Being one of the youngest players in the Rewa football team has been an advantage for Neemish Prasad, 18.
The son of Narendra and Vinita Prasad at Manoca Back Road settlement at Nausori is nicknamed Puria.
He says playing football alongside experienced players has allowed him to find his foot in the premier level while juggling football with his school work.
“I started playing for the Rewa U16 and then onto the U19 team and that was when I was called into join the senior team,” said Prasad
“I sacrificed a lot to be part of the team. My parents are farmers and I have to help them in the farm, study and train with the team.”
“These are the challenges I face.”
“But I am proud that I have a family which is supportive in my football career. We are originally from Nakaci in Baulevu but we shifted to Manoca when I was six years old. I got interested in playing football watching Rewa FA Local Club league competitions on Sundays at Saraswati Primary School ground which just in front of our house in Manoca,” said year 11 student of Vunimono High School
“I started playing for Manoca All Blacks and now I play for Dilkusha Football Club after Manoca All Blacks pulled out of the competition,”
Prasad said it was his dream to wear the Rewa jumper.
“It was always my dream to play for Rewa and I thank Fiji FA for bringing in the initiative in allowing two U19 players for the main team,”
“I am proud to rub my shoulders with some of the best players of the country. Playing with them is quite challenging because they’re more experienced than I am but I try to level up. It’s also hard because I’m a student, I go to school in the day, train in the afternoon and whatever time I have left I try to use it to study.”
Prasad featured in all the games for the Delta Tigers in this year’s Digicel Premier League.
He is also part of the Digicel national U19 squad and says he is inspired by fellow teammates and coach Marika Rodu.