With 11 days to go, the Marist Brothers High School athletics squad hope to do better than their last outing at the Coca-Cola Games.

About 83 athletes will represent the Suva school at the HFC Bank Stadium on August 18-20.

Yesterday, the team’s preparation was boosted with sponsorships from Bula Outsourcing and CK’s Ezy Buy.

Leading the team for the last time, captain Anthony Ah Sing said they have been motivated with the spon­sorships.

“We’ve not had much so this con­tribution we will use these as our motivation during the Games,” Ah Sing said.

“The preparations are going good, we are fit. I’ve told the boys not to be scared of anyone but respect them.

“We are going by faith now, put­ting our faith in the Lord, and do whatever the coaches have trained us through the training pro­grammes we were given.

“Our mentality is just to go out there and not be scared but join the battle.

MBHS athletes have been training for about 16 weeks.

Despite losing the boy’s title in the Suva Zone Two competition, they have set their mind on the main game.

Asked if the Coca-Cola Games boy’s title belong to Flagstaff, Ah Sing said: “It’s been here the most, so definitely.”

Bula Outsourcing chief executive officer and managing director, Jo­sie Prasad said there was no indefi­nite amount in terms of sponsor­ship for MBHS.

The company will also help in mentorship programmes for stu­dents and internship for senior students at the end of the academic year.

Acting head of school Asish Day­al said they look forward to a com­petitive Coca-Cola Games as it was cancelled the last two years due to COVID-19.

“With our theme this year, Year of Resurrection, we did not want to put pressure on our athletes but ease them into competitive train­ing,” he said.

“It’s a journey for us, balanced journey between school work, ath­letics training and spirituality.

“We’re happy with how things have gone so far and we know whatever hardyards our athletics students, coaches and support of parents have put in, we will be hap­py and content with the outcome of the Coke Games.

“Some of our athletes are also rugby players, we have an under­standing with the rugby coaches and managers they work together in sync. We have a holistic outlook. Some of them have played one game of rugby.

“It’s not so much about winning but what we as Marist bring to the competition.

“We have our own legacy, own way of doing things and we have a special place in the Coke Games history and we would like to build on to that.

“We appreciate the external stake­holder coming through to support us financially, we are also happy our ex- scholars united in helping our ath­letes, CK’s Ezy Buy and most important­ly we have our par­ents who are the unsung heroes’.

“They are quietly pitching in financially; they might not have a corporate name but the back­bone of our athletics team are our guardians, parents and old boys,” Dayal added.

“We are also excited with the part­nership we are journeying with Bula Outsourcing and we know all this help with our athletes’ welfare and students.”

Dayal also applauded team man­ager Josaia Waiwalu who has been transferred to Richmond Method­ist High School in Kadavu and will not be with the team during the Coca-Cola Games.

Josaia Waiwalu

With his second year as team manager, Waiwalu indicated that it was been a treasured journey for him.

“This year, it has been a wonder­ful experience for me, despite the fact we faced a lot of challenges along the way, we are very optimis­tic of a good performance come the Coke Games,” he said.

“As a teacher and a coach one of the most fundamental components of teaching is that we develop our boys.”

Waiwalu also coached the Marist Under-17 rugby league and rugby union teams in the Southern Zone Secondary Schools Rugby Union competition.

“I have been with them since Un­der-14 and watching them grow into matured young men and have developed the skills obviously over years.

“We have seen a lot of improve­ments and we expect bigger and better things for them this year.

“And most importantly this year we lay the platform for the Un­der-18 Deans for next year.”

Feedback: sereana.salalo@fijisun.com.fj