23 participants from across different Islands of Ha’apai took part in the FIFA-MA Beach Soccer Referees Course over the past five days in the Capital of Ha’apai, Pangai.
The course was conducted by FIFA Referees Instructor, Mr Neil Poloso from the Solomon Islands providing theoretical sessions and practical sessions over the week to new and current referees of Ha’apai Referees Department.
As Mr. Poloso emphasized on the first day of the course, they will be focusing on the changes to the law of the game and on the last day he believes that the participants are ready to assist and officiate in the Ha’apai Major League.
“I am happy to see the progress we did from Monday until today. We finished our practical sessions on the fourth day and our on our final day there will be only some of the theory part before we sum up the course but for me I’m already happy because some of the participants they are very new and they had to learn starting from the beginning including signals and now with the practical sessions I can see they have improved a lot and they are ready to assist with refereeing the Ha’apai Major League’s Semi-Finals this weekend”.
“I am also here to identify one or two referees with special skills and invite them to our regional competitions and from there they can start their career to become an International beach soccer referees and that is one of my objectives which is to go out and scout special talents and I was looking at that during our theory sessions also our practical sessions,” Mr Poloso added.
Ha’apai Beach Soccer Referee Instructor, Soane Vili explains that despite this course was a level 2 and 3 for current referees, almost half of the participants are new recruits which are beach soccer players who wants to pursue a career in refereeing. “The course was more of a refresher to those that already have a certificate and an introductory course to most of the participants who had just joined the referees. Most of our referees are in oversees and some are just old and had become coaches but this week I am very happy that there are many youths joining the course to become referees.”
“As Neil explained he is also here to scout two or more referees to join our regional competitions and I hope that this will encourage our newly referees to learn more and work hard.” Soane Vili to TFA Website.
Mr Poloso along with Referees Director, Tevita Vea with rest of his assistants will return to Tongatapu on Saturday before Neil departs from Fua’amotu Airport to Australia the same evening.
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