The Inter-School Sports Association (ISSA) has inducted a new leadership team.
The new ISSA leadership comprising nine members was inducted Friday September 14, 2018, at the Right-To-Play office in Paynesville.
A longtime member of the ISSA Secretariat Garyonleweh Zepu was appointed as President, while former Assistant Minister for Sports Murvee Gray was inducted as Vice President for administration.
Emmanuel Wolofar was inducted vice president for operations, Evan Soma vice President for technical affairs, Dyric Paywah, Secretary-General, Topiyon Blimie assistant Secretary, Joseph Boakai, Treasure, Christopher Nylander, Games Director and Konah Kermie, Financial Secretary.
The new leadership team is composed of officials of breakaway groups from ISSA including, the Liberia Inter Schools Sports Association,(LISSA) Paynesville Inter School Sports Association, (PISSA) Sinkor Inter School Sports Association (SISSA) and the Monrovia Consolidated School System, (MCSS).
According to report, the various breakaway groups have returned to ISSA to collaborate to run one school sports (event) Association across the country.
Serving as a guest speaker, Assistant Director for sports at the Youth and Sports Ministry Kessellie Kanneh called on the new team to work the hardest to get ISSA back on track.
Mr. Kanneh speaking on the topic “Lead Right” urged the team to ensure that grass-roots sports get serious at the school level.
“It has been proven that the force of sport in every nation is so great that it can move anything,” Mr. Kanneh said.
He said if the schools failed to develop grass-roots sports, the country will face difficulties in its sports advancement.
For his part, the installing officer, LNOC Vice President Malcolm Joseph said the foundation of sports in Liberia begins with ISSA; as such the association must do all to give a rebirth to school sports.
“The development of sports should start in schools” he added.
According to him, the Liberia National Olympic Committee (LNOC) is delighted with ISSA and will support the organization for the battlement of grass-roots sports.
Mr. Joseph challenged the ISSA team to ensure that the kids in school get excited about playing in its tournament by establishing sports clubs in the various schools.
The New President of the Inter-Schools Sports Association Garyonleweh Zepu making remarks called for increase budgetary support to ISSA if the schools’ games are to return to its past statutes.
Mr. Zepu speaking Friday when he was inducted as ISSA’s new president said the association wants to give school going kids the best of opportunities to excel with their sporting talents and skills at the school level.
Activities of the Inter-Schools Sports Association had been undermined in the past years with the breakaways from the Association of many schools who grouped themselves under various associations, running school sports leagues of their own.
ISSA league was a breeding ground for young athletes in past years. Most of Liberia’s great soccer stars and other athletes came through the ISSA games before moving to big clubs on the local scene or traveling out of the country.
It’s the first time in living memory for an induction of a leadership in ISSA.
