The FinanceHub Super League allows Netball Fiji and its affiliated districts to attain two major goals building player-base and upskilling officials.
This year Netball Fiji is placing the responsibility on their six major districts including Suva, Lautoka, Nasinu, Nadroga, Nadi and Tailevu to host their own Super League matches.
Netball Fiji only comes in when the national under-21 and Baby Pearls, which have fielded two teams in the league are hosting their respective matches.
They are also involved by having its people on the grounds for talent identification. Apart from this, the districts hold the full hosting responsibility which will in turn auger well for skill development.
“They have the bench, they sort out the umpires, they make sure a medical person is here, they set up the court, get their own people involved and everything,” Netball Fiji chief executive Vivia Koster said.
“That allows our districts to practice that and improve their own games, we have match managers and that is very important to us because it gives us a pool of people when we hold an international, we can pull on more than two people to come and do those matches.”
This format also allows for stronger relationships and collaboration between districts.
“Nadroga hosted its first match, but they worked it out with their opponent for them to play in Nadi, it was on Friday at 4pm. I think that is positive because the presidents are talking to each other and working out what is good for both districts. The districts have also decided that wherever possible, they would have their normal club competition and integrate their super league game within that. It does several things for us; it builds our districts and also builds our players and that will build our teams,” Koster said.
Round two will begin on Friday, 6pm at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva with the Baby Pearls Team Kacau hosting Suva Swift IGA.
On Saturday at 12pm, Tailevu Doves will host Baby Pearls Team Kikau at Vunivivi Court, Nasinu Tactix will play Nadroga Stallions at the FMF Gymnasium while Nadi takes on Lautoka Stars at Nadi Muslim Court.
