PR - The Marist St. Joseph’s Sports Club has announced preparations for its 29th Vailima Marist International Sevens this year with a difference.

The Club will host its first Marist St. Joseph’s International Sports Week with the theme “Develop to Inspire and Inspire to Achieve” to be held from February 10th – 18th, 2017.

The weeklong festivities will feature other sports such as rugby league, touch rugby netball and boxing.

“There will be an added touch of Marist inspiration as part of the Club’s contribution to the development of sport in Samoa,” said Club President, Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio.

“This is part of the Club’s bigger purpose to aid our sports athletes, officials and administrators achieve the goals that they have set.”

The International Sports week will start with our Fight For Marist 2 on Friday February 10 and culminate with Rugby 7’s on Saturday February 18.

“Considering Samoa’s competitive involvement in the region and on the international fronts through some sports that the club is involved with, the notion to have five sports celebrated in the week long festivity is a step to the right direction.”

The success of this year’s Inaugural Sports week is the Club’s partnership with local sporting bodies including the Rugby League Samoa, Samoa Touch Association, Samoa Amateur Boxing Association and the newly established Samoa Institute of Sports.

Rugby 7’s and Boxing will include top international teams and boxers while Rugby 9’s, Touch Rugby and Netball will feature our top local talents.

The long-term vision for launching the International Sports Week this year is to set the platform to build on for future years especially 2018 which will mark the 30th year of the Vailima Marist St Joseph’s 7’s.

The newly appointed Sevens Tournament Director, Falefata Hele Matatia said:

“The Club’s vision for the 30 year celebrations in 2018 was to organize a truly International Sports week and to invite top international teams and boxers to compete.”

“It is important for the Club to establish this year, every sport that the Club wanted to be included in next year’s event so that we have a foundation to build from in terms of planning and awareness of the sports that will be played.”

The official launch for the Marist St Joseph’s International Sports Week is scheduled for Tuesday, 24 January 2017. The final program and acknowledgement of sponsors will also be made known at the launch.

This year the Marist St Joseph’s Sports Club will also pay tribute and honour one of its lifetime partner and Honorary Member, who was also the founder and President Apia Concrete Products the late Tupua Fred Wetzell.