Black Sticks skipper calls for corporate support

The skipper of the national female hockey team, Gertrude Inkoom, has bemoaned the lack of corporate sponsorship for hockey over the years, saying the time has come for companies, industries, firms and individuals to join hands to promote the sport more meaningfully.

She has, therefore, appealed to corporate organisations and individuals to spend time to watch the Hockey World League Round 1 being hosted by the Ghana Hockey Association beginning tomorrow and ending on  Sunday at the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium in Accra.

Already, the tournament has suffered its first hiccup with the withdrawal of the Namibian female team, leaving Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya to battle for honours in the female division. However, the male teams of Namibia, together with their counterparts from Nigeria and Kenya  were expected in Ghana .

Gertrude said she was confident the sport would win new converts among fans, who would throng the Theodosia Okoh Stadium to follow the tournament.

“Watching the tournament in your numbers will convince you to appreciate  that hockey is a sport worth investing in. This is  because investing in hockey will create avenues to reduce the unemployment rate among the youth and help raise their standard of living,” the captain said as she poured her heart out in an interview with the Daily Graphic.

Lamenting on the financial constraints undermining  the development of hockey, Gertrude said promoting the sport effectively would  also make it more attractive to the youth.

“I am now working in the security services and generating income to fend for myself. Through hockey, I have also been able to upgrade myself in the tertiary institution and can confidently say that I have a bright future. That is why companies should turn their attention to support the sport to make it more attractive to the youth.”