Head coach of Nigeria’s women’s cricket team, Theophilus Ibodeme, has credited the country’s strong grassroots structure for the steady flow of talented players into the senior national team.
READ ALSO: ‘I’m Grateful For Another Year’ — Brighton’s Zadok Yohanna Celebrates 19th Birthday
Ibodeme made the remarks after the Female Yellow Greens secured a bronze medal at the Kwibuka Women’s T20 Tournament in Kigali, describing the achievement as a reward for years of investment in youth development.
“Our grassroots system is producing results. The transition from the junior teams to the senior national team has been seamless because of the quality of work being done across the country,” Ibodeme said.
The coach praised the collective efforts of grassroots and state coaches, singling out those in Lagos State, Edo State and the Federal Capital Territory for their consistent role in identifying and nurturing young cricketers.
According to him, the success of the senior team is built on the solid foundation established at the youth level.
“This achievement belongs to everyone involved in developing these players. The coaches at the grassroots deserve enormous credit for preparing them for the national team,” he added.
Ibodeme noted that the growing pipeline of young talent gives the coaching crew confidence about the future of Nigerian women’s cricket, with more promising players ready to step up whenever called upon.
He reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining the team’s development pathway, insisting that sustained investment in grassroots programmes remains the key to Nigeria’s continued progress on the international stage.
