Formed earlier this year, Belaha Futsal Club in Central Guadalcanal has quickly become a beacon of hope for young boys living in and around the Belaha community, helping steer them away from negative activities and towards a more positive future.
The futsal program was established in response to growing concerns over alcohol abuse, other illegal activities and school dropouts among boys in the area.
Speaking to Star Sports, club founder and young community leader Riley Joe said the initiative began modestly but with a clear purpose.
“We were introduced to the laws and tactics of futsal by a nurse who is also a former futsal player and was posted to work here in Belaha,” Joe said.
What started as casual evening games soon evolved into something more structured.
“The evening games then became more like training sessions, and we saw how they brought most of the boys in the community together to focus on the game and that’s when we decided to officially form the team,” he added.
Joe said daily training sessions have played a major role in changing the behaviour of many boys in the area.
“From the daily trainings, we can see that most of the boys have slowly left behind many of the negative activities they used to do and are now focusing more on futsal,” he said.
After months of consistent training, the club took a major step forward by registering for the 2025 Hope Bulkshop Championship, giving the players their first taste of competitive futsal outside the village.
“We decided to register the team because it was a great exposure for our village boys. They also saw it as a reward for all the hard work and sacrifice they put in during training,” Joe said.
He recalled the team’s first league match as a moment he will never forget.
“I clearly remember our first league game. Even though we lost, the boys were very happy and proud because it had always been a dream for many of us to come and play in Honiara,” he said.
Joe said the impact of the futsal program has extended beyond the players and into the wider community.
“The boys have shown great discipline and are now more involved in community work. Their families and the community were pleased with the changes, and in return they supported us through fundraising and other moral support,” he added.
With 2026 just around the corner, Joe believes the lessons learned this year will help the team grow even stronger.
“Looking ahead, the plan is to regroup next year, work hard for upcoming competitions, and at the same time inspire the next generation of kids in the community to keep them away from illegal activities,” he said.
By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara
