Secondary schools netball tournament for Zone A kicked start last week Friday with a prayer at the Samoa College grounds.

Zone A netball president, Sani Matamu from Aleipata College said eight schools altogether are competing in the three-weeks tournament: Samoa College, Avele College, Papauta College, Vaimauga College, Leififi College, Maluafou College, Aleipata College, Palalaua College.

"The goal is to develop the sport in our country so that we can also develop our students talents and improving on that so that they may get opportunities in the future.

"In the future they may be our country's representatives travelling all around the world for the game of netball," she said.

She also said getting girls involved in sports is useful to keep the girls active and healthy, to help with academic progress.

"This is also great for the girl's performance in school because if the body is active, then the brain is also active; if the body is weak, then the brain performance may also be weak.

"That's one way to get the girls fitness going, make them sweat; and also to get to teachers active also," added

The Zone A netball tournament is divided into three divisions: junior, intermediate and senior.