Netball Samoa to host masters tournament

By Vaelei Von Dincklage 14 October 2020, 3:00PM

Netball Samoa has confirmed that a masters tournament for those aged 40-years and older is at the planning stage and is already attracting wider interests.

Netball Samoa Chief Executive Officer, Rosemarie Lome, confirmed that they are planning to hold the tournament and have already fielded interest.

"We will be very strict on the age," she said. "I found that in our tournaments we have a lot of the young and they tend to be more competitive. We want to bring in people that are matured, that used to play netball and just come here and have fun.”

Netball Samoa has also had queries from people who are below the age of 40 which Lome indicated they turned down.

"I have been a lot of great feedback, asking about how about 35, 36, and so forth but we are going to hold our grounds and stick to 40 because if we move that goal post, it will end up with young players who are 26, 25, 24 and before we know it, is back to the age group in our PFL league," she added.

Tentatively scheduled to run six weeks – four weeks of next month and two weeks of December – the tournament will be played in the lead-up to Christmas.

Lome added that the first night of the tournament is scheduled for women and the second night is for the mixed category.

“They [players] can bring their partners to play and make it more inclusive for both men and women,” she revealed.

“As a social recreational game, where they come and have fun and for the matured who think they can still play, why not join the fun. 

“Since it's going to be happy near Christmas it is good to get the people that Christmas spirit.”

Netball Samoa will also host an open day to cater for those in primary and secondary school levels who are interested in netball.

"We have an open-skilled development open day on the 24th of this month, and looking at our league and our Frankies kids and teens age group, there is so much talent there. And if we ground them, they will reach their goals," Lome emphasised.

Lome said a positive impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic is that a lot more people are now walking around Tuanaimato.

"The positive effects of COVID-19 on Samoa is I see a lot of people taking a stroll, like the grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, mothers and children. It's good to get people out and about," she added. 

She said they are also currently looking for people who want to become umpires for the upcoming masters tournament.

"Umpiring will  give you a better appreciation of the game and is an awesome pathway into the professional world of sport," she said.

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Netball
By Vaelei Von Dincklage 14 October 2020, 3:00PM
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