An exciting challenge awaits a group of Kiama junior footballers who will take part in the 2022 Ultimate Fiji Soccer Cup.

Kiama JFC's under-12s flew out today to the Pacific island nation on ahead of the five day competition where they will face opposition from Australian and Fijian teams.

Alan Appleby will lead the team in Fiji having coached the core of the squad since they began playing in under-6s.

Alan said he was looking for opportunities for his players to experience competitions outside of the regular Football South Coast season when the opportunity to play in the Fiji Cup arose.

The coach explained the side had a short break after the end of the season, but weekly training sessions commenced to prepare for what was ahead in Fiji.

"We only had a month off and we have been training every Sunday since," he said.

"We have been training at 1pm during the hottest part of the day to try and acclimatise ourselves as much as possible.

"We are going to try and take it seriously and develop a winning culture, but the main thing is to give the kids and opportunity to developer a greater understanding for the game,

experience different cultures and make some lifelong friends.

Alan hopes that, after disruptions due to Covid and persistent rain, the chance to play in Fiji will provide the perfect springboard into the 2023 season.

"We have been one of the better clubs in terms of getting a ball at the kids' feet," he explained.

"We were using the Kiama Leisure Centre for indoor games and partnering up with Kiama High School and we organised a big group of the community called the field army and

hand mowed our fields so we could get back on them as soon as possible.

"Fiji will be an amazing way to finish this season and for us to grow into next season."

Kiama will be strengthened by four boys coming in from Tasmania who have already experience travelling to play football after heading to Canberra for the Kanga Cup.

Kiama will play Lautoka, Nadi and Ba on the first three days of the tournament before a doubleheader against the International Football Group - a side predominantly made up of

players from Sydney - and the Central Coast Sports Academy.

The finals will take place at on Sunday at Prince Charles Park in Nadi - the venue Fiji beat the Socceroos in a qualifier for the 1990 World Cup.