Plateau State Director of Sports, Professor Ezra Gunen, believes the state’s wide representation across different sporting disciplines could prove crucial in its bid to secure qualification for the National Intermediate Games and the 23rd National Sports Festival.
Plateau has entered teams across basketball, volleyball, handball, hockey, rugby, cricket and beach volleyball as the North Central zonal qualifiers continue in Jos.
Gunen said the state is competing in almost all the available events across both categories and genders, with the various teams expected to push for qualification to the national competitions.
“We are competing in almost all the events for both categories and for both genders, and the expectation is high,” Gunen said.
Plateau’s entries include male basketball, male and female volleyball, male and female handball and male and female hockey.
The state is also using the qualifiers to venture further into sports that have not traditionally featured prominently in its sporting programme.
Gunen revealed that Plateau is the only state entering a rugby team for the National Sports Festival qualification, while its participation in cricket represents a first for the state.
“By the grace of God, we are the only team that is entering for rugby in the National Sports Festival.
“We will be competing in cricket for the very first time, and we are hoping that our cricket team will make an impact,” he said.
Among the more established prospects is the men’s beach volleyball team, which Gunen rates highly on the national scene.
“Our male beach volleyball in the National Sports Festival is top-tier. At least, it is among the top-rated teams in Nigeria,” he stated.
Rugby, handball and beach volleyball are expected to provide some of Plateau’s strongest chances of qualification, while the cricket team will be looking to make a positive impression in its first appearance.
The state’s approach also extends to football, with Gunen explaining that efforts are being made to build a new team from grassroots competitions, particularly the Governor’s Cup.
“It is the football team that we have just put together, and we are anticipating that from the Governor’s Cup, our competition, we will have a very strong team that will meet up with other states,” he said.
For Plateau, the qualifiers therefore represent more than a race for tickets to the national stage. They also provide an opportunity to test the depth of the state’s sporting programmes and assess emerging teams in disciplines where it is seeking to expand its presence.
Gunen, however, acknowledged that performances cannot be guaranteed despite the state’s preparations.
“Sports is full of anticipation, prediction and hope. I am hoping that the boys and girls and the teams from Plateau will make an appreciable impact.
“I want them to be in Lagos as well as Enugu,” he added.
The North Central qualifiers are being staged across different sporting facilities in Jos, with venues belonging to the Plateau State Sports Council, the National Sports Commission, schools and other recreational centres being utilised.
With qualification places at stake for the National Intermediate Games in Lagos and the National Sports Festival in Enugu, Plateau will now look to turn its wide-ranging participation into results across the different disciplines.