Bunch of the Month: Nigeria Curling Federation
Above: Interview with Daniel Damola, President of the Nigeria Curling Federation.
Above: Daniel, representing Nigeria's first curling team, shouts at his team on the ice.
Question (Q): What is the origin story of the Nigeria Curling Federation? How has it become what it is today?
Daniel Damola (DD): The Nigeria Curling Federation was formed by the request by Miss Sheila Daniel in 2017. At 12 years old, she walked up to her dad and mum, Mr. Daniel and Mrs. H. Daniel, and she said, "Please could you both come watch me play curling? If you find it interesting, please take the sport to Nigeria.” She ensured that her parents followed that up- the Nigeria Curling federation was established in Nigeria.
First, the names mentioned above sat in our living room to draw up a well-detailed road map for the Nigeria Curling Federation. We knew it was going to be a big task, as Africa is not an ice-continent. After mapping out all the plans, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel passed the details to their privately owned company SRHD Sports Management Limited, registered in Nigeria. The company handled the process and formed the Curling Federation in Nigeria. After all the needed documents were filed, we then set out for players, mainly Nigerians, in the diaspora. Then, we came in contact with TJ Cole who is our Technical Director and then his first role was to assemble a curling team for Nigeria, in which he has done a fantastic job until date. Thereafter, he assembled a formidable team with Harold Woods, Chris Neimeth, Charles Neimeth, Caroline Cole, Susana Cole, and the list goes on. From then onward we have grown both in size and also as the first African nation member in the World Curling Federation (WCF).
Q: What supports and allies does the Nigeria Curling Federation have?
DD: To be honest, Nigeria Curling has no sponsors. We hope that if any company wants to see their brand on the international stage with the only African playing country in the world of curling, they should feel free to sponsor us. In support, the Federation is funded by its executive members. If we have just one major sponsor- you can’t imagine the level of growth we could take the sport of curling to in Africa, even at this stage. We are able to help Kenya to establish a curling federation and we are also helping other African nations as we speak.
Above: Team Nigeria, proudly carrying their nation's flag on the ice during the opening ceremonies of an event.
Above: Sheila Daniel, the young girl who sparked a curling-curiosity for Nigeria, watches her stone in Broomzilla Team Nigeria gear.
Q: Where does the Nigeria Curling Federation curl presently?
DD: Our athletes are all based abroad which gives them the opportunity to train outside of the continent. They all come together to train, sometimes in Denver, Colorado, and sometimes in Atlanta, Georgia. Before a major championship, the team travels to Canada to train with our team coach. That’s the method we adopted to make it easier for us to be able to train and play.
Q: Are there curling facilities in Nigeria?
DD: We don’t have a curling facility in Nigeria, but we are raising funds to build Africa its first ice facility in Nigeria. Should anyone want to donate to help us achieve this dream, that would be great.
Currently, we are using what we call Floor Curl, to teach our home base athletes which gives them knowledge about curling. After the training, we organize a training tour abroad to help them train on proper ice. Once we have the ice facility built in Nigeria, we believe the sport will compete favorably with football in Nigeria, and will have thousands of people loving the game and wanting to try and play the game in schools as well.
Q: What are your future goals for the Nigeria Curling Federation?
DD: Our future goal for Nigeria Curling Federation is to have curling for all, where young kids can step on ice and play curling in our on facility in Nigeria.
Q: What makes the Nigeria Curling Federation unique?
DD: The story behind our existence and our strives for success being the first African nation that proved a point: The sport of curling can be played by all nations that never experience snow.
Q: What do you want the world to know about the Nigeria Curling Federation?
DD: We want the world to help us build Africa its first ice arena in Nigeria and for the rest of the world to come to our facility to play all kinds of ice sports.
Curler Outreach offers a sincere congratulations to the Nigeria Curling Federation for all you have accomplished so far.
Good Curling Sheila, the Damola's, and Nigeria!
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