This week I enjoyed the nostalgia brought on by watching the 2022 Coca-Cola Games as it unfolded over the last three days.
The sea of colours, sizes and shapes, and the kaleidoscope of emotions on people’s faces told a story saying that “the wait has been long”.
It was a time to forget COVID-19 and how it had denied us the opportunity to participate, have fun, turn out in school colours and cheer on our favourite teams.
The past two years had indeed been very restrictive and stressful.
Both waves of the pandemic hit just before the games and this was very disappointing to athletes, schools, fans and families who attend every year.
Apart from the stiff competition and school rivalry, it was good just to see Fijians come out in droves to just have fun.
The Coca-Cola Games is not just an annual athletic competition.
It has a number of distinct benefits and values.
Health
The necessary preparations in the lead-up to the games, teach students how to treat their bodies so that they can achieve peak-level performances.
By taking part, students help themselves stay healthy and in shape.
Some go on a special dietary regime, cut down on their carbohydrate intake and eat lots of healthy and wholesome food.
Staying committed to months of training and dieting demands a lot of focus, discipline and drive.
Friendship
The games also teach athletes how to organise and manage their time wisely in order to attain specific goals, make friends with those they don’t know, develop inter-relationships with their peers in school and gain new skills that will assist them later on in life.
There is no single event in Fiji that is able to bring young people together from different parts of the country, like the Coca-Cola Games.
This year, 3000 athletes alone took part.
That’s amazing!
Many friendships that are forged over the competition days remain intact, even when students leave school and grow into adults.
Rivals in specific events learn to respect each other and some grow to become best of friends.
Fans
Like any sport, the fans who shout like crazy from the sidelines, grandstand and corporate boxes are one of the most important groups in the game.
They come in the thousands to cheer their schools on and provide encouragement and support.
The shouts yelled out in frenzy, the fanatic wave and wild whistling help motivate competitors to perform their best and not quit when on the verge of giving up.
Fans also buy merchandise, a cap or a T-shirt, and help raise funds for athletes and old scholar associations.
There are no sport without its supply of faithful fans.
Family
Family members’ support helps athletes feel good about themselves, their performances and their achievements, even though they may not win a single medal.
A kiss from mum on the ground and coaxing from dad like “Do your best son!” can go a long way in making a discouraged athlete do better next time.
It is quite amazing to note that sports can make parents and children understand and appreciate each other.
The Coca-Cola Games is definitely a family affair and thrives on it.
The family is the strongest force behind any games athlete.
Leadership skills
Participating in sports helps build leadership skills.
Taking part in the Coca-Cola Games have provided the opportunity for young people to learn new life skills.
Team captains or grade captains may be mere teenagers, young and small, but they actually become role models for their peers and juniors.
Simply by being captain they learn how to delegate, communicate, encourage, empower and lead by example.
All these become important values in life as they grow older.
Coaches
Everyone knows that the best performing schools during Coca-Cola Games are those who have good quality coaches.
These very important people provide encouragement but their main job is to push athletes beyond their limits.
Some old scholars give back to their schools by coaching and many volunteer their time and energy without getting paid.
They are the unsung heroes.
Positive coaching techniques, which do not make young people feel bad about themselves help boost morale and team unity.
Coaches give athletes the tools to win team together.
The difference in the performance by Mahatma Gandhi Memorial School athletes this year was the coaching and professional guidance they received.
School
It is common to think that schools that do well in sports do not perform well academically.
That is not very true because participating in sports can actually have a lasting and positive impact on schools.
The secret is finding the right balance, meaning if students can learn to organise their time and discipline themselves, then they can succeed and come out on top in both.
Many students who excel in sports may not be an academic but they could become national icons and later represent the country internationally, through sports.
As they become famous, credit also goes to the school that moulded them and first recognised the talents they had.
Business
The Coca-Cola Games would be incomplete without having a burger or roti sold on the roadside on the way to the stadium.
Women and men who prepare food and sell them wake up very early in the morning.
They have become an integral part of the games every year.
It is not easy feeding thousands of hungry people but these small businesses make sure everyone who enters the grounds to watch the games is well sustained and fed.
At the end of the day, food vendors are able to put on the table and support their families with the money their earn.
At the end of the day, the staging of this week’s Coca-Cola Games creates a lot of benefits for Fiji and everyone participates to make it a success.
It creates a family of citizens who come together yearly and put aside their differences to enjoy each other’s company.
The torch relay and the lighting of the games torch is in itself a glorious moment.
“The torch lighting symbolises a lot of things. It symbolises the resilience of our country and our athletes,” the organising committee chairman, Lawrence Tikaram said.
“The torch is a sign of solidarity … it symbolises hope for many people and many athletes who will make it their last Coca- Cola Games. For many it will be their first.”
He said hopefully, many athletes would be inspired to represent Fiji in the future in international events, beyond the Coca-Cola Games.
I take this opportunity to congratulate all winners and all those who participated.
Hats off to the organisers and may the 2023 games be better and greater and more memorable.
Until we meet on this same page same time next week, stay blessed, stay healthy and stay safe!
