The newly appointed coaches for the athletics and volleyball associations were yesterday unveiled by Sports Minister Bakary Badjie who said their appointments are part of efforts designed to bring attention and excellence to the two disciplines. He revealed that a third coaching position, for basketball, is still waiting for a suitable candidate. He congratulated the coaches Mariama Sallah, the new national athletics coach, Mam Kewe Ceesay field athletics coach and Pa Barrow for volleyball.
“I want to thank the associations concerned for surviving and excelling without paid coaches all these while. I want to believe that now that the coaches who are appointed, they will do even better,” he said.
The minister remined the coaches that their job now entails working across the country for the associations because there may well be abundance of talents in the rural areas.
Athletics Association president Dodou Joof celebrated the fact that this is the first-time coaches have been appointed for the two associations. He said the associations have a common problem and each has managed to come a long way up with volunteer coaches who have worked tirelessly without pay.” To the athletes and coaches the opportunity we have been yearning for all these years is here now. The onus is on us,” Joof said. His counterpart Bai Dodou Jallow of Volleball expressed similar sentiments. Other speakers included the chairman of the National Sports Council.
