The National U-19 Beach Volleyball Team Coach Chakuma Ismail, has called for a long camping period for the team ahead of the FIVB U-19 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Portugal.
Ismail told newsmen yesterday in Abuja that they needed more time to prepare as they had qualified for both the male and female categories.
The male and female national beach volleyball teams on May 19 qualified for both categories of the championships in Porto, Portugal.
“It is a good thing that we have qualified but I want to appeal for a long time for camping to train these players because we need to be together to be able to play as a team.
“Throughout the qualifying stages, we trained for just few days which are not too good for us.
“We need the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) and other private sectors to support us because we have been trying but nobody is seeing us.
“Now, we have qualified for the U-19 World Championships, and before now, we qualified for the U-17 World Championships all on our own,’’ Ismail said.
According to him, it is only the Chairman of the Beach Volleyball Commission of the NVBF, Musa Nimrod that is supporting the teams.
Ismail stated that he had been financing their camping and travelling expenses.
He expressed optimism that if the teams had a long camping period, they were likely to win the various age grades of the World Championships.
“If we are given long period to camp, I am sure that we can win the World Championships in the different age categories because we have the players that can deliver.
“They just have to be given an enabling environment to prove their worth and the sky will be their starting point,’’ Ismail said.
The FIVB U-19 Beach Volleyball World Championships will hold in Porto, Portugal from July 29 to Aug. 3.
The U-17 category of the championships will hold in Acapulco, Mexico, from July 15 to July 20.
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