The under-16 team from Ba Methodist High School utilized old tires and ropes for training in preparation for the Vodafone Super Deans held last Saturday. Despite facing a tough defeat against Ratu Kadavulevu School with a score of 8-30, the team viewed the match as a significant learning opportunity.
Assistant coach Paula Rokotuiloma expressed pride in the team’s achievement of reaching the cup quarterfinals. “It’s a learning opportunity for us, and we will come back stronger next year,” he stated.
Rokotuiloma noted the various challenges the team encountered, yet the players maintained their determination despite the difficulties. “We lacked sufficient resources to prepare adequately. We had to improvise with available materials like ropes and tires to condition the boys. Our training sessions lasted just one hour each afternoon after school, which included road runs,” he explained.
He remains optimistic about future seasons, stating they plan to return even more prepared next year. The team had previously defeated Natabua in the zone semi-final and secured a second-place finish against Ba Provincial High School.
“This year has been a challenging journey for us, but thanks to the boys’ hard work and the support from parents and guardians, we reached the national quarter-finals,” Rokotuiloma concluded. Notably, this marks the first time an under-16 team from Ba Methodist High School has made it to the national quarter-finals.