DEVELOPING young footballers on and off the field remains the top priority for the Navua under-16 girls’ team despite the challenges of competing in the Fiji Football Associations under-16 girls league.
The team’s coach Sokoveti Dauni said the squad had made significant progress through commitment, discipline and a willingness to learn, with players embracing both football and life skills.
Travelling to training and matches has presented challenges for the team, but the players have continued to show dedication by attending training regularly and maintaining a positive attitude.
“The preparation has been really great,” Dauni said.
“I love the way the girls attend training. They come every single day, they are punctual and I’ve seen a lot of improvement in their skills and overall development.”
The coach said player development extended beyond football, with equal emphasis placed on character building and life skills.
“We’re trying our best to develop these girls, not only with soccer skills bus also life skills. We want to help them on and off the field.”
Balancing school commitments with football has been a key focus throughout the competition.
The coach said the players managed their studies well, even reducing training sessions during examination periods before returning to prepare for league matches.
Although Navua has experienced mixed results in the competition, the coach said the players had continued to improve with every match.
“The journey has been up and down, but I’ve seen a lot of improvement because of discipline both on and off the field.”
In the first year of coaching, the mentor has set ambitious long-term goals for the squad.
The coach hopes to see several Navua players eventually represent Fiji at national level and believes consistent development will help them achieve that dream.
“My vision is for these girls to one day join the Fiji national team. We’ll continue developing them step by step.”
Looking ahead, the coach said life skills would remain the foundation of the program.
“If they are great in life skills, they will be great everywhere – at school, at home and on the field. It all begins with life skills.”
