National U-20 Women’s Handball coach, Shittu Agboola, has lamented the non-release of one of his star players, Taiwo Babatunde, by Yaba College of Technology as the team jet out along with their U-18 Women’s team counterparts for the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase holding between April 20th and 24th in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire,
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre Yaba, Lagos for close to two weeks and their squad was streamlined to 14 players per team ahead of their departure yesterday for the competition.
Coach John Uzor of the National Under 18 team, has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy with right back, Faisat Balogun as well as Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo in the mix.
On the other hand, coach Agboola stuck with the players he has been grooming since their under 18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters. Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic.
Despite refusal of Yaba College of Technology to release key player, Taiwo Babatunde, Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examination,” he said. “We did everything humanly possible to secure her release but they didn’t care that it is a national service (for the interest of Nigeria) and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they were released from their schools but for no tangible reason, YabaTech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release.
“It’s sad and i hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission would work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”
“Regardless, we still have the core of the team and i believe we’ll do well at the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase Championship in Abidjan, Cote’ d’Ivoire.” Shittu added.
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Nigeria under 18 team is in group A alongside Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso and they will begin their campaign against Togo on Sunday at 11am afterwards they will play Burkina Faso on Monday at 9am and then play Ghana on Tuesday at 11am.
Nigeria’s Under 20 team are in group B alongside Benin Republic and Togo. They will begin their campaign on Monday against Togo at 3pm and then play Benin Republic on Tuesday at 3pm.
All matches will be played at the Salle Polyvalente des Parcs de port de Treichville (Multipurpose Sports Hall), in Abidjan.
UNDER 20 FINAL LIST:
Goalkeeper
1. Kehinde Babatunde – ASPAC HBC, Cotonou
2.Precious Samuel – Rima Queens, Sokoto
Centre Back
3. Rahima Bello – Nestiona HBC, Israel
4. Izuoba Ijeoma – Delta Force, Delta
Right Back
5. Esther Mathew – Addidja HBC, Cotonou
6. Chidera Ogbusimba – Rima Queens, Sokoto
Left Back
7. Prudence Samuel -Rima Queens, Sokoto
8. Michael Christiana – Delta Force. Delta
Left Wing
9..Amina Mohammed – Rima Queens, Sokoto
10. Joy Peters – Rima Queens, Sokoto
Right Wing
11. Lucy Onyekwere – Rima Queens, Sokoto
12. Mahmud Aishat- Addidja Hbc, Cotonou.
Pivot
13. Mariam Ojo – FUNAD Falcons, Lagos
14. Akinlade Damilola – Rivers Queens, Rivers
Coaches
Agboola Shittu Adewunmi (Head Coach)
Abdullahi Suleiman (Asst. Coach)
NATIONAL UNDER 18 GIRLS
1. Omole Joy
2. Ngaodurubie Chetachi Angela
3. Omole Shola
4. Sharon Okonkwo
5. Ojie Princess
6. Nestor Abigail
7. Balogun Faisat
8. Audu Salamatu
9. Mohammed Balikis
10. Duru Success
11. Oluwalade Phebe
12. Adebayo Aliya
13. Peter Sarah
14. Treasure Mike osagie