Monrovia – The President of Liberia’s newest sports federation, the TEQBALL Federation, has underscored the need for greater engagements in 2022, thereby, describing the federation’s achievements in 2021 as a giant step towards expanding the brand of TEQBALL across Liberia.
Speaking in an exclusive year end interview in Monrovia, LNTF’s President, Musa Shannon, applauded the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Liberia National Olympic Committee (LNOC), Inter High School Sports Association (ISSA) and the Sports Writers Association of Liberia (SWAL) as well as other sports associations, for the cordiality that currently exist but indicated that some of the key priorities of the federations were not accomplished owing to unforeseen circumstances beyond LNTF’s control.
“We definitely did not achieve everything we planned to have accomplished in 2021, but LNTF in collaboration with FITEQ are setting very ambitious goals for 2022 for the growth and development of Teqball in Liberia,” the LNTF’s boss stated.
Making disclosure further, Mr. Shannon applauded members of his technical team for the level of job accomplished in 2021, noting that much is anticipated to be roll out in the new year.
President Shannon also praised the international parent body of teqball. Shannon said: “Thank you for the all the support and assistance provided throughout 2021 and together we will strive towards the global vision of teqball.”
The Liberia National Teqball Federation (LNTF) is the newest sporting federation in Liberia and it was established in 2020 with the hope of using the sport to empower and create employment opportunities for talented and passionate young Liberians. Being the 13th Country in Africa to have established a Federation of TEQBALL, the fastest growing sport in the world, LNTF envisaged an amazing opportunity for Liberians, particularly the youthful populace, to join the excitement in becoming the next big project that will emerge out of Liberia.
LNTF was accredited by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS) and the Liberia National Olympic Committee (LNOC) to operate as a fully recognized sport body in Liberia. Following its recognition and subsequent accreditation, the LNTF embarked on a ‘You-Can-Be-A-TEQER’ Campaign. In that direction, the technical staff of the federation came up with a plan centered squarely on leading a rigorous social media and local media campaign so as to help heighten the awareness campaign of LNTF’s initiatives.
According to the LNTF boss, following a careful assessment of facilities and venues of various clubs, LNTF than rollout what he referred to as ‘Step II’ of its plan, that is the presentation of tables to recognized clubs and sport institutions. During the period under consideration, Shannon noted that several presentations of TEQBALL LITE TABLES were made beginning with the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS), Liberia National Olympic Committee (LNOC), LEAD Monrovia Football Academy (A leading internationally known locally based academy of both male & female), Barrack Young Controller (BYC), FREEPORT FC, NIMBA UNITED, the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA), FIRST TOUCH SPORTS ACADEMY & the ELITE International Soccer Academy of Former National Team player, Fallah Johnson amongst others.
Additionally, Shannon outlined the launch of a massive visibility campaign which he noted was meant to raise public awareness of TEQBALL Globally by presenting information and messaging that answer all the concerns raised by the members of the sporting community. During this period, he said, LNTF massive exhibition of TEQBALL created renewed public attraction.
In the same direction, President Shannon pointed to the successful accomplishment of LNTF’s first technical workshop. The LNTF’s Boss disclosed that the workshop was held with support from FITEQ, the International parent body of teqball, with the goal of providing hands-on technical knowledge about the sport.
“The educative initiative was also meant to promote the ongoing visibility campaign initiated by the federation. Participants at the one-day technical workshop were drawn from various club teams in addition to representatives from the Inter School Sports Association (ISSA), Sports Writers Association of Liberia (SWAL), LNOC, Paralympics and former National Team Players respectively. The Ministry of Youth and Sports was also in attendance,” Shannon added.
Also in 2021, the federation received two high-profiled international guests. Ghana and Sierra Leone TEQBALL Federation’s Presidents paid a courtesy visit to Liberia. During their separate visit, the two federations held discussions on strengthening bilateral relationship and efforts to work out modalities to host bilateral tournaments.
Meanwhile, the LNTF has reassured its commitment with support from FITEQ for a robust exhibition and awareness campaign in 2022. In that direction, Shannon named distribution of additional TEQ Lite Tables in and out of Monrovia, introduction of TEQBALL to high school through ISSA, the organization of local and international exhibition tournaments, the registration drive for referees, players and coaches as well as the donation of a ‘Class A’ table to President George Manneh Weah, as key targets to be achieved in 2022.
At the same time, President Shannon encouraged clubs and recipients of teqball tables to take seriously the donation by beginning to incorporate teqball in its weekly activities. By doing so, he noted will help in nurturing teqers at various levels.