Better sports facilities, opportunities will inspire next generation
Inspiring the next generation with more opportunities and better facilities is the way forward if they are to make a mark and excel in sports. For too long we have expected too much from our sportsmen and sportswomen without giving them assistance that is proportionate to the high targets we have set for them. We always want our athletes to perform no matter what without even considering the lack of proper facilities and competition to prepare them. We always want them to win and celebrate when they do. But when they fail we unfairly and harshly criticise them. Therefore, we applaud the effort of the Government through its funding arm, the Fijian National Sports Commission (FNSC), in continuing to deliver its promise to offer meaningful opportunities for all to live better and excel through sport.
It’s providing accessible options for athletes to play and realise their fullest potential under the guidance of qualified coaches and officials. The achievement of the Vodafone Fijian 7s team in winning gold at the Rio Olympics is a testament of how former coach Ben Ryan turned things around in maximising our potential with the limited resources we had. Our boys slept in dormitories, trained at the sand dunes, compared to wealthier nations who travelled the world to prepare, using the latest in sports technology and stayed in luxury hotels. We punched above our weight and shocked the world in Rio. Therefore, we appreciate the next step up undertaken by the FNSC and the Fijian Sports Council (FSC) providing athletes and teams more accessibility to game venues and accommodations in the next five years. Peter Mazey spearheads both organisations as chairman. In his capacity as FSC board chairman, Mr Mazey said it was an exciting journey for Fiji ahead as they would now utilise all vacant 15-acre land around Laucala Bay area to build sporting facilities and accommodation with an estimated cost of $13million. Mr Mazey said that it was only proper that while we were hosting international events, for it to grow, we needed to have accommodation, gyms, sporting facilities to match for visiting teams. Our win in Rio has brought the world to Fiji and that should act as a catalyst for growing the game at home. It also promotes us as an ideal sporting destination. OSEA BOLA Feedback: oseab@fijisun.com.fj