By S. Siapha Mulbah
The Liberia Kickball Federation (LKF) has reawakened its campaign which advocates for improvement of Kickball facilities with emphasis on changing the playing pitches from dust to turf.
The ‘From Dust To Turf’ campaign was initiated by the Federation over a year ago stressing that kickball is a Liberian oriented game that is hoping to get to the international stage but needs to be develop in its homeland.
As a discipline in the National County Sports Meet, the traditional game according to stakeholders and players have contributed immensely to the personal growth of young Liberian women for national recognition and other recreation as well as unity purposes.
Speaking recently in Paynesville at the County Meet related event, the president of the Liberia kickball Federation, Emmanuel Surprise Whea, explained that the life of the women playing the game are continuously risked on the dusty pitches they have as game venues.
He said over the years, the girls have played in dust across the country during their national league because there has been no intervention of national government and others to have the game field changed.
Whea said the advocacy for having kickball playing pitches defined with turf will create more beauty and admiration for the game and will give more women interest for participation.
“The women and girls playing Liberia’s traditional game deserves the best of improvement in where they play. They are hurt daily from the dusty pitches that are currently used for kickball games and we can no longer understate the need for having better pitches for them,” he said.
At the same time, the Federation’s president called on all women and girls playing in the National County Sports Meet to consider their game as professional and represent their respective counties with dedication and adherence to the laws of the game.
He, however, encouraged all stakeholders including referees and other match officials officiating games in the county meet to remember the culture of the game and stand by the code of decency that will uphold the trust in sportsmanship.
