As a parent, one of the ways to make impact on your child is by creating experiences for him or her. It is a better way to learn and make an everlasting impression on the child, which could inspire the child to success and greatness
Neymar once revealed an 'unforgettable' experience of when he met Maradona as a child and how it impacted on his life and determination to become the football star he is today.
This is why we think you should plan an unforgettable experience for your child. Especially, if your child is a football frick, who watch the game a lot on tv or play around the compound. You may decide to take him or her to a memorable football game or to meet a popular football star or to visit a popular football stadium or sports facility. A picture that will remain in his heart forever.
A Visit to Former National Stadium Surulere - Unforgettable Experience for Alfred Chukwueke
Alfred Chukwueke's 9th birthday wishes was for his daddy to buy him a football and also take him to visit the most popular sports stadium complex in Nigeria.
The former national stadium Surulere Lagos remain monumental in Nigeria's sports history, even in its present dilapidation, there are still beehives of sports activities going on daily.
The complex has 55,000 capacity football stadium, perhaps, the largest arena in Nigeria, played host as the home ground of the Nigeria national teams for decades, but in urgent need of renovation as the time of visit.
As Mecca is to Muslims, so is the former national stadium Surulere, as sportsmen and women in Nigeria prigrimage to this sports complex daily. It is often said in the sports circle, "If you have not visited or played at the national stadium Surulere then you have not started your sports journey in Nigeria."
The national Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium complex which comprises of an Olympic-size swimming arena; basketball arena, table tennis arena, wrestling and boxing arena, lawn Tennis arena, volleyball arena to mention a few.
It was an unforgettable experience for the 9 years old, Alfred Chukwueke, as he arrived at about 9am with his father and stood before his eyes are two massive stadium complexes. At the other side is the Teslim Balogun stadium and then, former national stadium complex.
The first visit was to Teslim Balogun stadium and we went straight to the office of Bescola Academy, to make enquiry of how a child like Alfred can gain admission into the FCBarcelona Academy in Lagos Nigeria.
After then, we crossed the main road, over to the former national stadium Surulere, where Alfred was given a first hand experience, training with Great Olympics football Academy at the sand pitch inside the complex. Alfred made new friends and took photoshoots with some the academy players.
At about 10:30am after experiencing ball work and some exercises with the academy, he then began his tour round the complex with a bottle of water in his hands to refresh at intervals. He visited both table tennis and basketball arena, then we took him to Nigerian Institute of Sports (NIS) and to the legacy pitch made of synthetic field. So he was able to see and feel the different training pitches: sand pitch, grass pitch and the artificial grass pitch at different areas of the complex.
We went round the stadium complex and saw different sportsmen and women practicing: boxers, taekwondo, cyclists, wrestlers, athletes training on shot-put and javelin...; with his father telling story about the 1999 FIFA U21 World Cup which was hosted right here in this complex and Ronaldinho as well as Xavi Fenandez played here. He went on to tell how Samuel Okwaraji slumped and died from Cardiac arrest here in the stadium in August 1989, as they walked into the main bowl of the national stadium, which was under renovation at that moment.
Finally, the tour ended at the O'Jazz Restaurant by the Olympics size swimming pool. There Alfred and his father took snacks and drinks as they watched swimmers training. Alfred begged his father to bring him back here... And his father promised that they have a family picnic here sometime soon.
Neymar's Unforgettable Experience As A Child
I had just a few contacts with Maradona, but I'll never forget the one when I was 12 or 13 years old,' Neymar told Eleven Sports.
'I was just starting at Santos and I went to watch a show match between Brazil and Argentina - a game between former players.
'As the Brazilian team's bus were already full, I couldn't go with them, so they put me onto Argentina's bus. There were two guys highlighted in there, because they were sitting in the first seats: they were [Alejandro] Mancuso and Maradona.
'So they put me alongside them and treated me very well. So well that, when we arrived in the stadium, they took me to Argentina's locker room and onto the field.
'I even have a photo with Maradona, from when I was a little. He called me over to take that picture. I'll never forget his gesture.
'On the pitch he was an icon for everybody, sure. For me as well, but I've always respected him as an athlete and as a footballer. I will never forget that.'
