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| Alh Namadi Sambo, Former Vice President in Company of Hockey Federation President, Sen Abdul Ningi |
Kaduna has once again cemented its status as the heartbeat of Nigerian hockey, with the state's leading clubs, Kada Stars (male) and Kada Queens (female), providing the overwhelming majority of players invited to the national camp for the African Hockey Cup of Nations 2025.
In the male category, Kada Stars provided 11 out of 25 players, making it the single largest contributor to the national squad. Police Machine followed with 5 players, Niger Flickers 4, Delta 2, while Nasarawa and Lagos had one player each.
Similarly, in the female category, Kada Queens secured 9 out of 25 invitations, further proving the strength of Kaduna’s hockey programs. This makes Kaduna the biggest supplier of talent across both genders, with a combined 20 players out of 50 coming from the state.
Reacting to the development, Kaduna State Commissioner of Sports Development, Professor Benjamin Gugong, congratulated the teams for their dedication and discipline. He commended the management of Kada Stars and Kada Queens for consistently raising the profile of Kaduna in national and continental hockey.
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| Namadi Sambo Former Vice President at 2014 Opening Ceremony in Kaduna |
The commissioner added that the state government would continue to provide the necessary support to ensure that Kaduna athletes excel on the international stage. “Congratulations to our hardworking hockey teams. Go and make us proud,” he declared.
Other stakeholders also shared their joy. Coach Felix of Faith Academy wrote: “Congratulations senior Coach Baba Ndana. I admire your unrelenting work and sacrifices. I tap into this your flowing grace as your mentee.”
Similarly, the Director of Facility, aka Coach Samaila noted: “Congratulations! It is the pride of any hardworking coach to see his athletes invited for national assignments. It shows you are doing well, along with your lieutenants, towards developing their performance. You are a productive technocrat. I wish you the best of luck in your outing. We are proud of you and your athletes, as well as the coaching crew.”
Observers say the overwhelming representation of Kaduna athletes is not by chance, but the result of consistent grassroots development and investments in sports infrastructure. As Nigeria heads to the continental tournament, expectations are high that the Kaduna influence will drive the national teams’ bid for glory.
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