Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) small-sided games development officer Victor Waiia and assistant national futsal team coach Jerry Sam have left for Las Rozas in Madrid, where they will join other leading futsal coaches and instructors from around the world to attend the five-day course.
Sam is travelling as a delegate for OFC and will give a presentation on matters relating to futsal development in the Pacific region. He was selected to take part in the seminar after OFC futsal co-ordinator Scott Gilligan left his position earlier this year.
Waiia, who led the Solomon Islands to their first ever FIFA Futsal World Cup as coach in 2008, is representing SIFF and his travel has been made possible by funding from FIFA, which has met the costs for delegates from its member associations to attend.
“I carry some responsibility with me as the OFC representative so I need to make a strong impression for our confederation,” Sam says.
“At the same time, I feel very fortunate on a personal level because this opportunity will give me first-hand interaction with some of the top futsal people in the world.”
Sam’s attendance will come at a cost, however, as it means he will not be with the Kurukuru, the Solomon Islands’ national futsal team, during their crucial final week of preparations for the OFC championship, which takes place from May 16 to 20 in Fiji.
There is a lot at stake at the event as the winner will qualify to represent Oceania at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2011.
“It is an important time and I will not be with the boys but I am sure they will be in fine hands with our head coach Dickson Kadau and most of the hard work has already been done. I also think some valuable lessons will come from the seminar that might be helpful for the team.”
Waiia shares the sentiments of his colleague and sees the course as an avenue to promote the potential of futsal in both the Solomon Islands and the wider Pacific region.
“We will be sure to get the message across that futsal has a big future in the Pacific,” he says. “Our mission is to let them know this and take back with us the positive experiences of other countries to help us grow the code here.”
SIFF general secretary Eddie Ngava says the pair are the ideal candidates to attend the seminar due to their hard work at the grassroots level.
“Waiia and Sam have on-the-ground experience and their work will put them on the front line in developing futsal,” he says. “Hence, their attendance is of great importance to the Solomon Islands and the region.”
For more on Solomon Islands football go to www.siff.com.sb