BY RICHARD MENANOPO
Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Jeff Roach, encourages young Solomon Islands hockey players to continue pursuing the sport after joining a development session at the National Hockey Centre in Honiara this week.
According to information shared by HookIn4Health Solomon Islands on its official social media platform on Wednesday, Mr. Roach, accompanied by his daughter and Australian High Commission Second Secretary for Strategic Communication and Public Diplomacy, Charlie Harrison-Gehrmann, visited the programme and spent time interacting with young athletes both on and off the field.
The visit saw the Australian delegation join friendly hockey activities with participants, creating what HookIn4Health described as a memorable experience that highlighted sport’s ability to connect communities and inspire young people.
Speaking during the visit, Mr. Roach said hockey has been part of his life for decades and hopes the young players will continue to develop the sport in Solomon Islands.
“It is an honour to visit HookIn4Health here in Honiara and see so many talented young hockey players. Hockey has been my sport for more than 20 years, and I hope these young players will one day become a strong national hockey team for Solomon Islands,” he said.
HookIn4Health said it was privileged to host the Australian High Commissioner, noting that his passion for hockey and willingness to join the young athletes on the pitch made the visit especially meaningful.
The organisation also acknowledged the delegation’s thoughtful gesture of providing bottled water to participants, describing it as another sign of their support and encouragement for the programme.
“Moments like these remind us that sport has the power to bring people together, build meaningful connections and inspire our young people to dream big,” the organisation said.
HookIn4Health thanked the Australian High Commission for taking time to engage with the programme and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen partnerships that promote youth development, healthy lifestyles and stronger communities through hockey.
HookIn4Health Solomon Islands is a community-based hockey development programme that uses sport as a platform to promote healthy living, youth empowerment and social inclusion.
Working alongside the Solomon Islands Hockey Federation and development partners, the programme continues to provide opportunities for young people to learn hockey while developing life skills and building stronger community connections through sport.
Photo credit: HookIn4Health Solomon Islands
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