ABAKALIKI – No fewer than 150 students from Knights of St. John Technical College, Agba, and Government Girls Technical College, Agba, have taken part in the first cricket training programme organised for secondary schools in Ebonyi State.
The training, organised by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Ebonyi State chapter, in collaboration with the Ebonyi State Ministry of Youths and Sports Development and the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), marked the formal reintroduction of cricket in schools in the state.
The session signalled renewed efforts to expose students to the game and strengthen grassroots sports development among young people in Ebonyi State.
The programme, which began on March 12, 2026, was held at the schools’ sports fields and forms part of activities leading to the 2026 Zonal Cricket Competition being sponsored by SWAN in partnership with the Nigeria Cricket Federation.
Both male and female students participated in the training, which was supervised by officials of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, sports administrators and school authorities.
Those present at the event included the games masters of the participating schools, vice principals, representatives of the Ebonyi State Cricket Association and other sports officials.
Speaking with newsmen in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, the organisers said the initiative was aimed at promoting cricket from the grassroots and expanding participation among secondary schools across the 13 local government areas of the state.
Chairman of SWAN in Ebonyi State, Comrade Nwogha Ndubuisi, commended the management of the participating schools for their support towards the success of the programme.
Ndubuisi, who was represented by the Vice Chairman of the association, Mrs Blessing Igidi, said the schools had created the enabling environment necessary for the growth of cricket among students.
He noted that the introduction of cricket would contribute significantly to the development of the sport among young people in the state.
According to him, “The introduction of cricket will help instil discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship among the students.”
He added that the initiative would also widen opportunities for students interested in pursuing careers in sports, noting that early exposure to structured sports programmes helps in identifying and nurturing young talents.
Also speaking during the session, an official of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Jeffta Ugwu, urged the students to show commitment to the sport.
Ugwu, who supervised the training session, told the participants that cricket offers opportunities beyond school competitions.
“Students should take the sport seriously because cricket offers opportunities for national and international exposure,” he said.
He added that the Nigeria Cricket Federation remained committed to developing the game at the grassroots through regular training and competitions.
Ugwu further explained that talent discovery programmes in schools form a key part of the federation’s development strategy.
Officials at the event said the training exercise was part of broader efforts to identify promising young players and build a pool of talents capable of representing Ebonyi State in future competitions.
The organisers expressed confidence that sustained participation by schools would strengthen the presence of cricket in the state, adding that young talents discovered through the initiative could eventually represent Nigeria at national and international tournaments.
The training session ended with practical demonstrations and drills aimed at introducing the students to the basic techniques of the game.
Sports equipment was also presented to the participating schools, while officials encouraged them to sustain the programme by incorporating cricket into their regular sports activities.
They also expressed optimism that more secondary schools across Ebonyi State would join the initiative as efforts continue to expand grassroots cricket development.
