The Kano State Sport Commission has stepped up its preparations in golf ahead of the forthcoming National Youth Games billed for Ilorin the Kwara State capital in October.
This is ostensibly to return a perfect performance in the Youth Games, just as the coaches have been recruiting players into golf sport from schools.
Kabiru Mohammed Haruna, one of the coaches and a PGA of Nigeria prolific golfer told SOKOnnect that majority of the players are in theirJunior Secondary School (JSS) levels.
Coach Haruna added that the trainee golfers have been very impressive; a development that has tickled the interest of the Sport Commission boss, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima in attending to their needs.
According to him, “Kano State Golf team have been doing very fine in their preparations for the coming National Youth Games in Ilorin; as one of the coaches our target is to prepare very well and perform very well with medals to show for it.”
“We have very young players who are all in junior classes – JSS; these crop of players have been showing commitment, zeal and courage in training and I believe they can maintain it ahead of the Games,” he said.
Some of the players the Coach said have been showing exceptional qualities include Abdulrahaman Aminu, 13; Abdulwahab Aminu, 14 and Sani Abubakar, 14.
He added, “Their zealousness the kids has made the Kano State Sport Commission boss, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima to take interest in the Golf team; he told us to let him know whatever we need and it will be provided,” coach Haruna revealed.
The coach noticed that the current trainee players are potentials that could take over from his contemporaries who are now tiring out: “Since few of my mates became professionals, there’s not been new players who have graduated; there is urgent need to groom new players that can take over from us.”
Meanwhile, coach Haruna emphasised that the recruitment of players from schools at the junior level was a deliberate effort by the State on its grassroots programme to have a pool of players in all sports for now and in the future competitions.
