Naval Chief Hails Volley Ball Teams Over Impressive Performance

isaac aregbesola
Nov, Tue, 2023

General News

Naval chief hails volley ball teams over impressive performance

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By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, had commended the male and female Spikers Volley Ball Teams for restoring navy’s glory in sports and winning trophies.

Ogalla, who was represented by the Chief of Administration (Navy), Rear Adm. Kennedy Ezeta, gave the commendation when he received the teams on Tuesday in Abuja.

The CNS Spikers team on Sunday, won the 2023 Nigeria Volleyball Premier League (women) maintaining unbeaten run from the 2022.

The CNS said the Nigerian Navy under his command would continue to invest in sports men and women to be able to continue to win laurels.

He also promised to give priority attention to the recruitment of sports men and women in the navy to be able to shore up its manpower needs in the area of sports.

Ogalla promised to give monetary reward to the triumphant teams as a motivation for them to continue to do more.

He advised the athletes to continue to develop themselves both physically and intellectually to be able to remain relevant even when they would no longer be involved in sports.

The Chairman, NN Volleyball Association and CNS Spikers Volleyball Club, Commodore Mohammed Muye, said the club came into existence in 2021 to take part in the Nigeria Volleyball League to restore navy’s lost glory in sports.

Muyi said the team was assembled and went into close camp first in Navy Town before being relocated to the Brigade of Guards Sports Complex at Aguiyi Ironsi Cantonment due to proximity to most of the competition venues.

He said the team, embarked on vigorous training in preparation for competitions at local, national and international with the aim of restoring the Nigerian navy back on the global map of recognition.

According to him, the team is where it is today as a result of the collective efforts of all the relevant stakeholders.

He requested for the construction of a sports camp with indoor and other recreational facilities in Abuja among other facilities for the team as well as occasional special recruitment for sportsmen/women in various sporting events.

“It is gratifying to say that the CNS Spikers has indeed made both the NN and the Nigerian Volleyball Federation very proud from its outstanding performances at the National and International levels just within ten years of its existence.

“The CNS Spikers Volleyball Club comprises of both NN personnel and civilians who were sourced for and indicated interest to play for the NN as done in other sister services in other to beef up the team.

“The team had its 1st major championship organised by the Nigerian Volleyball Federation (NVBF) in Kontagora in March 2021, where the CNS Spikers Volleyball Club emerged champions in the Male category while the female team came second.

“The CNS Spikers Volleyball Club also won the 2022 National Divisions I and II Volleyball leagues in both the female and male categories despite participating for the very first time.

“The team, therefore, gained promotion to the National Volleyball Premier league for female and National Division 1 for male respectively in 2023,” he said.

Muyi said the male team was crowned champions in Kaduna in October and consequently gained promotion to play in the premier league in 2024.

He said the female team also topped the 1st and 2nd Phases of the premier league played in Abuja in July and November and had been crowned champions of the National Volleyball Premier league 2023.

“It is also pertinent to mention that the male team won 5 individual awards including the Most Valuable Player (MVP).

“Likewise, the female won 3 individual awards including the MVP.

“It could also be recalled that the excellent performance of the CNS Spikers earned firstly, the female team’s participation as Nigeria’s Representative at the 2022, African Club Championship in Kelibia, Tunisia where the team defeated some highly rated teams from Ethiopia, Rwanda and Cote d’ Ivoire despite participating for the first time.

“The CNS Spikers male and female teams were again, nominated based on excellent performances to represent Nigeria at the African Club,” he added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

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