Align Yourself To Your Parent Body

The importance of alignment to your parent organisation’s strategic plan is essential said Oceania Sports Education Programme (OSEP) Master Educator Lemeki Savua, at the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) Women In Sport workshop at the Fiji Football Association Headquarters in Vatuwaqa last week.

The week long workshop funded by the IOC Olympic Solidarity Program was a Management In Sports Organisation (MISO) Course with the theme "Developing the Leader Within" and was targeted at women development in leadership and administration within the sport of football.

Lemeki stressed throughout the week long course that their main objective was to ensure that the participants’ districts and football clubs were aligned to the strategic plan of their governing body which in this case was the Fiji Football Association.

"The idea is to ensure that Fiji Football benefits and not just at a district level," he said.

"All the participants had a better understanding of their roles and how they can better align themselves to the strategic plan of Fiji Football so that at the end of the day the national representatives benefit."

Lemeki said throughout the course, participants were tested with their knowledge in understanding the structure of sports, how to govern at a club level and national level.

"It was also important for participants to understand how to strategise and establish and build relationships," he said.

Lemeki said the MISO course covered sports structure, effective meetings, marketing and public relations, financial management, facility and events management, governance and strategic planning.

Suva Women’s Football Vice President Maryangela Berwick said the course was an eye opener for her and other participants.

"One thing I can take out of this course is the fact that we have to align ourselves to the national body, otherwise our athletes will not have a pathway into the national team," she said.

"It has also boosted our confidence, because now we are better equipped to help our districts and our athletes achieve their dreams of being national reps."

A total of 18 participants took part in the course which not only included district officials but also Fiji Football's outreach programme Just Play.

In her closing remarks, FASANOC CEO, Lorraine Mar, stressed the importance of the participants, having successfully completing the MISO course, making a difference when they returned to their districts and clubs.   She said that the funding for the course, through the FASANOC Women in Sport Commission, was an investment in the participants, as well as in Fiji Football.   Lorraine challenged them to utilize their new skills by taking opportunities to step up into decision making positions within their districts which would strengthen Fiji Football as a whole.

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