.
The sports administrator also appealed to the cricket association to remain patient with the politics surrounding sports development, particularly as it relates to cricket.
“We know what is happening and how it will get everywhere, but let us take it as an opportunity that someone can leave the state as a professional cricketer. Poaching is normal; many of our athletes have been poached by other states despite no state having athletes on its payroll like Plateau State,” he said.
He further assured that the council is exploring ways to absorb more athletes into the state payroll and promised improvements to cricket facilities.
“The council will ensure that the pitch given to the association will be graded to make it more conducive for playing,” Prof. Gunen assured.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Plateau State Cricket Association, Mr Stephen Dayok, represented by the association’s Media Officer, Nathaniel Mobolade, formally presented the team that participated in the Abuja qualifiers.
He also displayed cricket equipment recently provided to the association by the Nigeria Cricket Federation.
During the presentation, recognition was given to Sele Josiah, who emerged as the Best Behaved Player, and Victor Adams, who earned an invitation to the National Under-17 Cricket Team following his impressive performance at the tournament.
Mobolade also appealed to the Plateau State Sports Council to further motivate the young players and consider absorbing some cricket coaches into the state payroll to strengthen the development of the sport in the state.
The coaches present during the visit included Coach/Developer Aliyu Magaji, Coach Tisgir Lukat, and Coach Samson Yerima, who have been instrumental in grooming the young cricketers.
Credit: Nathaniel Mobolade.
