Two of Nigeria’s prominent women’s national team stars, Tochi Oluchi and Blessing Akusobi have been cited in fond memories about the good old days enjoyed by young players in the female squad of Community Action Through Sport (CATS), Sports247 reports.
Oluchi, who is still relevant as a back-up goalkeeper with the Super Falcons, and Akusobi, a former top defender in the squad, are the most prominent names found in a list of 34 ladies in the pioneer CATS female squad that was sponsored back then by The British Council.
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The youngsters were in those early days (2001-2009) part of a vibrant boys and girls youth development project that was officially known as Community Action Through Sport (CATS), with additional support from Dreams & Teams as well as Voluntary Services Overses (VSO).
They trained twice weekly at the erstwhile Union Bank Sports Complex along Bode Thomas Street, Surulere; with vocational training at the nearby K. Kotun Memorial School, owned by the family of their project director, Alhaji Agboola Dabiri.
The project director, who later became chairman of both Surulere local government and Lagos State Sports Council as well as commissioner for environment, ensured British Council renovated the pitch of nearby Government College Lagos, located along Eric Moore Road, Surulere, for additional training days of CATS’ teams.
When the British Council ended their sponsorship of the project, the squad’s technical director, Coach Hyacienth Nkwocha tried to personally keep the team going until Alhaji Dabiri decided to officially register CATS Ladies FC as a brand name and later enrolled them with Nigerian Women’s Football League (NWFL).
Sadly, Coach Hyacienth died before CATS Ladies could evolve into the big outfit they have now turned out to be, with four major trophies already to their name this year alone.
Sports247 gathered that many of the former boys and girls of the original CATS Project have now finalised plans to honour the memory of Coach Hyacienth with a day’s football carnival on December 14th
Ahead of the competition, billed to hold at Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium in Surulere, CATS forner team manager and administrative officer, Pastor Oscar Ezinwa Emmanuel has provided a list of the project’s most prominent female players of those memorable days.
CATS PROJECT’S PIONEER FEMALE PLAYERS
1. ABIRU SAIDAT . CATS CAPTAIN
2. OBENDE BIODUN. FINLAND 🇫🇮 BASED
3. OKORO FLORENCE . FIRST CATS CAPTAIN.
4. UKANDU CHINASA MANDY, FORMER FALCON (NOW CATS LADIES COACH )
5. OKAFOR RUTH. NATIONAL GRADE ONE REFREE
6. SESSI BEBE
7. CHUKWUEKE ANITA (JAY JAY)
8. ITUEN ANIEKAN VICTORIA
9. ANOSIKE FAVOUR CHIOMA MUOMAH 🇺🇸 USA BASE.
10. ANDERO BIDEMI. 🇬🇧 UK BASED
11. ADENIYI ABIMBOLA ( 🇺🇸 USA BASED)
12. BATILI BURAIMOH
13. ABDULLAHI AMINAT ( JO JO)
14. LAMINA ADEOLA
15. OGUNJIMI OLUWATOYIN (KEEPER)
16. AKUSOBI BLESSING.(FORMER FALCONS DEFENDER a.k.a, ONYE ABA)
17. OLUGUNA RISIKAT
18. IFEOMA ONWUEGBUCHULAM
19. OGUNNEYE KEHINDE. ( FORMER UK 🇬🇧 BASED; NOW CATS LADIES COACH)
20. EZIRIM NNEKA MURREN (COACH BASED IN PORT-HARCOURT)
21. TITILAYO BELLO,(KEEPER, aka BIG STRONG, RELAIBLE)
22. GOMINA THERESA PASTOR MRS FINLAND BASED
23. UGWUEGBU AUGUSTINA. (Former Super Falcons player)
24. TOCHI OLUCHI( CURRENT FALCON 2ND KEEPER)
25. ASUQUO MARY EKAETE
26. ETIM COMFORT EKAETE 🇬🇧 BASED COACH
27. EDEM ESTHER.(FORMER FALCON)
28. EMOH ENO
29. CHIKA OKAFOR
30. CHINENYE ASHIEGBU (CATS LADIES COACH)
31. LUCY EMEJURU
32. SHOLA AKEREDOLU
33. ONYIYE UKAONU (FORMER FALCONS, SCORED FREE KICK AGAINST USA 🇺🇸 IN WORLD CUP)
34. PATIENCE ODIWA
