For the first time in almost a decade, the Nasinu Football Association is heading back to the beach.

The Association had the first round of its Digicel Beach Soccer Championship yesterday with eight clubs going toe-to-toe at the Fiji Sports Council Beach Soccer Pitch in Laucala Bay, Suva.

Association President, O’Neill Chand says they hope the Championship will nurture players and help them grasp the skills of beach soccer.

“Normally we had all the football players and futsal players playing in this. But, we are trying to groom our new set of players for Beach football only. It is a plan from Fiji Football that we should introduce a new generation of footballers in beach soccer so that the game itself grows.”

Chand adds they are beginning their grassroots development to go in-line with the Fiji Football Association’s vision of Beach Soccer.

He says the Fiji FA is planning to have a national beach soccer team for international tournaments and Nasinu knows this championship is one of the building blocks.

The championship continues at the FSC Beach Soccer Pit with the finals.

Meanwhile, round 10 of the Digicel Premier League continues this afternoon.

Rewa hosts Labasa at the ANZ Stadium at 4pm while at 3pm Lautoka faces Nadi at Churchill Park and Navua meets Suva at the Uprising Resort Ground.

You can listen to the live commentary of the Lautoka/Nadi match on Mirchi FM