MALAITA Provincial Government sports division provided training to aspiring female coaches in football this year.
Football is seen as the national sport in Solomon Islands and the country lacks female coaches at the top level.
Challenging the male dominant scene of football coaches in the country is path Malaita Province Government wishes to take.
According to a recent report by OFC, Women’s leadership in football has come under the spotlight in the Solomon Islands’ Malaita Province with a series of coach training programmes specifically targeted at young women rolling out across the Province.
Malaita Province Sports Coordinator Eddie Omokirio said the coaching courses are provided to 30 female students from Garata School in Baegu, North Malaita.
The former Solomon Islands beach soccer national team coach and vice-president of the Solomon Islands Football Federation, hopes to see the programme create more opportunities for women and girls in the Solomon Islands’ football community.
“I am here to help communities that would love to introduce girl’s football in the Malaita province,” he said.
“I like to include girls in this particular sport for them to advocate on the rights of women to participate in football in Malaita.”
“Football is for both males and females.”
The programme is part of the Malaita Provincial Government sports division’s commitment to improve coaching ability and give both men and women the opportunity to learn more about the technical aspects of football in order to develop the game in the province.
By SIMON ABANA
