NMIFA extends kudos to supporters

As the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association held a send-off ceremony for its sixth and last national team participating in an off-island tournament this year, NMIFA president Jerry Tan can’t help but thank those who made this achievement possible.

From left NMIFA technical director Kiyoshi Sekiguchi, former NMIFA technical director Johann Noetzel, and Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong) technical director Luam Khen Koo pose for a group photo after attending the send-off ceremony for the CNMI U13 National Team last Thursday at the lobby of Kanoa Resort. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

“Wow, this year we’ve sent the most teams to off-island events. In the past, we’re lucky to have two or three, but now we had six. That goes to show how far our program has gone and that’s because of the people who put in a lot of work and supported CNMI football,” said Tan during the send-off ceremony for the CNMI U13 National Team last Thursday, two days before the Teen Ayuyus left for Guam to join the East Asian Football Federation Boys U13 Festival 2015 at the Leo Palace Resort Field.

“Once in Guam and you see you people from EAFF, please thank them for giving this opportunity to us,” said Tan, addressing the U13 players. “

EAAF is holding a festival for U13 for the first time, while NMIFA had also sent the CNMI girls U14, boys U14, boys U16, and boys U19 to Asian Football Confederation-sanctioned events and the CNMI Women’s All-Star to the Luen Thai Cup in Hong Kong.

“We would also like to thank AFC for allowing us to compete in the festival in China and the qualifiers in Laos and Thailand,” the NMIFA head said.

Tan also recognized NMIFA technical director Kiyoshi Sekiguchi, former technical director Johann Noetzel, and Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong) technical director Luam Khen Koo, who attended the send-off ceremony. The three officials have been training or have trained past and present national team players. Noetzel, who now plays in a pro league in the Philippines, planed in last week to work with the Teen Ayuyus’ goalies. Sekiguchi coached the U16 and U19 teams in the AFC qualifiers, while Koo called the shots for the boys U14 squad in Beijing and also helped in the tryouts for the U13 crew when Sekiguchi and Angeles were still off-island.

Tan added the players’ parents and club coaches and officials also played important roles in this year’s fete and he hopes to see more CNMI players, especially the youth, be given the opportunity to compete in international tournaments.

Meanwhile, besides sending a team to the festival in Guam, NMIFA is also represented in the ongoing event by two referees. Ruselle Zapanta and Don Cabrera joined Chan Chon (Macau), Chen Liang Chen (Chinese Taipei), Gesualda Gonzalez (Guam), Michael Topasna (Guam), Kuo Chia Hao (Chinese Taipei) Charles Cheung (Referee Assessor, Hong Kong), Cheung Kwan Ki (Hong Kong), Woo Chun Sing (Hong Kong), and Shawn Spindel (Guam) in the pool of officials for the three-day event.