The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) has publicly commended Sunshine Schools in Ibadan for its outstanding role in successfully hosting a three-day Sports Administration Course (SAC). The event, which concluded recently, gathered key sports stakeholders in the ancient city for intensive training.
Empowering Sports Stakeholders in Oyo State
Organised by Olympic Solidarity and the NOC in collaboration with Dynaspro Sports and Sunshine Schools, the programme was a significant gathering. It brought together Directors of Sports, Sports Officers, Heads of Sports Departments, Sports Marketers, and Games Masters.
More than 20 participants from within and outside Oyo State took part in the training. The sessions were facilitated by officials certified by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), ensuring the delivery met global standards.
Vision for Grassroots Sports Development
NOC General Manager, Emmanuel Nweri, praised Sunshine Schools for providing a conducive atmosphere and for proactively engaging coaches and managers from across the state. He described the initiative as a crucial step for grassroots sports development.
"I must commend Sunshine Schools for this initiative. They invited coaches and managers from different sectors to be part of the programme," Nweri said. "It's very encouraging and impressive that it goes beyond the school itself, empowering academies and coaches within Oyo State. This is grassroots sports development."
He further explained that the SAC is an IOC initiative through its Olympic Solidarity Department. It is specifically designed to empower sports administrators and managers at local and national levels with best practices in sports management.
Integrating Sports into Educational Vision
The CEO of Sunshine Schools, Temitayo Williams, described the training as a realization of the school's long-term vision to deeply integrate sports into its curriculum.
"Sports has always been a long-term dream for this school. Hosting this programme is like an answer to our prayer," Williams stated. "Our next step is establishing the Sunshine Sports Academy. We believe sport is central to our vision, and to achieve it, we must embrace experts in the field."
She also highlighted the existing gap in nurturing school talents to help them reach stardom, a challenge the new academy aims to address.
Prof. Fasan Clement, the NOC's Programme Director, used the opportunity to urge other schools across Nigeria to follow the example set by Sunshine Schools. He emphasized the importance of equipping sports handlers with modern coaching techniques and management skills.
Participants at the event described the course as an eye-opener, noting that the knowledge gained would significantly enhance their ability to administer sports more effectively and in line with international standards.
This initiative is part of the IOC's global educational programme through Olympic Solidarity. Its core objectives are to equip sports administrators with essential tools to drive development and excellence, expand their understanding of the Olympic Movement, and improve the management of sports organisations. Attendees received training on Olympic values, principles of good governance, and effective organisational management, all aimed at strengthening the support systems for athletes.
