TAILEVU South Primary Schools Netball Association is gearing up for a strong return to the National Championship, scheduled for week 14 of term 1 in Labasa.
After several years away from the competition, the association is determined to make a remarkable comeback this year.
The build-up to the national event came through an intense three-day zone competition involving 16 schools from across Tailevu South.
The tournament doubled as both a fun carnival and a selection platform, where coaches identified top talents across various grades.
From this, 20 players per grade were shortlisted, with plans to narrow the squad down to 12 players for the championship team.
Tarusila Tawake, an executive of the association, expressed confidence in the squad’s potential.
“We’ve seen a lot of talent over the last three days. With some fine-tuning and focused training, these girls will be a team to watch in Labasa,” she said.
Although the current squad is still tentative, Tawake acknowledged that there’s a lot of work to be done, especially in correcting minor mistakes that led to penalties during the tournament.
Coaches from participating schools have been assigned to train the players and prepare them for the upcoming challenge.
Tailevu South’s confidence is further boosted by their recent success in athletics, where they secured second place in the boys’ division and third place in the girls’ division at national events.
“If we can perform like that in athletics, we believe netball can be just as successful,” Tawake added.
The association also took a moment to thank parents, school officials, and the Ministry of Education for their ongoing support.
“Parents have been great, supporting the teams financially and morally. The ministry and school heads have also played a key role in making this tournament and preparation possible,” Tawake said.
With a solid mix of talent, determination, and community backing, Tailevu South is ready to make its mark at the National Championship.
