A Just Play football festival was held last Wednesday at the Ratu Cakobau Park in Nausori.
231 primary school boys and 209 girls participated in the day long festival.
Women’s football is one of the fastest growing sports around the world and with the Just Play programme in place many female participants may decide to take up football which will be a boost to the code here in Fiji.
Fiji Football Association Just Play project manager says gender equality is one of the vital factors of the successful programme which was launched in Fiji last year.
“The Just Play programme encourages both males and females to participate. Just Play is a social development tool promoting children to live healthy life and be disciplined. Sports encourage unity, pride and in this programme football is a driving factor for the programme,” Janiff said.
“Children in future can decide if they want to continue with football or not. Overall at the end of the day it will be a major boost for football in Fiji.”
The Just Play programme which is targeted for primary school students will soon be implemented in the Western and later the Northern division of the country.
“The main objective of this festival is to let the children of all ages enjoy playing basic football as a sport for life and clear their minds of academic and social pressures, to literally run off the tension that’s accumulated in their muscles.
This kind of festivals will continue and we would like to strengthen our relationship with schools and communities and see that children participate in physical activity programmes on a regular basis through Just Play.”
“It was such a great experience for me to see this project running so well in Rewa schools and I must thank our Just Play family, the teachers, volunteers, communities and children for coming out today to make this day successful.
Certificates, prizes were given to school, teachers and children for their participation in the programme.”
Fiji FA MEDIA
