BWF Shuttle Time Initiative Will Storm Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Kaduna Soon – CSED

Posted by Eric Ojo Latest Headlines, Sports News Wednesday, May 10th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) –The newly introduced Shuttle Time initiative, a grassroots programme developed by Badminton World Federation (BWF) will be hosted in Edo, Delta, Bayelsa within the next three months.

Shuttle Time is a project in which lessons are designed to provide children with a positive image of badminton by providing children and young people with the opportunities to have fun, engage with others and experience success, with a view of introducing them to the game of badminton. It is also a part of promoting grassroots access to the game.

The catch-them-young training is targeted at children and youths aged between 5 to 15 years old. It is held in various locations across 150 countries, with a view to providing children the opportunities to lead a healthy and active life, in and out of school.

The maiden edition of the project was hosted by Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) in April at Ilisan-emo community in Ogun State.

The training event which was held in partnership with the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, was powered by Community Sport and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative, a current BFN grassroots partner.

This was disclosed by a Trustee of CSED Initiative who spoke with our reporter on the aims and objectives of the project.

The CSED Trustee said the goal is to use their grassroots partnership with BFN to re-energise some tertiary institutions in the country to use sports to empower the youths in the locality where their campuses are based.

This is coming shortly after the BFN hosted the second series of the Shuttle Time training programme in Nnewi, Anambra State.

The Nnewi Shuttle Time event was organized by South-East Badminton and powered by CSED) Initiative. This was done through the distribution of basic badminton equipment which included badminton rackets, nets, and shuttlecocks to the schools.

The event which was held at the indoor sport hall of Nnewi Sports Club was attended by fifty students of eleven secondary schools and 13 Physical Education (P.E.) teachers. The training was conducted by the Shuttle Time Nigeria Coordinator, Tajudeen Suleiman Ayodele.

The eleven schools from Nnewi and environs are: Nnewi High School, Community Secondary School, Livingword Comprehensive Secondary School, Anglican Girls Secondary School. Premium Breed Secondary School, Maria Regina Model Secondary School, and Okongwu Memorial Grammar School.

Others are Immanuel Model Secondary School, Akamili; Okija Grammar School, Austica Memorial College Nanka, and St. Michael’s Boys Secondary School, Ozubulu.

Despite the heavy rain fall on the first day of the training event, the students and their P.E. teachers enjoyed the fun-filled training sessions that had Godswill Ifejika and Chuma Nweje (certified BWF Shuttle Time Tutors) support Tajudeen Suleiman Ayodele, in running the training sessions.

Notably, the former African champion, Mrs Oby Edoga Solaja, was also present to share her experience of badminton with some of the attendees.

The South-East representative in the BFN Board, Mrs Oby Edoga Solaja, who spoke at the event, acknowledged the warm reception and logistical support accorded the team of Shuttle Time trainers and BFN by the Badminton Section of the Nnewi Sports Club, anchored by Ambassador Odi Nwosu and the Acting Chairman, Arch Paul Ileka.