Skipping Rope Sport: US coaches to arrive Nigeria Wednesday

Former world champion and the President/founder of the International Double Dutch League (IDDL), Laila Taliba Little and four other world rated trainers and coaches from USA; Cynthia Banks, Geraldine Code, Emma Barnes and Ayanna Atsu Haarul will arrive Nigeria on Wednesday for a two-day workshop on Skipping Rope Sport.

The team is expected to arrive the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos by 3.pm, NationSport has been informed.

The workshop scheduled to hold at the Lagos State Sports Center, Mobolaji Johnson Sports Hall, Rowe Park, Yaba, Lagos from Thursday 18th – Saturday 20th April, 2019 is organized by the Nigeria Rope Skipping Federation to blend new skills among youths in African nations with the understanding of introducing new gimmicks and styles of rope skipping and double dutch to other rated nations.

Secretary General of the federation, Olusesan Olukoya told  NationSport that Nigeria’s hosting of the other African nations in the skipping rope sport is very timely considering the latest trend in the sport worldwide and the impact of the Nigerian federation on the sport.

He said delegates from other countries including Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Togo and Benin Republic will be attending the workshop.

According to Olukoya, the Vice President of the Africa Jump Rope Federation (AJRF) and Project Coordinator at the South African Gymnastic Federation (SAGF), Keo Mokolopo would be representing the World Jump Rope Federation (WJRF), a board member of the International Jump Rope body would also be co-training at this intercontinental workshop.

 “Apart from the foreign guests coming from around the world of jump rope to attend the timely training in Nigeria, 1,000 school kids/students will be trained as new entrants to the sport. The educational opportunity will also be geared to some over 200 teachers who will be instructed on the techniques of rope skipping so as to ensure that those in the sport will have all the necessary tools to work with many children and families in not only schools but communities as well,” Olukoya told NationSport.

Dignitaries expected at the opening session of the workshop on Thursday 18th April are Distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu (OON), who indeed stands as the chief host /Distinguished Guest of Honour while its special guests of honour are: Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya; Rev. Mother Esther Abimbola Ajayi, Chief Segun Odegbami (MON), Bash Ali, (OON) (Bashiru Ali); Prophet Israel Oladele Ogundipe among other dignitaries. while Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola and Senator Adebayo Osinowo would be the host, Hon. Jide Jimoh and Moshood Oshun will be co-hosting the timely training workshop.

List of the awardees based on their supportive roles to Youth sports and community developments mostly in the area of kids and youth sports over the years which have earned them the International Sports Excellence Awards (ISEA) are: Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, Rev. Mother Esther Ajayi, Chief Segun Odegbami, (MON); Bashiru Ali OON(Bash Ali); Prophet Israel Oladele Ogundipe (Genesis); Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi); Senator Adebayo Osinowo, Rev. Sam Ikpea; Oba Gbolahan Timson, the Jagunmolu of Bariga; Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo); Hon. Jide Jimoh, Hon. Moshood Olanrewaju Osun; Barr. Adebisi Adegbuyi; Mr. Aigoro Kehinde Tajudeen, Alhaja Modupe Saani and internationally Shaun Hamilton, President, World Jump Rope Federation (WJRF); Laila Little, President/coach, International Double Dutch League, (IDDL) New Jersey, USA; “Missy” Melissa Dubois, founder of Rhody Ropers Jump Rope, Rhode Island, USA; and Keo Mokolopo, Vice president of the African Jump Rope Federation and project coordinator at the South African Gymnastic Federation.

“Donations received generously from the awards would be used to officially establish the national junior team (Skipping Eaglets) and the senior team (Bouncing Eagles), and also use to get more ropes to schools and communities around the nation of Nigeria” Olukoya added. “So lots of financial supports would be appreciated from well meaning Nigerians, corporate bodies and organizations so as to have the Nigerian teams as well just like other rope skipping nations” he concluded.