As part of drive to enhance the wellbeing of children, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, the leading provider of high-quality food products in the country, recently commenced its annual Cowbell Football Academy (CFA) summer camp, which runs from July 23 to August 12, 2017, at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Speaking on CFA’s health benefits to children, the Rector of CFA, Godwin Dudu-Orumen, said football helps to improve mental and physical alertness. He said the training at the academy is focused at developing the children into champions with sound minds and sound bodies.
Dudu-Orumen said the fitness level of the participants is of primary interest throughout the three-week programme, which will culminate in inter-team competitions.
On the benefits of engaging in football, the Head Coach/Camp Technical Director, Hyacienth Nkwocha said the game helps to reduce the risk of obesity and cardiovascular diseases and increases speed and agility to be strong all the time.
Cowbell Football Academy, located in Surulere, Lufasi Nature Park, Lekki and Badagry, all in Lagos; and Benin City, has 500 participants, while the summer camp programme holds only at the Lufasi Nature Park and the National Stadium, Surulere.
Expressing his delight at the initiative, Obafemi Abiola-Oloke of Royal Alexandra and Albert School, London commended Cowbell for enhancing his skills in football, which he describes as a sport that has made many Nigerians famous globally.
Adekunle Malik, a student of Baptist Bowen College, Surulere, Lagos, said the training and motivational speech from Segun Odegbami, a national footballicon who combined engineering with football in his playing years, has spurred his passion for the sport. He said although he wants to study medicine, he is now also passionate about football.
Adeshina Idris of Surulere Senior Secondary School, Surulere, Lagos stated that what he has learnt at the academy has increased his knowledge on the fundamentals of the game.
Cowbell Football Academy, which holds at the National Stadium, Surulere, has 125 participants from the ages of five to 17 who are being taught character building, individual technical development, small-side games, team competition, mental training, goal keeping training, fun game and more.