Joel Ajayi
A newly elected Board Member of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Chinedu Odozor-Onikeku, has urged graduates of the Olympic Solidarity Beach Volleyball Coaching Course to apply their newly acquired knowledge to produce more champions for Nigeria.
The five-day intensive course, powered by Olympic Solidarity, began on November 4, 2025, and concluded on November 9, 2025, in Abuja, featured 25 participants drawn from across the country including coaches, referees, and technical officials all eager to enhance their expertise in beach volleyball.
The programme is part of a global Olympic initiative aimed at equipping national federations with modern coaching techniques and methodologies in preparation for upcoming international competitions, notably the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Odozor-Onikeku expressed pride in the participants’ commitment and enthusiasm throughout the training.
“I am very proud so proud of everyone involved. Having 25 participants and such strong engagement is truly remarkable,” she said.
She emphasized that the ultimate goal of the course extends beyond participation.
“Some may have come here simply to learn or to experience something new, but our true objective is for them to go out there and produce champions.”
Odozor-Onikeku further highlighted the importance of providing technical knowledge to bridge existing gaps in infrastructure and training.
“Many states still lack proper beach volleyball courts. This program equips coaches with the technical know-how to train athletes effectively, even with limited resources,” she explained.
She concluded with a passionate call to action for the future of beach sports in Nigeria.
“Our goal is to revive and strengthen beach sports from beach volleyball to beach soccer and beach handball. We want to make Nigeria a dominant force in beach games once again.”
