“The field will be closed for improvement and especially for future international competitions,” said NMIFA’s general secretary Edward Salas. “Hosting an international team is not really a problem if it is only one team. We can use the Oleai Sports Complex soccer field as it is suitable. Hosting an international competition with many countries participating is an entirely different story as we are not capable yet. We need a field that meets the standards plus we will need additional fields for training and practices for the participating countries. If we had one official field for the matches and two other fields for training and practices, we can then bid for hosting international competitions.”
The NMIFA last used the field for the 2010 Men’s Football Fall Cup in Dec. 19. Prior to that, players from Japan’s Keio University Soccer Club challenged team CNMI at the Oleai complex.
Both Laolao Resort and DPW provided the equipment necessary to start the repairs, in addition to man power. The field utilized 20 bags of fertilizer in addition to four truck loads of sand from DPW. The whole process started last Wednesday and involved ‘slicing’ the field to get air through the soil and filling it with sand.
“The rehabilitation process will take time before we are up to standards and can host an international tournament.
Ideally and as per Laolao Bay Golf Resort Director of Golf, Tom McKenzie, it would be best if we could aerate and apply sand and fertilizer to the field every quarter. Unfortunately, due to the schedule of our leagues throughout the year, we can only do it twice a year when we take a break in between the two seasons,” added Salas.
The NMIFA is working to get volunteers from its clubs to help water the grass and remove all unnecessary debris.
This is the second time this year that the field underwent maintenance – the first was right before the Marianas Cup in May.
“The NMIFA’s Executive Committee and its club members extend its sincerest appreciation to all that have contributed significantly in the improvement of the Oleai Sports Complex soccer field. In particular, Laolao Bay Golf Resort, Mayor’s Office, Department of Public Works, Ericco Enterprises, Realty Management Services and the staff and management of Oleai Sports Complex,” added Salas.
