Four members of the Tiki Toa national team – player-coach Teva Zaveroni, Heimanu Tairarui, Teari Labaste and Jonathan Torohia – are currently in Switzerland and have been taking part in the Swiss Beach Soccer League for the Sable Dancers team.
Zaveroni and Tairarui have been regulars in the line-up since arriving in May while Labaste and Torohia have had to wait until more recent weeks to make their debuts.
Goalkeeper Torohia has since enjoyed a spell between the sticks while Labaste has contributed a handful of goals at the other end as the Dancers qualified for the play-offs.
The Tiki Toa quartet will get the chance to hone their skills even further when they join up with the Swiss national team soon for a week-long training camp.
The opportunity to play for Sable Dancers and spend time with the Switzerland squad has come about due to Fédération Tahitienne de Football’s relationship with Angelo Schirinzi, who coaches both club and country.
Schirinzi, who led Switzerland to a remarkable runners-up placing at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup three years ago, will come to Tahiti later this month to help the Tiki Toa prepare for a series of friendlies. There are also plans in place for Ramiro Figueiras Amarelle, the captain of Spain, to work with the Tahiti squad at some point.
First up for the Tiki Toa, who automatically qualify for the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup as hosts, are three matches with Switzerland in October before another three games against 2005 world champions France in February of next year and an international tournament featuring Brazil, the Netherlands and Japan.
Tahiti will become the first Pacific Island nation to host the biggest beach soccer event on the planet next September.
For more on Tahiti football go to www.ftf.pf

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