CIFA technical department staff members Tuka Tisam, Tahiri Elikana and Anthony Samuel will be visiting schools around Rarotonga to coach children on the basic skills of football and improve the abilities of those who participated last year, as well as taking them through a series of fun games.
“Our kids here on Rarotonga are natural athletes so it is easy for them to pick up new techniques and we are here to guide them at these coaching sessions,” says Tisam.
“We tend to see improvement in the senior children, though the younger ones are inclined to follow the lead of the older ones which we hope will help develop their football skills and techniques with each visit,” he says.
The school programme runs until the end of term one, starting with the very successful Primary School Round Cup for Year 7 and 8 students and wrapping up with a one-day tournament for students in Years 4, 5 and 6.
Year 7 and 8 students from Avarua, Nikao, St Joseph’s, Arorangi, Rutaki, Te Uki Ou, Akateimia Imanuela, Takitumu, Papaaroa, Avatea, Titikaveka and Nukutere take part in the weekly visits and will surely use the opportunity to polish and improve their football skills for the tournament.
The 2012 Senior Boys winners Avatea will certainly look to step up their performance this year in an attempt to retain the cup while combined school Te Uki Ou/Imanuela, who came close to claiming the title last season, will also be working hard to improve on their previous showing.
In the Senior Girls division, three-time champions Avarua will look to retain the Round Cup trophy for another year while 2012 runners-up Arorangi will be gearing up for another crack at the title along with the other participating teams.
The Senior Primary School Round Cup competition is in its fourth year and has proven to be well-liked amongst the children and teachers with more and more parents and supporters cheering on the children on game days.
“It is always good to see teachers involving themselves in the activities on our visits, it motivates the students and they have fun while learning football,” says Tisam.
The Senior Primary School Round Cup is played after school at the CIFA complex in Matavera over a period of six weeks. The 2013 competition kicks off on March 6 with the final set for April 10. The One-Day Primary School football tournament will be played the following week.
For more on Cook Islands football go to www.cookislandsfootball.com

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