Kano Pillars Football Club Technical Adviser, Daniel Ogunmodede, has urged universities to encourage students, especially those studying Physical and Health Education and Sports Management, to gain practical experience through internships with football clubs.
Ogunmodede made the call on Thursday while speaking at the 54th National Conference of the Nigeria Association for Physical, Health Education, Recreation, Sports and Dance (NAPHAR-SD) at Bayero University, Kano.
He said football clubs could give students valuable practical experience by allowing them to work with coaches, physiotherapists, fitness trainers and other sports professionals.
According to him, students could contribute to areas such as physiotherapy, sports science, fitness training and other technical aspects of sports. He said this would help improve professionalism in sports development and football club management.
The Kano Pillars coach also raised concerns about the future of many footballers after retirement. He said many former players struggle to find work and become disconnected from the sports industry.
He therefore stressed the need for universities to equip athletes with useful skills and knowledge during their playing careers so they can remain productive and continue contributing to the sports industry after retirement.
The chairman of the occasion and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Education, Kontagora, Professor Faruk Rashid Haruna, supported the proposal and called for stronger partnerships between universities, football clubs and sports councils.
He urged Departments of Kinetics and Health Education to take the lead in developing such partnerships. He also said athletes should be developed through scientific methods rather than by chance, as he noted is common in many parts of Nigeria.
Reacting to the recommendations, the Chairman of the Sports Consultative Committee at Bayero University, Kano, Professor Abdullahi Darki, described them as timely.
He said “the university is currently developing a sports policy and assured participants that Ogunmodede’s recommendations would be considered as part of the policy.”
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