Speaking during the 22nd VFF Congress, Maltock urged the regional presidents to work hard on developing football for the youths in their respective associations.
“Port Vila Football Association is now moving forward with its programme and I want other member associations to follow their example,” he says.
PVFA have organised a youth football programme which includes U-11, U-13, U-15 and U-20 players and will implement an U-17 competition next year.
“VFF is committed to providing opportunities for young people in the islands to participate in football as players, coaches, referees or administrators and we are also committed to developing an environment where accessibility and diversity are valued and nurtured,” Maltock says.
“VFF children’s programmes like Just Play have been running for three years now and are going from strength to strength – I want to congratulate everyone who has participated and of course thank all the volunteers and staff who have made these events possible.
“Just Play and other kid’s football programmes are a fantastic initiative which VFF will continue to grow and develop for years to come. I urge all member associations to get behind this wonderful course in 2013 as it will only get bigger and stronger.”
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) – and Football Federation Australia to implement the programme across the Pacific over a three-year period between 2009 and 2012. 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.
The confederation has also been working in New Zealand with Special Olympics on a Just Play programme for people with mental disabilities and has launched the same initiative in Samoa and Fiji.
Just Play has reached over 100,000 children – 43 per cent of whom are female – across the Pacific and trained over 2,000 teachers and volunteers.
For more on Vanuatu football go to www.vanuafoot.vu

Share