{"id":304816,"date":"2019-07-29T06:00:54","date_gmt":"2019-07-28T20:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=304816"},"modified":"2019-07-29T06:00:54","modified_gmt":"2019-07-28T20:00:54","slug":"nmi-grassroots-program-hits-milestone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/nmi-grassroots-program-hits-milestone\/","title":{"rendered":"NMI grassroots program hits milestone"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-304816 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/nmi-grassroots-program-hits-milestone\/nmifapix1-16\/'>nmifapix1<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-304817'>\n\t\t\t\tPlayers compete in a small-sided game during the Asian Football Confederation Grassroots Football Day 2019 held at the NMI Soccer Training Center in May. (Contributed Photo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/nmi-grassroots-program-hits-milestone\/nmifapix2-37\/'>nmifapix2<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-304818'>\n\t\t\t\tA referee helps tie the shoe of a young player before the start of a match in the 2019 NMIFA Youth Football Spring League. (Contributed Photo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/nmi-grassroots-program-hits-milestone\/nmifapix3-4\/'>nmifapix3<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-304819'>\n\t\t\t\tNorthern Marianas Islands Football Association technical director Michiteru Mita, front, leads one of the fun drills featured in the Asian Football Confederation Grassroots Football Day 2019. (Contributed Photo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/nmi-grassroots-program-hits-milestone\/nmifapix4-4\/'>nmifapix4<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-304820'>\n\t\t\t\tSpectators packed the bleachers of the NMI Soccer Training Center, as they enjoy watching the Asian Football Confederation Grassroots Football Day 2019. (Contributed Photo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/nmi-grassroots-program-hits-milestone\/nmifapix5\/'>nmifapix5<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-304821'>\n\t\t\t\tNorthern Marianas Islands Football Association president Jerry Tan, sixth left, vice president Vickie Izuka, fifth left, and technical director Michiteru Mita, right, join volunteer coaches for a group photo after the presentation of certificates to the Asian Football Confederation Grassroots Football Day 2019 facilitators. (Contributed Photo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/nmi-grassroots-program-hits-milestone\/nmifapix6\/'>nmifapix6<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-304822'>\n\t\t\t\tPaire Football Club left, and Kanoa Football Club players exchange high-fives before the start of their girls U16 match in the 2019 NMIFA Youth Football Spring League. (Contributed Photo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>The Asian Football Confederation has awarded the Northern Marianas Islands Football Association the AFC Grassroots Charter Bronze membership in recognition of the CNMI\u2019s outstanding grassroots program.<\/p>\n<p>The Grassroots Charter is a development tool that helps AFC member-nations raise the quality of their grassroots programs. Membership is granted to those who met 20 performance categories, such as grassroots competitions, fair play, partnerships, and personnel development. Members then get assistance from AFC to strengthen the program and continue its implementation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are proud and honored to receive this recognition from AFC. This acknowledgement reflects our unwavering commitment to grow the sport in the CNMI and provide opportunities to our players, coaches, and officials. We thank everyone for helping NMIFA gain the bronze membership from the AFC Grassroots Charter,\u201d NMIFA president Jerry Tan said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe bronze membership granted to the CNMI means that AFC has acknowledged that the grassroots football program which has been implemented here over the years met the international standards. It has been acknowledged that the CNMI has created a safe and good environment where everyone, regardless of age, gender, ability or disability, can play the sport,\u201d said NMIFA technical director Michiteru Mita, who prepared the CNMI\u2019s application with the assistance of NMIFA executive director Ruselle Zapanta.<\/p>\n<p>NMIFA got the nod of AFC for having consistent local competitions and events for youth (the spring and fall leagues, interscholastic, P.E. support, and festivals) and adults (M-League and Dove Women\u2019s League) and other featured events that cater to all players. The association also regularly sends its national teams to AFC tournaments and other international competitions, making sure the CNMI players are able to play in high-level events after going through rigorous training sessions. Year-round competitions draw more than 1,700 players from more than 50 teams.<\/p>\n<p>NMIFA is able to hold these competitions through its partnership with both the private and public sectors\u2014the CNMI Office of the Governor, CNMI Public School System, Saipan Soccer School, the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, Triple J Motors, TanHoldings, Dove, and kit sponsor SFIDA. NMIFA also works on projects and activities through the support of the AFC and East Asian Football Federation and its fellow member associations, particularly the Japan Football Association and Guam Football Association.<\/p>\n<p>All the activities under NMIFA\u2019s grassroots development program would not be possible without the help of coaches, referees, and other officials, who undergo training and certification courses to further their knowledge about the sport and learn how they can effectively perform their respective duties.<\/p>\n<p>Capping off the significant strides that NMIFA has made in the last decade was last year\u2019s construction of the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville\u2014a first of its kind in the CNMI\u2014providing players and other stakeholders a safer and appropriate facility to hold their games, trainings, and other community events.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe sight of the completed project made the CNMI public \u2018buy-in\u2019 to the objectives of why NMIFA wants to develop football locally,\u201d NMIFA general secretary Ross Zapanta said. \u201cWith such expectations, the AFC Grassroots Charter membership will be very significant, as we are hoping to enhance our grassroots development with focus on quality.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mita, on the other hand, said that the AFC recognition will further encourage the CNMI football community to keep its commitment with the sport.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHaving seen the grassroots football program in the last two and a half years, I can say that NMIFA and its supporters have done a lot for developing football with genuine passion, dedication, and creativity, despite our limited manpower. Our hard work has been positively recognized and we are on the right track. I want to convey my heartfelt congratulations to everyone who has been involved in this program,\u201d Mita said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is a milestone for us. NMIFA will continue to work hard and make sure that more and more kids get to know the joy of football, play in a safe environment, and continue to play throughout their lifetime,\u201d he added. <strong>(NMIFA)<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Asian Football Confederation has awarded the Northern Marianas Islands Football Association the AFC Grassroots&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":304817,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[257],"class_list":["post-304816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-nmi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=304816"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304816\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/304817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=304816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=304816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=304816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}