SPORTS in Fiji not only bridges the racial divide, but gives people hope when all seem hopeless.
Sports put smile on those faced with adversity and unite people to weather the storms of life as and when they come.
Last February, Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston — one of the worst natural disasters in Fijian history — hit many parts of Fiji. The devastation was widespread. Everyone was affected one way or another and it brought the nation to a standstill.
Six months down the lane when people were still trying to piece their lives together, the Vodafone Fiji 7s team stormed to its first Olympics gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
A nation in ruins was united in victory, despite the sad reality of people losing houses, cattle, crops and loved ones, the win brought joy, it gave people some sense of courage and hope that things could change for the better.
This is the same courage and hope that has propelled some young footballers from the district of Nalawa in the Ra Province, which was one of the worst hit by Winston. Despite all odds, the team managed to score a 3-2 win against Suva Junior Football Club under-16 team in a friendly match at Vunikavikaloa Arya School in Ra two weeks back.
The winner was decided on penalty shoot-out after the game ended in a 1-1 draw at full time.
Nalawa Development team head coach Jai Khelawan said after Winston, everybody was mentally unsettled, everybody’s house was damaged, power was gone, water was gone, people had nothing, from there soccer brought people together.
“We practise every night under floodlights from the back of the car, quarter-pitch, half-pitch, it doesn’t matter we just play just to get practice,” Khelawan said.
He said two years ago he only had five players.
Now he had between 15 and 20 children who came from as far as Vitiri, Dobuilevu, Barotu and Macuvi.
“These are all farming kids. Very tough kids, pretty good with contact and they can handle the heat.
“I take pride developing these kids and I hope to bring them up to district level.”
Suva Junior Football Club head coach Olivier Jutel, who commended the hospitality shown by the Vunikavikaloa Arya School community, said it was sobering when you realise the bald patches on the pitch were from the tents that used to be their classrooms after Winston.
“It’s great to see soccer used as a way of bouncing back from TC Winston.
“It’s humbling to think we played on a pitch with bare patches because that’s where the school tents were. But to stick with football through all that the community experienced, just speaks of their love for the game,” Jutel said.
He said with the support of their main sponsors Capital Insurance, it was a great opportunity for the team to travel to the north of Suva, which was also a first for most players.
“We’ve got a great team of players from across the Pacific, Solomons, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and of course Fiji, and it’s great to mix these styles of football with a quick passing game.
“Our ambition as a club is to keep training and playing all year round and experience different parts of Fiji through the game we love to play,” Jutel said.
Head of International Youth Football Academy and coach Riyaz Ali said the IYFA ran development programs from Monday through to Saturday for children between the ages of five and 15 years.
He said children learned the basics in dribbling, passing and shooting.
“I believe the earlier you start participating, the better it is.
“We have built an academy with 68 registered kids from 15 different countries like Uzbekistan, Japan, SK, PNG, Thailand, France and Spain. We want these kids to build their knowledge, enjoy the game and play at national level.”
