National Football Tournament in April

The 5th National Junior Championship Football Tournament will take place from 16th through to the 23rd of April, 2011. This tournament caters for Under 15 Boys and Under 16 Girls age groups.
All the best junior football players from all the Southern Cook Islands, Atiu, Aitutaki, Mangaia, Mitiaro, Mauke and the three Vaka’s on Rarotonga, Puaikura, Takitumu and Te Au O Tonga come together to showcase their talents and skills while challenging each other for the National title.
The action gets underway where around three hundred young players from the Outer Island and Vaka teams turn their attention into game mode with a full on week of soccer matches amongst themselves.
This tournament takes place once every two years and has proved to be popular amongst the junior players both from the Outer Islands and Rarotonga.
The tournament serves as the basis for talent identification for players from the outer islands and Rarotonga to participate in future football training squads and academies.
The one week tournament will take place at the CIFA complex in Matavera and will no doubt provide fun, skill and talent for both players and supporters.
This tournament acts as a focal point for CIFA where young players are selected to participate in CIFA’s Under-15 Boys Academy Program. In addition the girls will also be selected to take part in CIFA’s Under-16 Girls Training Squad for next year that will take place in 2012 for OFC’s Under-17 Women’s Tournament.
The first championship tournament was held in 2001 when Aitutaki in the Under 15 Boys division and Mangaia in the Under 16 Girls division both became the inaugural champions. Since 2001 the National title has been won by different Outer Island and and Vaka.
This is CIFA’s most important Youth Competition.

Mitiaro Under-15 Boys team at the 2009 National Junior Championship
CIFA Media

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