Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Kipingu reiterates call for investment at grassroots

Source: Daily News 29 June 2011

THE Chairperson of the National Sports Council (NSC), Idd Kipingu said there is no shortcut to sports success without proper planning and investment.

Kipingu made the remarks here on Tuesday at the opening of the inter-primary schools games, UMITASHUMTA, which has attracted 1,368 pupils competing in four sports.

“As the country celebrate 50th independence anniversary, we should look where we have achieved and where we didn’t and the reasons for the failure to deliver for the good way forward,” said Kipingu.

Kipingu underscored the need for setting proper measures if the country is to win in regional, continental and international competitions. He underlined one of the key element is to have competition from grassroot to national level, proposing for national competition games which will include nursery pupils.

Kipingu also called for the national sports associations to ensure that they offer trainers and sports equipment from district to regional levels country wide for proper foundation.

“The sports subject must be respected at all levels if we are to achieve tangible results, but this must go together with qualified trainers and sports gears,” he observed.

He challenged the public to change mindset on talent identification age from the current 17 years to seven and eight, since that is the age where, gifted children can be properly molded.

“The Copa Coca Cola tournaments are not the proper avenue for talent identification, it should start from seven to eight whereas at 17, one is capable to display the real maturity as far as talents are concerned,” he observed.

He also called for a need for each region to pick two schools, one primary and the other one secondary, in which identified young talent, could be groomed as it is the case with Singida region.

Opening the games, the Deputy Minister for Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, Dr Fenella Mukangara called for inclusion of more sports next year from the current soccer, netball, volleyball and athletics and academic disciplines.

She challenged the students to strive for competence and excellence throughout the games, so that they could one day emulate the success of legendary athletes Filbert Bayi, Michael Shahanga, Mwinga Mwanjala and Juma Ikangaa.

Co-ordinator of the games, Francis Liboy stressed the need for having sports without disrupting other academic plans and commended the district, municipal and regional authorities for making the event a success.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Youth events should be staged separately

Sports tournaments which involve students, particularly the Copa Coca-Cola and the inter-secondary school games (Umiseta), need not be staged simultaneously.
For several years now we have witnessed competitions that involve young athletes being staged concurrently in Dar es Salaam.
Simultaneous staging of such events has had a negative effect on the development of soccer as it complicates coaches and agents who are keen to scout talents for career advancement.http://www.ippmedia.com/