Samoa goalkeeping coach Faalavelave Matagi is a busy man these days, sharing his knowledge with young keepers across the islands of Upolu and Savai’i.
In his role as Goalkeeping Development Officer with Football Federation Samoa (FFS), Matagi, who lives in Upolu, conducts weekly training sessions both in his local area and 80kms away in Savai’i,
The goalkeeping sessions at Development Centre Programmes have seen 12 keepers taking part so far.
The Development Centre Programme is an initiative which was rolled out by FFS earlier this year. It caters for kids between 8-16 years of age and helps them with technical development, match training and goalkeeping skills.
FFS Technical Director Jess Ibrom said Matagi has been a huge asset to the development of goalkeepers in Samoa.
“Through Lave’s (Matagi’s) support and his tremendous work, we are confident in our goalkeeping development programmes in Upolu and Savai’i,” Ibrom said.
“The Development Centre Programmes help our kids develop their football, while it also helps develop Lave as a development officer.
“OFC Goalkeeping Consultant James Bannatyne has also been supportive of Lave’s development to date and it’s fantastic to see goalkeeping grow in Samoa.”