Kunle Adelabu
-Team misses out on Australian tournament due to lack of support
The Chief Coach of the Ikorodu Table Club, Mr Sunday Kuti, has disclosed that lkorodu and Lagos State have lost many talents in table tennis to other states because of lack of support for players at the grassroots.
He revealed this to THE IMPACT at the weekend while training young players from Ikorodu that will be representing Lagos State at the national championship at the Teslim Balogun Stadium which is starting today.
Coach Kuti told THE IMPACT that the team qualified to take part in a tournament in Australia this month but will not be going due to lack of funds.
Kuti, a former player-turned coach who have been coaching the Ikorodu team for about ten years, represented Lagos State at various times but later defected to Delta State where he also represented the state at Sports festivals due to what he termed as lack of support while he was with the Lagos team.
He led four players including his son, Mathew Kuti, to the 2021 Aso Table Tennis Championship in Abuja, where the young Mathew won in the cadet and mini – cadet categories.
“There are many talents in Ikorodu who are playing very well but need encouragement to do better. We have grassroots talents in Ikorodu.
“What is lacking is support which made me defected to Delta from Lagos. I have also been transfering young players that I have been training to other states – Delta, Rivers, Abuja and others and they have been winning for them”.
He said that the Ikorodu team has been receiving support from the Director – General, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Mr Oluwatoyin Gafaar Bolowotan and Mr Ajose Wahab (Ladamos junior).
While commending the two, the table tennis coach also pleaded for more support for the team from other members of the public and government to enable them attend tournaments abroad and also for provision of basic equipment for training.
“For about two years, we have been receiving support from Bolowotan (Mr Oluwatoyin Gafaar Bolowotan).
“He was the one that helped us in creating the Ikorodu Table Tennis Club which is affiliated to the Lagos State Sports Commission and it is because of our registration that we have been able to make use of the facilities at Ita Elewa”, Coach Kuti further added.
“We have also received support from LADAMOS who is a table tennis lover and loves seeing young ones play. He sponsored the first edition of the Ikorodu Table Tennis Championship.
“At the competition sponsored by LADAMOS, we invited players from other states and we thank God that our player won the tournament.
“We look forward to more support to host the second edition this year because those players that were invited two years ago have been calling us to know if we are holding the second edition this year”, he pleaded.
“We have young guys that are very talented and instill fears in players from other states but wee just came back from Abuja where we had gone for the Association Table Tennis Competition with other states. There were senior, cadet and mini- cadet competitions and I am happy that we won the cadet and mini – cadet categories.
“Mathew Kuti won both cadet and mini – cadet. It is an annual tournament and they usually give a cup to the outstanding player to encourage him/her.
“Others that I took to Abuja were Imole Ajasa, a girl who played in the junior category, Atunwon Quadri and Faisa Musbau. They all did very well and made us proud in Abuja.
“It was DG Bolowotan that sponsored us to the tournament in Abuja”.
Stating areas that the club needs public supports, Coach Kuti said:
“We need support in acquiring the equipment that we need for training. We also need support to go abroad. We have been invited to Australia for a tournament later this month but we are unable to go because of lack of support”, he said regrettably.
“We played trial to qualify for the tournament and won the second and third position but we don’t have passports and funds for other necessary things”.
Regarding the tournament that is commencing in Teslim Balogun Stadium today, Kuti said that Ikorodu team will be going with nine players.
“We are going for another tournament next week Tuesday (today) at the Teslim Balogun Stadium and it is a big championship and we have been invited to participate in it but we need support.
“We are going to the tournament with nine players.
“Today, Ikorodu is a major table tennis playing town but we still need support in terms of bath, table tennis, canvas, shirts, balls and other items.
“We have lost many young players and other members of our team because they could not afford to provide baths and other materials for them to train with.
“We usually call on parents to provide money for their children whenever we are going for competition and this has adversely affected our club. Many parents whose children are good and talented and who are qualify to attend tournaments don’t usually have money to pay.
“We went to Abuja with four players because of lack of fund”, he said.
