The National Technical Director of the Nigeria Baseball and Softball Association (NBSA), Coach Jide Oloyinka Abidoye has rated the standard of the ongoing 1st Honours Independent National League, holding at the Baseball Park, Adewole, Ilorin, very high.
Five states, host Kwara, Bayelsa, Ondo, Oyo and Delta State are currently slugging it out in the competition which Abidoye, who is also the Technical Director of the Kwara State Baseball and Softball Association said will be used to pick a team that will represent Nigeria in the Olympic Qualifiers.
“The standard is high, even though there are still rooms for improvement. Going by the display by the five teams, I will say we are now at 80%, which is encouraging, considering the fact that it’s been long that we hold competitions of this magnitude.
“The players are exhibiting excellent skills. The standard of hitting, the fielding and the defending is encouraging, and the discipline isn the games are high too, and we hope to build positively on that ahead of the Olympic Qualifiers.
He commended the sponsor, Anaekwe Gideon Godwin of Honours Intercontinental Concepts Limited for his efforts at reviving the game in Kwara and Nigeria, adding that the move was coming at a.time.efforts are being made to get the Association Federated.
“As we plan to get Federated, we need more competitions and leagues. With this, our standard in terms of technicalities and otherwise will improve.
He added that at interval, seminars will be held for Coaches, Players, Scorers and Umpires, to complement whatever effort was.being made to ensure that Nigeria builds a strong baseball and softball development Base.
The sponsor, Anaekwe Gideon Godwin, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Honours Intercontinental Concepts Limited, who said he was motivated to sponsor the competition because of his love for the sport, pledged that it will continue as an annual event.
Anaekwe Gideon Godwin played the game between 1991 and 1992.
Meanwhile, after the first round of matches which ended on Wednesday, Bayelsa is leading the table, having defeated the other four teams, including Kwara State. Kwara is second, after winning three of their four games.
The final comes up on Saturday.
The tournament will feature a ₦300,000 star prize for the champion, while the second and third-placed teams will receive ₦200,000 and ₦100,000, respectively, alongside medals and trophies.
