The President of the Liberia Kickball Federation (LKF) Emmanuel Surprise Whea has called on Central Government to give serious priority to kickball sport.
Whea said the Liberia Kickball Federation continues to struggle for funding to take the sport across the country and to help other young under-privilege ladies make themselves valuable by playing the game.
Kickball sport played by only ladies in Liberia, has over the years attracted thousands of young ladies with the athletic skills; using the sport to win scholarships to enroll at high schools, while playing for those schools in the Inter-Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Leagues.
The sport has faced an uphill task in its decentralization quest, as the Liberian government, the only financial contributor to the game faces financial constraints in supporting the growth of the game.
Kickball Sport receives around three hundred United States dollar ($300.00 USD) in past years from the government as annual budgetary support.
The amount cannot even take care of a day’s fixture.
Efforts have been made by past and current leaders to take the game across Liberia and into the sub-region, but the issue of money has halted those efforts.
Speaking at the close of the 2018 LKF League Season, Emmanuel Surprise Whea said kickball has contributed to the development of many young women through education, but financial issues were hindering the federation to move the game across the country.
“We want this Government, led by Sports Legend Pres. George M. Weah to come to our aid and increase budgetary support to this sport played only by ladies” said Whea.
At the same time, Montserrado County District 6 Representative Samuel Enders has pledged to help kickball sport get increased in funding from the government.
Rep. Enders who is a huge supporter to sports in Liberia told the LKF leadership he will lobby at the level of the National Legislature to ensure Kickball Sport gets not less than three thousand united states dollars (3,000.00 USD) from government annual support.
According to the Lawmaker, working to improve kickball will also help in the development of many young ladies who have the skill to play the game.
He said Kickball been a traditional sport, can add to the development of Liberia if it gets the needed support.
Kickball is presently the second most popular or played sport in Liberia; behind men’s football, but ahead of women’s football, basketball and athletics.
More than four thousand young ladies participated in the just concluded LKF league season in Montserrado and Margibi Counties.
Many of these ladies used the sport to avoid getting involved with unwholesome practices like prostitution.
Many of the players depend on the sport during the National County Sports Meet to raise funding to take care of many of their needs, including housing and educations.
