Challenges and prospects of short distance athletes in benishangul-gumuz regional state athletics projects

Abstract

This study was aimed to explore the challenges and prospects of short distance athletes in Benishangul-gumuz regional state athletics projects. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design. Descriptive Statistics was used for analyzing the collected data. Simple random sampling technique was used to select sample athletes while complete census was used for sport offices and coaches. Accordingly, 100 short distance athlete, 8 coaches and 7 sport offices/experts were used for data collection. Questionnaires, interview, observation and document analysis were the tools used in collecting the intended data from both primary and secondary sources. The result showed there were various major challenges that are considered to be the problem prohibiting the athletes and athletics project from improving their status. Lack of good management style and good quality coaches and athletes, drop out of the athletes from the program, current conflict matters, lack of performance tests at beginning of the training year, the frequency of the training is not suitableto the athletes’ age level, very dusty field that exposes the athletes to sport injuries. Moreover, there is no well recognized sponsor, there is a huge gap in being organized and having and integrated training plans for the training given by the coaches with the lack of continuous performancetest and recording the level of athletes. The sport sector experts lack commitment to support the project. The region is not closely supervising the project site because of the transportation issues of the Woreda. Besides, the athletes were not even properly using the availablesport materials. It is also generalized that the capability of the short distance would not be improved if the same condition continues for long. It is suggested that the regional government project sport office recommends give due attention to improve the management problem and implementation of the proposed plan and scarcity and utilization of the resource for the sector so that the capacity of short distance athletes would be improved. The sport project good mobilize the community to make them participant in the sport sector that alleviates theproblem of sponsorship. Benishangul-Gumuz regional sport office better provide training coaches to update their coaching ability. The coaches should predict the future status of athletes’ performance in the regular manner to increase the efficiency of athletes.