𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲

The Western Football Association (WFA) created history as they become the first-ever Provincial Football Association (PFA) to launch a Women’s Football Regional Development Centre in Gizo on Wednesday 9th September 2020 at the JF Kennedy Stadium.

WFA Football Development Officer, Seri Hite said it is a historic milestone for the Western province and football in general in the Solomon Islands.

“The event was witnessed by Western Province Premier, WFA president and his executive, SIFF officials and more than 200 women and girls, and students from participating schools from the central region of Western province,” he said.

“It is a very important milestone for WFA (Western Football Association) as this is the launching of the Women’s football here in Western province. What WFA and SIFF (Solomon Islands Football Federation) trying to do is to establish a Women’s Regional Development Centre and this is the whole aim and idea about the event”.

Hite highlighted the development centre is part of WFA and SIFF long term strategic plan to develop women’s football.
“The launching is a partnership between SIFF, WFA and also the Western provincial government. The premier himself came and gave his support to what is going on.

“We are still looking at where exactly will be the location for the regional development centre”.

Other PFAs could learn from the experiences and challenges WFA could encounter in delivering the pilot project.

“We believe that this is a pilot project for both WFA and SIFF. The lessons what we learn from this pilot project will help other PFAs (Provincial Football Association) to establish regional football centres for women”.

To mark the official launch, a mini-tournament was organized for schools and women teams at JF Kennedy Stadium.

“The tournament today every team came from secondary schools in the central region of Western province. Our member associations are zone, so we are looking to work with 2 or 3 zones to start a women’s league,” Hite added.

Recently, SIFF Technical Department delivered a coaching training in Gizo and a product of the course, coach Frank Kiko Hong shared his thoughts on the significance of the event.

“For women’s football in Western province I think this launching is giving a lot of message to our women and girls,” he said.

“It’s a big opportunity for our women in Western province to come to listen and see what is going on in regards to football. I think this will boost the morale of our women and girls and we see a big number of participants.

“This is the start of the development of women’s football in Western province and we hope that our women and girls will participate well and looking forward to some programmes in regards to women’s football in Western province”.

The event was witnessed by Western Province Premier, WFA president and his executive, SIFF officials and more than 200 women and girls, and students from participating schools from the central region of Western province.