Year 8 students to feature for women’s football team

FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD duo, Lesi Tavunase and Sisilia Nalagotina are the youngest players in the Ba women’s football team featuring in this year’s InterDistrict Championship.

The Year 8 students of Karavi Public School were phenomenal in their first match against Suva at

Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka which they won 7-2.

The duo have been representing Ba since they were in Year 4, playing for the district’s under-16 side.

The both shared how they loved the sport.

“Soccer is something I love and I enjoy doing,” Lesi said.

Ba head coach Naomi Cavasiga said that the pair were probably the youngest players in the entire competition.

“These are very talented young kids and to be playing at such a competitive level at this tender age, they have a bright future ahead of them in football,” she said. “Though the duo may not be quite tall, they surely have the skills and toughness it takes to be able to be part of the women’s district team.

“Who would expect to see two children representing Ba , one of the most prominent teams in the competition.”

The duo showed their capabilities and skills as they took on defenders twice their size in both defence and attack.

When quizzed on whether they at times feared their opponents, they laughed and said, “she has two legs,

I got two legs - why should I be scared of her?”

Meanwhile, Fiji women’s football director Susan Wise said despite the low spectator turnout, players were improving each time they played.

“There have been a lot of improvement in the women’s performance compared to past years’ competition and we can only expect them to get better.”