Lawaki Primary School and Dawasamu District School emerged as champions in the Northland under-14 Cricket competition held last Saturday at the Waidalice School ground. The event featured a total of 26 teams, both male and female, from 13 schools in the North Tailevu region, providing a day full of competitive cricket.
In the boys’ division, Lawaki Primary School clinched the top position, followed by Navunisea Primary School in second, Korovou Primary School in third, and Ratu Filimoni Loco Memorial in fourth place. In the girls’ category, Dawasamu District School took home the title, with Navunisea Primary School finishing as runners-up. Lawaki Primary secured third place for the girls, while Nilagotabus Primary School earned fourth.
Cricket Fiji’s CEO, Sitiveni Rokoro, emphasized that this competition was the result of a term-long initiative aimed at developing cricket skills among students. “This is the culmination of the school clinics conducted in these schools this term,” he explained. The Criiio cricket program, backed by the International Cricket Council (ICC), was introduced to engage students with a fun and simple eight-week lesson plan that teaches essential skills such as batting, bowling, and fielding.
Rokoro highlighted the goal of ensuring students enjoy their first experience with cricket, stating, “It introduces the fundamentals of cricket and how to support qualified coaches in delivering fun, engaging sessions for beginners.” Looking ahead, he mentioned that teachers are encouraged to complete the ICC Foundation Coaching course and pursue the ICC Level 1 coaching certification for further development.
The excitement for cricket continues as the next competition, the inaugural Serua Primary School Cricket event, is set to take place on July 19 in Navua. This ongoing commitment to youth sports not only builds skills and confidence among students but also nurtures a love for cricket, potentially shaping the future of the sport in Fiji.
Overall, such initiatives highlight the vibrant youth sports culture in Fiji, fostering talent and teamwork among young athletes, while providing hope for a successful and engaging future in cricket.
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