A team of talented young female players have been unveiled in Owerri, Imo State capital.
The team, Imo Striker Queens Football Club, weekend, held a launching to raise funds for the purchase of a Team Bus, after earlier, playing a novelty football match to entertain guests for the occasion.
During the launching, which held at Akwakuma Secondary School, Owerri, the Chairman of the Football Club, Prince Chinedu Chidi went down memory lane and offered huge insights into the formation of the team and their success stories since May 2021 they came onboard.
According to Prince Chidi, it wasn’t easy for him when he first nursed the ambition in 2021, but God’s grace saw him through.
The Chairman who hinted that the essence of building the team was to develop and encourage the girl child, give her hope and a sense of belonging for a better tomorrow, also noted that he started by organizing competitions among secondary schools in the State, during which period he selected some players to form Imo Strikers Queen.
He informed that the team since May 2021 had represented Imo State and Southeast in many football tournaments and won Silver, sometimes Bronze or Gold.
“We’ve been to Kwara state where we defeated many states and took second position. We played National Youth Fund game in 2021 and won Bronze. We also went to Abuja and played Naval Officers Wives’ Association (NOWA) Cup, we represented Imo state and got bronze.
“We also played Soccer Queens Competition in Lokoja, we represented Southeast and defeated the six geopolitical zones and came back with a trophy.
“Early this year, with the help of some people, we went to Benin to play division three nationwide league, 16 teams participated and we took first position. Our player even emerged highest goal scorer.
“As a matter of fact, we have qualified to play in Nigerian Championship Division One”, Prince Chidi submitted.
He solicited for support to keep doing Imo state and Southeast proud, while stressing that through the football game, many girl-child had been taken off the streets.
Earlier, the Captain of the team, Nwachukwu Prisca recalled that team members played with barefoot when they started in 2021.
She said, oftentimes the team hire a bus to travel for matches and called for support to enable them purchase a bus and travel for the championship league next year.
Guests at the occasion including the Member for Mbaitoli State Constituency, Hon. Okey Onyekamma, Sole Administrator of Mbaitoli LGA, Chief Hamilton Chinasa Opara, Imo State CAN Chairman, Rev Divine Eches all pledged their support to the team.