Melpa soccer sets eye on juniors

By ELIAS LARI
THE Melpa Soccer Association in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands, is introducing a junior development programme to lure school-aged children to learn the basic skills and play the game.
The association will also be helping the children know the regulations of the game.
Association president Robert Upaiga said they were targeting schools to ensure that children knew the game at an early age.
He said the association, formed in 2008, had been progressing well and was looking forward to develop juniors to become professionals in the future.
The association is currently in round seven of the season proper competition with three divisions – the men’s U23, women’s division league, the women’s U23 and junior programmes.
He said with only nine teams participating in three divisions it has been a success story.
Upaiga added that it was the aim of the association to become an affiliate of the PNG Football Association so that the men, women and children could benefit from the mother body.
However, the association needs the cooperation and support of everyone to push for  the game to be well established.
Upaiga said sports was a very important tool which could be used to develop the young and old to discipline themselves in the future.
He  is also encouraging the public to watch the games at the  Kimininga Police Barracks.
Upaiga said interested teams and persons should contact him on 7336 1247 to obtain more information on the junior programme.