BUILDING THE SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF OUR FOOTBALL

The most exciting event for all Solomon Islands is football. Indeed, we have so much passion for this game both players and spectators. All the international matches are always packed with people from all across Honiara and also our provinces coming in numbers to watch not only the international overseas players but our very own national representatives carrying our flag. Expectations and observations are all part of the spectators’ role and on many occasions the spectators often got it right too. All in all, football is indeed a sport that unites all of us to one common goal and that is to watch good entertaining and positive football game.

In the recent years, Solomon Islands national teams have all struggled to reach some of our historical positions in the football scene especially in Oceania. Men and women teams struggled in recent years in trying to achieve the results we all hoped for. In reality, the reason behind our defeats is more than just the players’ weaknesses but unfortunately, I am not concerned about the reasons that hinder us from achieving our best football results. I have been a footballer myself and also a huge fan of all Solomon Islands football teams and players and one particular thing I have sensed and wish to implement in my encouragement to our players is our spiritual side of the game. I believe, this particular aspect of Solomon Islands football has really dropped beyond the actual level that it should be maintained or even raised higher. Whether we like it or not but our country is founded under the spiritual prayers and blessings from God and therefore, we have technically offered our Solomon Islands from day one to God. In our national anthem, we sang “God save our Solomon Islands from shore to shore. Blessed all our people and all our land”. This is a significant proclamation that God you are our leader. One interesting fact that I have managed to see is through our beloved Kurukuru. This futsal game is purely founded on ministering for God and eventually all these Kurukuru players have inherited the talent of playing futsal through a more spiritual way and guidance from the early coaches. Yes, the boys may go about and drink and do some silly stuff but they have always remembered that it is only through God that their achievement come about and it really strikes me to see them acknowledging God before and after tournaments and their discipline through the preparation for tournaments is exceptional. Yes, our football needs a little encouragement in terms of our spiritual standing.

One interesting fact that I myself have used to believe is that football is just a game and spiritual aspect of it is just something we could just involve and make it causal because winning games depends on individuals but then I realize that for Solomon Islands this is not the case. Solomon Islands, we are a nation under God and our foundation from Independence till now is through God. The only reason, we have been struggling is that the spiritual side of things in our football and also our society have been kept at a simple level of appreciation and custom but we need to consider having a personal relationship with God. I believe we still have a lot of time and now is definitely a time we should take into consideration building our spiritual aspect of football again. It is not about what denomination players come from but it is about having the relationship with God and the actual fear of the Lord. I believe with all my heart, that if our football from the Administration right to the water boys on the field acknowledge and realize our position in God then definitely without a single doubt, SOLOMON ISLANDS WILL BE PLAYING IN THE WORLD CUP.

Finally, the incredible thing about our God is that despite all of our weaknesses we can always go to him and seek his forgiveness. Yes, we all are not perfect and especially us footballers, we have weaknesses too but our God is great and he is awesome. Please all my fellow Solomon Islands footballers and everyone else. Let us embrace our God in our football and I believe positive things will come and Solomon Islands can be a positive impact to other fellow Pacific Island nation for football and also for God.  God bless Solomon Islands.