NETBALL AROUND THE WORLD 27 NOVEMBER 2009
Welsh Netball has this week announced that former Fiji national coach Melissa Hyndman is to become the country’s first full-time High Performance Coach. The 41 year old, who will take up her post next month, will also coach the Celtic Dragons in the Co-operative Netball Superleague and will help implement a new talent identification programme. Hyndman, who previously coached New Zealand side Netball North Harbour and the New Zealand Maori Premier team, was dimissed from her role as Fiji’s national coach earlier this year.
Netball in Pakistan received a significant boost this week, with the news that the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) had issued the initial instalment of their first annual grant to the Pakistan Netball Federation (PNF). The initial payment of Rs68,250 (approx $820 US) will be followed with further payments in 2010 to complete the annual grant to the association of Rs 200,000($2,400 US).
In domestic competitions, Papua New Guinea’s knock out competition reaches a climax this weekend, with Morobe, NCD and Central still in the running for the title, after six rounds of matches. In the Caribbean, defending champions John Mills and Windward Road retained their Junior and Senior league titles respectively in Jamaica’s 2009 Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) Junior High School netball finals. John Mills defeated Windward Road 14-9 at the junior level, while Windward Road turned the tables on John Mills with a thrilling extra-time 23-22 win in the senior competition. Academy maintained their lead at the top of England’s Premier 1 clubs league, after a thrilling 41-40 away win against Hucclecote. Oldham moved into second place after a 36-34 win over The Downs, with Hucclecote one point ahead of former champions Linden in third place.
Netballers in Tanzania will be playing in a new tournament on 9 December which aims to raise awareness of environmental issues as well as HIV/AIDs education. The Chief Maraelle Cup will feature ten of the country’s top teams, playing in memory of the Chief, who was committed to working for Tanzanian independence.
Netball development continues apace in the Solomon Islands, with the announcement that the National Our Telekom U20 Championships will run in the Western Provincial capital, Gizo, from 30 November – 4 December. Two Netball New Zealand (NNZ) Coach Force team members, Ivy Topping and Janet Skilton, arrived in the country this week, and will run umpiring and coaching clinics in Honiara from 24-27 November, ahead of the competition.
And finally, England’s third annual National Netball Festival is scheduled to take place in May 2010. The Bournemouth Sevens International Netball / Rugby music festival is the largest event of its kind in the world, with 88 netball teams taking part in four competitions. International sponsorship partners already confirmed include Nintendo WiiFit, RedBull, Gatorade and Adidas. Further information and team entry is now available at www.bournemouthsevens.com.
ENDS