Netball Australia is helping small Pacific communities get active through a unique sport-for-development program operating across the region.

The Pacific Netball Partnership initiative was launched in April 2010 and is supported by the Australian Government’s Pacific Sports Partnerships (PSP) program. 

The PSP is a key initiative of the Australian Sport Outreach Program, managed by the Australian Sports Commission in partnership with AusAID.

Netball Australia is delivering the PSP program in Samoa, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands, helping build netball development programs and to strengthen local communities through sport.

The program has a particular focus on encouraging more women to get active and involved in their communities.

Netball Australia is working in partnership with Netball New Zealand and the Oceania Netball Federation to deliver the PSP program. 

Coach Development and Participation Manager for Netball Australia, Anne Marie Phippard, said the program was proving highly successful and it would likely expand to other island communities.

Pacific Netball Partnership and Oceania Manager, Briar Martindale from Netball New Zealand highlighted success stories of the PSP program in boosting netball development.

‘There were no formal junior netball programs in Samoan primary schools before the PSP was introduced,’ she said.

‘More people are also playing netball in the Cook Islands following the introduction of quality sport-for-development programs.

‘Netball programs in Cook Islands primary schools were ad hoc and depended heavily on volunteers to run sporting activity, which has been transformed through the PSP.’ 

The PSP has also led to a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education with regular netball coaching clinics and official development programs in primary schools in the Cook Islands. 

There are also opportunities for people within the wider community to get involved in the game as players, coaches and officials.

Netball Australia and other PSP partners have improved their understanding of working with Pacific Islander communities through the program. 

‘For example, while netball is predominately played by females, sport involves the whole family in communities like the Cook Islands,’ Martindale said.

‘You need to consider the right way and protocols for engaging with local communities, including leaders within local villages and churches.

‘When training sports coordinators to deliver sports programs you also need to recognise each island within the Cook Islands has its own language dialects.’