The 32-year-old defender brought the football gear into Fiji after he saw the enthusiasm and enjoyment of local school children for the sport during Auckland City FC’s OFC Champions League campaign.
Iwata, active on social media, put out a call to supporters in his home nation of Japan to donate football boots, playing kit and replica tops to give away and the response was overwhelming.
“The idea was not my own, but came from a friend via social media who suggested that we put together a hamper of gear for local children in Fiji.
“Everywhere I have been in Fiji people are always smiling and friendly and they have a passion for sport and football.
“But what touched my heart was a ballboy at one of our Oceania Champions League matches who was always friendly to me but I noticed he and many others didn’t have shoes or football boots,” he said, “and I wanted to make a small difference in peoples’ lives with this gesture of friendship.”
Auckland City FC Media Manager, Gordon Watson, said the donation was in alignment with the club’s social responsibility project in Vanuatu and comes after a similar drive shortly after Cyclone Pam struck.
“We have worked very closely with the Butterfly Trust over the past three years to supply sports equipment to schools in the outer islands of Vanuatu and Takuya’s donation is another way of reaching out to people.
“Auckland City FC is very aware of our role in Oceania as one of its leading clubs and we’ve been very fortunate to represent the region on the world stage.
“We are citizens of this region and it makes sense for us to reach out to people in our part of the world who share our love of the game but perhaps have much less in terms of resources,” he said.
Two other Navy Blues players out and about were goalkeeper Danyon Drake and midfielder Colin Murphy who briefly addressed attendees at a FIFA Futsal Seminar at the Fiji FA Academy in Suva.
Both Drake and Murphy made their initial inroads in the sport via Futsal, FIFA’s only approved and recognised version of indoor football.
Auckland City FC are aiming for a fifth consecutive OFC Champions League title when they take on Kiwi rivals Team Wellington in the tournament finale at ANZ Stadium in Suva on Sunday at 7pm.
Story courtesy of Auckland City FC. For more on the club visit www.aucklandcityfc.com

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