Hello Kids!
I want to share with you my lil quest and what I did last summer....well in December 2009.
Well i flew to Tonga to organize the first ever Netball Tournament.... Yep first ever!
It was exciting as I’ve always wanted to push and develop Netball in Tonga.
It's not like they never played the game but it's a different version of Netball. It’s called Pasiketipolo (Basketball) and they play with 9 people on the court, rules are similar and the court is divided up like netball (3 thirds, goal circle and a centre circle.)
The 9 aside is played everywhere in Tonga. The only time they play the 7 aside netball is during school. So when they finish up at High School that’s it! They then play the 9 aside rules and the real Netball is forgotten and not played.
The only competition they have is on Saturdays or during the school holidays where village verses village.
The thing is there is no structured competition, no trophy; no points accumulated its all pure enjoyment and social for the women and kids.
They say that the Netball that is played in Tonga is what the game was like back in the old days when it first was called Basketball....and yes’s they are still wearing the old school tunics that you see in the old black and white photos! Funny right but I think is quite cool.
My goal and what I’m passionate about is to get this 9 aside competition and shake it up to the 7 aside rules and get the word Netball out there! Not like they don’t know it already but for Tonga to start playing Netball on regular bases and to also have a National side so they can compete in the world stage like there neighboring islands Samoa, Fiji, Niue’ and Cook Islands.
Here are some photos to show you what Netball is all about in the Friendly Island of Tonga.
Netball in Tonga
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