Caption: Nadi FA Youth Academy youngsters during the first trials at the Nadi Muslim College grounds. Photo: JOSEPHINE NAVULA.
By VIJNESH CHAND
The Nadi FA Youth Academy has been very proactive in the last couple of month since inception with weekly Saturday clinics a huge success.
“The Soccer clinics for kids both boys and girls from the ages of 5 to 15 years has been held every Saturday at either Prince Charles Park main ground or Nadi Muslim grounds,” Academy Director, Javed Ahmed said.
Ahmed is very excited about the potential that some of the kids have and if properly developed from these kids can go on to represent Nadi and Fiji in the future.
“I blame the recent failure off the Fiji Under 20 team on the lack of focus on development and i believe that a lot of focus has to be put by Fiji FA and all districts to ensure our future is better,” he said.
In the game against New Zealand we were found wanting and we lacked basics like ball control, composure on the ball and positional play.
Ahmed’s is though confident that Fiji can match the likes of Vanuatu, Tahiti , New Caledonia and even New Zealand in the next few years if proper and continued development programs are implemented in each district.
“Currently i believe Nadi is the only district initiating youth development and grassroots soccer programs in the country,” he said.
Ahmed is also confident of starting a youth league in Nadi by end of May in 3 grades – Under 9, Under 12 and Under 15.
The league will be played on Saturday mornings and kids from all over Nadi and even kids from Lautoka and Sigatoka will be involved.