School sports are the cornerstone of sports development, according to Lekan Fatodu, Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), since they provide a platform for the next generation of athletes and enhance their overall development.
At the 17th Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls Inter-House Sports Competition, which took place at the University of Lagos Sports Complex in Akoka, Yaba, Fatodu made this statement. She also added that school sports are a fantastic way to teach young students valuable life lessons like responsibility, discipline, hard work, commitment, and teamwork, all of which can have a positive impact on their development.
According to his claims, school sports success will also immediately benefit society by giving young people the focus they need to make positive contributions. In the long run, it will lessen societal threats, negative peer pressure, truancy, juvenile delinquency, and other issues.
He said, “School sports are the cornerstone of sustainable sports development, focused on using sports as a tool for discovering early stage development of talented athletes and the crucial first step in preparing student-athletes for a positive career in sports.”
The Director-General also revealed that the program is in line with Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s youth engagement and empowerment campaign, #Lagos Rising, which is supported by the THEMES Plus agenda for sports and education.
Declaring his support for community-based sports, Fatodu asserted that outstanding athletes identified through school sports will eventually represent the state in national competitions, emphasizing that they may eventually represent the nation in international competitions as well.