A parent, Mr Yakubu Kwairanga, has commended the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria (GFN) for its grassroots development programme, saying the initiative is helping to rebuild parents’ confidence and create a more sustainable future for young Nigerians participating in gymnastics.
Key Highlights
- Parent Yakubu Kwairanga praises the GFN’s grassroots gymnastics development efforts.
- GFN President Prince Kelvin Erhunwunse urges trained coaches to take their knowledge back to their states.
- The federation’s “Catch Them Young” programme targets 30,000 young gymnasts by 2028.
- The initiative is also expected to create more than 1,000 coaching opportunities.
- About 900 children from 90 schools were expected to participate in the North Central edition in Abuja.
Kwairanga spoke at the conclusion of the federation’s latest coaching programme in Abuja on Sunday, where coaches from different parts of the country received training in various gymnastics disciplines.
He said the coaching programme demonstrated the federation’s commitment to developing gymnastics in Nigeria and encouraged parents to continue supporting their children despite challenges previously encountered in the sport.
Kwairanga urged parents to remain supportive of their children’s participation in gymnastics while calling on coaches and officials to sustain the momentum generated by the federation’s grassroots initiatives.
His comments came as GFN President, Prince Kelvin Erhunwunse, charged participating coaches to take the knowledge acquired during the training back to their respective states.
Erhunwunse said the coaches were expected to use their new skills to develop more athletes, strengthen gymnastics at the grassroots and share their knowledge with other coaches and young gymnasts in their communities.
“The knowledge will not end here. This is just a theory. They will still have the opportunity to go through practical training internationally and bring back the experience to develop gymnastics in Nigeria,” he said.
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GFN Targets 30,000 Young Gymnasts
Erhunwunse said the GFN was implementing its “Catch Them Young” programme, which targets the development of 30,000 young gymnasts and the creation of more than 1,000 coaching opportunities by 2028.
According to the federation president, the establishment of gymnastics clubs is designed to identify young talents early while also creating employment opportunities for coaches who will work with the athletes.
“What you are seeing here is part of our plan to develop gymnastics from the grassroots. We want to catch them young, create clubs and give our coaches opportunities to work,” Erhunwunse said.
The development comes as the federation continues its nationwide “Catch Them Young” campaign, with the third North Central edition held in Abuja on September 26.
About 900 children from 90 schools were expected to participate in the Abuja edition, according to reports ahead of the event.
The federation said the wider initiative was designed to establish gymnastics clubs in schools, identify young talents at an early age and create a structured pathway from grassroots participation to elite and international competition.
Erhunwunse thanked the participating coaches, board members, parents and media for their contributions to the programme. He also acknowledged the support of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, the National Sports Commission and the Turkish Gymnastics Federation.
The GFN said its grassroots development efforts would continue to focus on expanding access to gymnastics, improving coaching capacity and creating opportunities for young athletes across Nigeria.
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