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Soccer pro to conduct football clinics on Tinian
Professional soccer player and program head for the Pilipinas Dragons Football Club Nii Ayi will conduct clinics on Tinian this week. (Contributed Photo)
After completing a training course in Guam, Ayi will be bringing his skills to Tinian Premier Football Club.
“I took my FIFA Grassroots Course in Guam and I feel like taking this opportunity to give to the kids what I learned from my FIFA instructor from Malaysia,” he told Saipan Tribune in an interview.
Ayi, a sports scientist and licensed coach, will host classroom interactions with local coaches to guide them on how to organize and plan a football program and training session.
“I will have presentation with the schools on Tinian to help the kids improve their football lifestyle on and off the pitch,” he added.
The presentation will take place throughout the week at the Tinian Junior and Senior High School campus at 10am, along with an afternoon field session at 4pm.
Ayi said the organization is a unique one as it is primarily run by parents who “love the game and see their kids playing long term”.
This is Ayi’s first visit to the islands, as the club was founded just recently. However, clinics and offices have been established globally.
“We help the less privileged kids, who can’t afford to buy their own football kits, play football by providing them kits and organizing charity matches for them,” he said.
Pilipinas Dragons also offers scholarships to eligible high school students interested in the sport.
Ayi’s trip is sponsored by Mizuno sportswear, which also donated soccer balls, vests, and training shorts to the Tinian club along with the PDFC.
