By Amaechi Agbo

The male and female teams of Civil Defence, D-Defenders and D-Defenders Babes are poised to dethrone champions, Kano Pillars and Safety Babes, respectively as the 2022 Prudent Energy Handball Premier League season First Phase gets underway in Abuja on Monday.

With both teams finishing 5th at the 2021 season, assistant coach of the teams, CSC Ajana Sunday told Best Choice Sports in a chat that they are gunning for podium finish at the end of the league season.

The young coach who expressed appreciation to the Commandant General of the Corps for his unwaivering support said, the teams are poised, with addition of new young and fresh players, to take the league by storm

“For the league, we are fully prepared, both teams. But we paid much attention to the female team. Kudos to our Commandant General that gave us the opportunity to recruit young and fresh players to inject them into the female team. My female team is much stronger now and I believe we will be on the medal table.

“We recruited 7 players for the female team and 1 for the male team. Last season both teams ended on 5th positions in both leagues. We aim to improve on the record in the new league.

“Civil Defence teams are among the giants in the league. If you must count the best handball clubs in Nigeria, you must name Civil Defence also and with new intake that have been injected into the team now, I will say sky is the beginning,” he concluded.

D-Defenders Babes will begin their campaign with the opening match if the new season on Monday against Kada Queens of Kaduna state by 7am.

The male team, D-Defenders will battle Rima Strikers of Sokoto by 4:30pm