Elite Player Pathway Social Responsibility

Academy players made up of U18s, U20s and the Telecom Fiji Warriors paid a visit to the Hilton Special School in Suva yesterday as part of the Elite Player Pathway Social Responsibility.

The 20 players led by Elite Player Pathway Manager, Bill Gadolo took up the task of cleaning up around the school compound and also had the opportunity to meet the students.

It was also an opportune time for the school to get their yard cleaned as their caretaker had been on leave for more than a week.

The players spent the latter half of the hour conducting a coaching clinic for the students, which involved a mixture of rugby skills and tabloid games. The students enjoyed the program and wanted it to continue throughout the day.

As for the players it was a humbling experience to meet the Special Needs children and interact with them. They were also taught a few basics in sign language by the students which they enjoyed.

School Teacher, Ms Claudette Wilson spoke on behalf of the school and thanked the players for taking the time out of their busy training schedule to visit and clean the school.

She wished the players well in their academy programs and said that they hoped to see them again in the near future.

Fiji Rugby CEO, Mr John O’Connor reiterated that this social responsibility is part of teaching the players that they need to realize that it’s more than just a game when you play for Fiji and get good contracts to go abroad.

“They must always remain grounded and humble and giving back to the community is an integral part of that journey, Mr O’Connor said.