I woke up with excitement on that Saturday. I was looking forward to covering the American football game, the first time such a game will be played in Lagos. This is a game I've only seen on TV that left me with more questions. Such a technical game. I was never a fan until I saw it played live at the Campos Mini Stadium in Lagos. Gosh! What a rush!!!!! They started off the game with the United States' national anthem. Followed by the Nigerian anthem. Cheerleaders danced as spectators showed support for their local team. The atmosphere was charged as the Lagos Marines were on a revenge mission after losing the first leg game to The Titans some weeks before. Personally, I said a prayer for the Lagos Marines team. The Titans had some really huge players that could knock one out with just a strike.
In soccer-mad Nigeria, American Football, a sport usually played thousands of miles away in the United States but growing in popularity around the world, is slowly winning over new fans.
The West African country this year hosted what organizers said were its first two games as its two amateur American Football teams, the Lagos Marines and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Titans, battled it out on the pitch.
Before the first game in March at the Titans' home ground in northern Kaduna state, few Nigerians had heard of either team. A few weeks later in Lagos, dozens of fans waved banners and cheered in support.
With no official game structure in place, the two matches were one-offs, but the teams are hopeful Nigeria could one day have a league for the sport just like soccer.
ABU has been training its players for several years, holding in-house matches. In Lagos, German coach Dominick Muller founded the Marines in late 2013, recruiting players more used to soccer, basketball and volleyball. With no major sponsor, it was Muller who paid for about 65 kits for his players. For now, no immediate games between the teams are planned but the players expect to face each other again.
Pictures courtesy Sharon Ogunleye and Femi Obagare
No comments:
Post a Comment