After Lagos Tertiary Games: Laspotech Get Set For NIPOGA

Principal Sports Coach of Team Lagos State Polytechnic, Jofortan Austine, says the recently concluded 3rd Lagos Tertiary Games was a preparatory tournament ahead of the Nigerian Polytechnic Games, NIPOGA, which will hold early next year.

Apart from winning the athletic event of the Tertiary Games with a total of 5 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals to beat Lagos State University, LASU, to the second position, LASPOTECH topped the overall medals table of the tournament with 8 gold, 6 silver and 4 bronze medals.

Lagos State University, LASU, took the second position with 2 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze medal, University of Lagos team, was third with 2 gold, 1 silver and 4 bronze medals and Yaba College of Technology came fourth with 1 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medal,

While speaking with P.M. Sports,  Austine, fondly called Coach Pawpaw by his admirers, said the achievements of the school in the 2011 Lagos Tertiary Games has given the sports committee and the management of LASPOTECH enough confidence that they would perform very well in next year’s NIPOGA, which will take place at the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State.

“If NIPOGA will hold tomorrow, I want to say that we are ready,” said the Nigeria Institute of Sports, NIS, certified coach.

“The recently concluded Tertiary Games, where we were the champions, has been a good preparatory ground for us ahead of the NIPOGA. What we want to do now is to assess our outing at the Tertiary Games and begin in earnest our build up for NIPOGA, which we will set in motion anytime from now. We have had good records in NIPOGA over the years and I’m very sure with the form which my students are in now, we’ll go places in the tournament, surpassing our previous record. We are getting set for the preliminaries of the championship in February,” he said.

Austine recalled that the standard of the 3rd Tertiary Games was high with some schools, which were regarded as underdogs giving LASPOTECH a good run for their money.

“The standard of the 3rd edition of the Tertiary Games was high compared to the last two editions. I must confess that all the schools prepared very well for this competition, but because we were well prepared, we were able to weather the storm and came out with flying colours,” said the former Eko Boys High School player.

Speaking on the secret behind the success of his team, Coach Austine said motivation by the school’s management gave Team LASPOTECH victory at all championships they have been attending over the years.

“The management of the school is always there for us. I must commend the new Rector of the school, who despite being new in the system, gave us his full support and encouraged us. There is history of motivation of athletes by the school’s management in terms of cash rewards and scholarship, while the athletes on their part put in their best,” he said.