“It is one of FIFA’s missions, especially that of President Joseph S. Blatter, that women’s soccer be developed, especially at an early age, through programmes such as this,” FFAS President Faiivae Iuli Alex Godinet explained during the opening ceremony on 18 January.
“Women are making strides in the world of football in all areas, from being players all the way to coaching and being administrators. Last year FIFA, for the first time, elected a female member to its executive committee.”
There are two age categories being targeted through these two festivals – girls at FFAS member clubs aged 9-14 and high school girls.
The high schools involved in the inaugural festival were Fa’asao-Marist, Faga’itua, Leone, Nu’uuli Voc-Tech, Kanana Fou, Samoana, South Pacific Academy and Tafuna, taking the total number of participants at Saturday’s festival to 200.
The second club-based festival held on Monday, 20 January saw close to 50 girls turn up, with participants at both events receiving apparel and gear supplied by FIFA.
American Samoa Department of Education deputy director Philo Jennings was on hand to represent his department and said the festival is the perfect tool to encourage young girls to engage in healthy lifestyles.
“This event not only pushes for our football programme but it also tries to tackle one of the major issues on our island – obesity,” Jennings said.
“This programme is important, not because of who is to win and who is to lose, but it is important for your health.”
FFAS executive committee member Amio Mavega-Luvu was MC for the event and shared the objectives of the festival.
– Use football as a social tool to encourage healthy lifestyles
– Promote and develop women’s football in American Samoa
– Increase participation/interest around football
– Have a girls-specific programme
– Learn to play football in a fun, safe environment
“It is a fact that females have a high percentage of instances of obesity in American Samoa compared with men,” Mavega-Luvu said.
“So girls, this is one way to eliminate and take our gender out of this statistic, by being physically active and playing football.”
The activities on offer included hand-ball matches, tug-of-war and fun games while Ursula Te’o-Martin, an exercise physiologist for ASCC’s Community and Natural Resources Division, led participants through a warm up session that included hot-hula and cardio exercises relating to sport.
The next High School Girl’s Festival is scheduled for next month, while the Club’s Festival will have its second event this Saturday, 25 January.
For more on American Samoa football go to www.ffas.as

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