DOE Physical Education coordinator Valusia Talataina says having spent a little more than a week visiting the eight elementary schools involved in the programme with a Football Federation American Samoa, which runs Just Play in the country, representative he has been able to note the changes first hand.
“We have seen and witnessed some great changes in our students out at the Just Play Programme schools for this school year,’’ Talataina says.
“Some of the schools we saw were fantastic and great while others are still working to get theirs to that same level.
“I believe they will all be on the same level by the time school ends in June.”
Seven schools started the programme for the 2014-15 school year – Afonotele, Alofau, A.P. Lutali (Aunu’u), Le’atele (Fagasa), Tafuna, Lupelele, Pava’ia’i and Leone Midkiff. Fagasa Elementary was a new addition for the second and final semester.
“The Department of Education and our association have been partners in the Just Play Programme for the last three years but this one has been the best so far,” says FFAS CEO Tavita Taumua.
“A lot of that success comes down to the hard work from the DOE’s PE department.”
Teachers have noted a rise in enthusiasm and improvement in school work for most of the students involved, as well as having students present the lesson plan of each session to the students themselves.
Talataina says the purpose of getting the students involved in leadership roles is to foster a continuous desire within them to live healthy lifestyles and maintain optimum fitness.
“The Just Play Programme has been such a blessing and as we implement the curriculum to its fullness I know we can all be successful and our students will benefit,” Talatina continues.
“This is also a way for us to give back to these schools because we plan to give them all prizes for a job well done to the teachers, students and of course their principals, for their support of our programme.”.
The curriculum for the Just Play Programme includes a booklet with 16 sessions. After the first eight sessions, a festival is held combining most of the lesson plans, and that is repeated for the last eight sessions.
Developed by the OFC Social Responsibility and Technical departments, Just Play is designed for children aged six to 12 and promotes physical activity while encouraging community involvement, healthy living, gender equality and disability development.
OFC has worked closely with UEFA, the Australian Government – through its agencies the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) – Football Federation Australia and UNICEF to implement the programme across the Pacific. It was launched in Tonga and is now also running in American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti and Vanuatu.
For more on American Samoa football visit www.ffas.as.
For more on Just Play programme, visit www.justplayofc.org.

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