NSF Edo 2020: Ogun Squash Association Completes Trial, Targets Gold Medals Only

By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA
As intensity of preparedness for the 20th National Sports Festival in Edo State from March 21 – April, 2020 is getting more competitive than before, Ogun State Squash Association has selected potential medals prospects that will represent the state at the biennially sports festival.
Athletes to represent the state were carefully selected after the trial witnessed by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon. Kehinde Oluwadare; Hon. Justice George Oladehinde Soremi, Justice of the Court of Appeal; Hon. Chief Dipo Akingbade, Chairman, Ogun State Squash Association, and host of others on Monday.
Many of the athletes who came for the trial with the belief of easy passage got more than what they bargained for as they played the game of their hearts with desperation not only to qualify, but with the mindset of winning gold medals at the festival.
The hitch free trial held at the squash courts, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, went simultaneously as boys and girls slugged it out, and at the end, six boys and four girls will finally make it to the closed camping, and enroute to Benin City for the game.
Speaking with Daily Dispatch at the event, the Commissioner expressed confidence that with what he witnessed, he was so sure of better outing from the team, while he commended the coaches, players for sportsmanship displayed during the trial.
In the same vein, Justice Soremi said: “I know all the players and know how they play. Based on what I witnessed, with the boys, I am impressed, as I saw one or two of them that have improved. But the ladies have not impressed. Maybe when they get to the camp, they could do better.
“What to do with the ladies is to camp them and get them away from the daily things and keep them busy throughout. They can still improve.”
Similarly, Hon. Akingbade noted: “All our players are doing very well, they are well prepared for the festival, there is no doubt about that. I am satisfied with the athletes performance, but the only problem we have is that we don’t have younger players.
“But as an association, we are trying to see what we can do to arouse the interest of these young players across the state into the game. So that they can take interest in the game of squash.”
Meanwhile, information gathered from the athletes is that the government should as a matter of urgency put them in camp as early as possible, hereby promising to win  gold medals in return to justify the action.