The Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) unveiled its website at www.siff.com.sb this week to join a growing list of federations with a brand new online home.
SIFF is the sixth to have its website revamped, with the changes coming hot on the heels of those at Football Federation Samoa, Cook Islands Football Association, Football Federation American Samoa, Tonga Football Association and Fiji Football Association.
The New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea federations are next on the list and the plan is for all OFC member associations to have a new website by 2011.
Through OFC development funding, each association will be able to create its own online space, plus have the software tools to manage competitions, statistics, player records and other important data.
OFC General Secretary Tai Nicholas says it was important to develop an all-in-one system, now known as ‘O-Link’.
“It’s not just about new websites but also the whole framework that goes behind it,” Nicholas says.
“With this software, our members will be able to manage their own competitions and track players, coaches and referees to see exactly who is involved in the sport. These statistics will provide valuable insight in terms of patterns and trends, enabling administrators to find out where they are experiencing growth and which areas they still need to work on.”
“I would like to thank the staff at all of our member associations for working closely with the OFC Media and Communications department to make this project a success.”
The new sites have all been developed by New Zealand-based company StayinFront (Asia-Pacific) Ltd and follow a similar design to the OFC website.
They contain all the latest news, photographs, profiles, results and other information relating to football in their respective nations.
Nicholas says having a stronger online presence will be of great benefit in the Oceania region.
“Part of our vision is for fans right across the Pacific to have access to the wonderful stories of our teams and players while also seeing how football can be used as a tool for social development. The internet is a vital asset in achieving these goals.”