Tournament promotes healthy living

I welcome to you to the 15^th Anniversary of New Zealand Fiji Veterans Soccer Association, which caters for the masters of the game we love.

From the first day of the Tournament held in Avondale 15 years ago, the founders were positive that the Veterans Soccer will become a major event.

Great theme

Truly, this Tournament has caught the eye of the football administrators in Fiji as well. Our theme this year is, ‘Promoting healthy living through sports.’

The Auckland City Council has spent a substantive amount in getting the number one pitch up to international standard and this will be thoroughly tested by all teams participating in the forthcoming Tournament.

Other games

Last year we introduced Kabaddi, a traditional Indian game and Billiards Championship. This year, we plan to include Golf.

Once again, the Awards Night will be a family event including dinner. It would incorporate our 15^th Anniversary celebrations. With Karuna Gopalan and Party entertaining us with a live band, it would be a special event on Sunday January 26, 2014.

We have also invested in providing Ferris Wheels, Jumbo slides, Train Rides, Games of Chance and slides for children.

We will be giving away a return ticket to Sydney, courtesy of Travel 2000.

There will also be giveaways every day and a penalty shootout competition.

We look forward to more support from families and friends of our players and hope to make the 2014 Tournament memorable for all.

Deep gratitude

I extend our appreciation to all team managers and our new veterans team in Fiji who have loaned their players to other teams.

I also thank all my executives for their hard work and commitment and I am sure they have left no stones unturned in preparing this Tournament under the leadership of the Chairman James Kado and Secretary Shailendra Narayan.

My special appreciation is due to the Sydney team managers namely, Vincent Anand , Sudhir Lal (Bunty) and Ray Lal of Sydney Nalawa Storms, Sachin Pulle and Navin of Sydney Ba, Subhash, Kam and Ivor from Sydney Savusavu, Vivek of Sydney Labasa and Shalen Jattan, Nadeni and Master Rajnesh of Sydney Nalawa.

These Managers, along with Arveen Sharma have always supported us.

I wish to thank the Singh family and in particular our Patron Vimlesh Singh for the support extended to the NZ Fiji Veterans Soccer Association.

Our Association will always honour his late father S M Singh and his late Brother Billy Singh.

I wish everyone a wonderful and fun-filled five days of Soccer.

I invite you to visit the stalls and enjoy Fijian delicacies.

Ayyaz Khan is the President of the New Zealand Veterans Soccer Association