A groundbreaking approach to grassroots sports development is underway at the ongoing Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF), where identified athletes will be placed in periodic training camps incorporating scientific methods of coaching.

 

Sir Itiako Ikpokpo, Co-Chairman of the festival’s Main Organising Committee (MOC), revealed this during a media parley with journalists, stating that over 60 promising athletes had already been identified by Day 4 of the festival.

 

“This festival is not about who came first or who won gold. Our scouts are looking out for hints of potential, qualities that can be groomed for future success,” Ikpokpo said in response to a question on the festival’s objectives.

 

He explained that the scouts — a team comprising coaches, former athletes, and talent spotters — had submitted 64 names so far, many of whom were not podium finishers.

 

“We aim to set up specialized camps for these athletes, where they will undergo training based on scientific research, supervised by certified coaches,” said Ikpokpo, who also serves as the project’s lead consultant.

 

He emphasized that the real work begins after the festival, with the implementation of a development plan to nurture emerging talents and build the next generation of national representatives.

 

The NDSF, sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as part of its mandate to enhance the welfare of people in the nine mandate states, features about 3,000 athletes and 500 officials competing across 17 sports.