Loto-Tonga witnessed an extraordinary event as over a hundred young football enthusiasts converged to display their skills at the very first Talent Development Scheme (TDS) Mini Tournament.
The tournament, initially slated to be exclusive to the Vahe-Loto Talent Development Center, evolved into a grand showcase inviting talented kids aged between 13 to 15 from across the country. The event also welcomed Talent Development (TD) coaches from the other three TD centres, marking a significant milestone in Tonga Football Association’s endeavour to nurture young talent.
The mini tournament was planned for only four teams comprising two teams fielded by the Vahe-Loto Talent Development Centre and two from kids who were set to join the competition. A greater number of kids than anticipated enthusiastically turned up, prompting organizers to swiftly adapt to the overwhelming response by forming an additional team. Consequently, a total of five teams actively participated in the tournament, showcasing the immense interest and eagerness among the young football enthusiasts.
Hemaloto Polovili, TFA Talent Development Manager, emphasized the significance of the occasion, stating, “Today’s mini tournament was to mark the completion of the pilot program for the TD Centres, led by the Vahe-Loto TD Centre. However, we changed it last minute and invited every kid in Tonga between the ages of 13-15 who loves football, along with TD Coaches from the other 3 TD Centres to attend, so they can continue scouting for their centres even though their initial scouting was already completed.”
The decision proved fruitful as hundreds of aspiring footballers participated, allowing TD Coaches from other centres to identify new talents and add them to their rosters.
Looking ahead, the Talent Development Scheme aims to launch all four TD Centres in the second week of April. These centres include Vahe-Kolo/Vahe Hihifo, Vahe Hahake, Vahe Loto, and Vava’u. A comprehensive workshop is scheduled for TD Coaches before the full program commences, spanning 24 weeks from April to December.
The program entails eight weeks of training followed by rest, repeating this cycle three times. Subsequently, a District Tournament will be held, where all four TD Centres will compete. This structured approach is designed to lay the foundation for Tonga’s footballing future, culminating in the establishment of the first TFA Academy in 2026.
Hemaloto Polovili expressed the long-term vision, stating, “This is our plan for the next three years – to run TDS as a centre of excellence and introduce young talents to the game. We plan to start the first Academy in 2026, but it doesn’t mean that’s the end of the Talent Development Scheme. TDS will continue to scout players for the TFA Academy.”
Meanwhile, Timote Fakasi’I’eiki, one of the TD Coaches from Vahe-Loto, lauded the performance of his players in the mini-tournament, highlighting the substantial progress made during the pilot program. He shared, “Today’s tournament proved that the training we have provided to these kids in the past 8 weeks has shown great improvement.”
“Helping them understand the landscape of the game, how to pass, who to pass to, and when to pass, which we worked a lot on, today I was very happy that they could execute well every little plan and what we’ve worked on for the past weeks.” Fakasi’i’eiki to TFA Webiste.
With the conclusion of the mini-tournament, the Talent Development Scheme now awaits the launch of all four centres in April, marking a significant stride towards nurturing Tonga’s footballing talents and shaping its sporting future.
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