NETBALL Fiji is excited to officially welcome head coach Michelle Parsons, who arrived in Fiji this week and has now commenced her full-time three-year appointment.
Her arrival marks an important milestone for Netball Fiji as the organisation continues to strengthen its high-performance pathway, develop elite athletes, and build towards future international success.
Coach Parsons’ immediate focus will be preparing Fiji’s national squad for the inaugural Spirit Series, which will be held in Sydney, Australia, from 8–11 July 2026.
She said on her arrival in Suva on Wednesday night, she is both excited and mindful of the challenges ahead in the short preparation window.
“I am incredibly excited and proud to lead the Fiji Pearls into this first international campaign,” says Parsons.
The Spirit Series is a new international tournament launched by Netball Australia to celebrate pride, culture, connection and excellence among First Nations and Indo-Pacific women in netball. Backed by the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports and supported by Netball NSW, the event will take place at Netball Central.
The tournament will feature Fiji alongside Netball Australia’s First Nations representative team, the Black Swans, as well as Papua New Guinea and Singapore. Across four days, teams will compete in eight matches while also participating in culturally-led community engagement activities designed to inspire young athletes and strengthen regional connections through sport.
For Netball Fiji, participation in the Spirit Series represents far more than international competition. It provides a valuable opportunity for athletes, coaches and officials to gain exposure to a high-performance environment while building relationships across the Indo-Pacific netball community.
Parsons said the tournament will be an important benchmark for the team as they begin building their international identity.
“This will be our first opportunity to create benchmarks and understand where we stand in terms of our physical conditioning, skills under pressure and performance mindset,” she said. “I expect the variety from the other netball nations to really test our tactics and our relentless work ethic.”
“I am also expecting this to be an opportunity for us to sit within an environment of excellence and build a culture of sisterhood and support.”
As preparations begin, Coach Parsons will lead elite player trials next week as part of the recruitment and selection process for the national squad. The trials will identify the country’s top talent and provide players with an opportunity to earn a place in the team that will proudly represent Fiji on the international stage.
Netball Fiji’s TOC and Executive members have welcomed the opportunity to participate in the Spirit Series. TOC Chair Vasiti Vugakoto has described it “as an important step in the continued growth of the sport and the development of Fiji’s elite netball athletes.”
She added, “It also supports broader regional efforts to strengthen netball across the Pacific and build momentum towards the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027.”
The Spirit Series aligns closely with Netball Fiji’s long-term vision of creating stronger pathways from grassroots participation to international competition while providing players with regular exposure to elite-level competition.
Parsons emphasised that this is only the beginning of a longer journey.
“We are still in the process of building a sustainable high-performance programme,” she said. “The Spirit Series is step one on that journey, and I hope our Fiji netball community will be with us, supporting and cheering for our girls throughout.”
With a new head coach and an exciting international campaign on the horizon, the journey to the Spirit Series has officially begun.
Stay connected with Netball Fiji on social media for squad announcements, player stories, training updates and exclusive behind-the-scenes coverage as Team Fiji prepares for the inaugural Spirit Series.
Fiji Baby Pearls under-21 netball player Susana Rasaubale catches the ball against Malawi during the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 in Gibraltar last year. Picture: WORLD NETBALL
Michelle Parsons. Picture: KATA KOLI
