The Football Federation Complex at Tuanaimato on Saturday 18th September 2021was filled with excited and eager young girls from the age group of 4 to 18 years old as they flocked to the fields to take part in the Soccer Sisters Festival. The Soccer Sister Festival is a One Day event for Girls and Women with small sided games, fun and introduction to football basics activities for participants. The Soccer Sisters Festival culminated a 3-day workshop for Women’s Football capacity building which was held earlier on in the week at the Football Federation Complex.
Football Federation Samoa (“FFS”) Women’s Staff lead the 3-day workshop with main support from the Oceania Football Confederation (“OFC”). Part of the program saw inspirational women speakers from other sporting and non-government organizations share their experiences with the hope to inspire women footballer’s participants. OFC Women’s Football continues to roll out initiatives with focus on strengthening women and girl’s participation in football.
Head of Women’s Football in OFC Emma Evans stated that the programme meets a number of OFC key objectives as expressed in the 2019 – 2026 OFC Strategic Plan where capacity building is a key priority across all areas of the game, especially for Womens Football.
As Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the 3-day workshop focused on women’s administrative roles in the delivery of football as a main sport for women, the Soccer Sisters Festival was the finale of the workshop as young girls were given the opportunity to participate in soccer exercise on the field. It is the hope of the Soccer Sisters Festival that more young girls develop an interest in football and participate through different clubs.
Thirty (30) participants attended the 3 –day Workshop ranging from club managers, coaches and players of registered Clubs.
FFS Women’s Football team propose to host the same Capacity building workshop for Women in Savaii at the end of the year.