Determined to promote gender equity in sports, Greensprings School Lagos has supported two of its students to host first of its first-of-its-kind female football tournament in line with its vision of combining academic and sporting.
The tournament, which was tagged ‘The Rising Female Football Tournament’ was inspired by two Year 11 students named Ifeoluwapo Owoigbe and Munachimso Emeghara of Greensprings School, aimed to spotlight female football talents.
Deborah Alabi, principal of Greensprings School, Lekki said the Rising Female Football Tournament aligned with the school’s student-centric ethos.
Alabi said the tournament underscores the importance of merging academic with athletic prowess to help students succeed.
According to her, the tournament aims to break stereotypes surrounding women in football while empowering young females to pursue their passion in sports.
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The principal further said that the management of the school is always out to support novel initiatives or programmes of her students, adding that upon learning about Ifeoluwapo and Munachimso’s vision, the school instantly backed their project.
Speaking on the inspiration behind hosting the tournament, Ifeoluwapo Owoigbe, said the idea originated as a playful suggestion by her Physical Education coach, but she saw its potential and decided to execute it.
Meanwhile, Munachimso Emeghara, said she and her friend aimed to turn the tournament into an annual affair, providing a platform for young females to discover and develop their sporting talents.
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Ayotunde Owoigbe, Ifeoluwapo’s mother, advised parents to support their kids’ sporting and academic ambitions while Joy Emeghara, Munachimso’s mother, celebrated the tournament’s success and urged the government and parents to invest more in sports.
She said that the government and other stakeholders can discover and support teenage football players, especially the female.
“We hope to change the narrative around sports in Nigeria, and with collective efforts, take sports to greater heights,” she said.
The teams that participated in this tournament were Leadforte; Segun Odegbami; Atlantic Hall School; Iwerekun and Greensprings School Lekki.
