It's Premiership or nothing says Bayelsa State Handball Coach

Bayelsa Handball Team (Male & Female)

By Yakubu Uzoma Muhammad

The Bayelsa State Handball Coach, Mr. Opuene Yetougha has said that the only option that his teams have is to qualify for Handball elite division known as  "The Prudent Energy Handball Premier League".

Speaking in an exclusive interview with our correspondence at their training base inside the Samson Siasia Sports Complex Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, he said that he is confident of the women's team to qualify for the elite division because of the calibre of players that the team possess. Though he believes that the men's team are good enough for promotion but hinted that more job needs to be done tactically. 

"I am very confident of my women's team because of the caliber of players in the team and as for the men's team, I know that they're good enough for qualification to the elite division, but more work still needs to be done tactically.

On the challenges facing the team currently, Mr. Opuene said that the team needs training kits and balls, though he believes that the Commissioner for Sports in the state is working hard to facilitate their proposal to the government.

"The challenges we are currently facing is lack of training kits and balls to train with, we believe that the Commissioner for Sports is working hard to facilitate our proposal, so we hope that it will be sorted out as soon as possible in other to allow us concentrate on our trainings and preparations".

When quizzed on what Bayelsans should expect from the team during this competition, Coach Opuene said that Bayelsans should be hopeful.

"Bayelsans should be hopeful of a positive result from the team because we are tactically ready, and we expect both teams to qualify from their respective competitions".

The Bayelsa State Men's Handball team reached the Semi final of Last Year's Division One National Handball Competition while the Women's team crashed out from the group stage of the competition that was held in Kaduna last November. 

The National Division One Handball Playoffs will commence from the 9th of July, 2021 in Benin City Edo State.