The gear was given to national team training squad member Aleck Wickham, who is based in Obobulu and approached Ohoto’ona earlier to discuss the possibility of Just Play being made available in the village.
Prior to coming to the capital city of Honiara to play for Western United in the Telekom S-League, Wickham ran a football training programme for children in his home village and says the potential for further development there is great.
Wickham was forced to withdraw from the national training squad as it prepared for the Pacific Games due to injury and is keen to make good use of his recovery period by training potential stars of the future.
“I approached SIFF because I have some free time on my hands and the opportunity to work with children from Obobulu,” Wickham says. “I am thankful for the positive response I have received.”
Ohoto’ona was happy to supply the Just Play equipment and says community initiatives such as this need to be supported.
“Just Play is a grassroots development tool and when there is initiative coming from the communities I fell it is right for us to assist them,” he says. “This case is special because Aleck is a national team player and can give that extra quality which none of us can.”
Wickham, who could only watch as his team mates earned silver at the Pacific Games in New Caledonia this month, is expected to be out of action for two months as he recovers from the groin injury and will allocate that time to getting Just Play off the ground in Obobulu.
Just Play is a FIFA-approved OFC initiative which promotes physical activity for primary-aged children while encouraging community involvement and healthy living.
It is designed for children aged six to 12 and is based around structured activity programmes as well as the distribution of equipment packs containing balls, cones, bibs, activity manuals and other resources that enable children to play football.
Developed by the OFC social responsibility and technical departments, Just Play was launched in Tonga and has since been introduced in Vanuatu, Tahiti, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and South Auckland in New Zealand.
OFC is also currently working in New Zealand with Special Olympics (NZ) on a Just Play programme for people with mental disabilities.
OFC is working closely with UEFA, the Government of Australia – through its agencies the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) – and Football Federation Australia (FFA) to roll out the programme across the Pacific. The Australian Government has shown its support to the project by contributing AU$4million.
In South Auckland, Just Play is supported by OFC’s partnership with the Sir John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation, Counties Manukau Sport and Auckland Football Federation.
For more on Solomon Islands football go to www.siff.com.sb

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