The development of netball in Bua continues to face major challenges, mainly due to lack of proper facilities, limited resources, and declining participation from schools.
This was raised by Bua Gold team manager Onisovoro Milala, who noted that only two schools made up their team.
Milala said the province did not have proper netball grounds, networks, or adequate sporting facilities to support regular training and competition.
“There are no proper facilities for netball or rugby, and the sport is not well supported in some areas. It is not well established,” he said.
He said geographical distance between schools had also made regular training difficult, with teams only managing to meet once before selection.
“We only meet once to select the team because the schools are far apart.”
Financial constraints have also affected preparation, with initial levies ranging between $100 and $200 per child. However, this was reduced to $50 to ease pressure on parents.
The cost covered transport, administration, and meals.
He said teachers had to contribute from their own pockets to support the team.
“Some parents assisted with transport and other expenses.”
He said there was no club competition in the area, which had slowed player development.
“We only play to select teams for tournaments. There is no proper club competition.”
He said there was a shift in sporting interest among students, with many girls now preferring soccer and rugby over netball.
Due to this, he said, netball participation had declined, with the sport often seen as a secondary option in schools.
