IFNA attends Sport Accord in Dubai - This Article from Sport Accord Daily Paper

Fresh from scoring two awards in under a year, the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) continues to improve the lives of thousands of Indian girls through it’s hugely successful Goal programme.

According to IFNA Chief Executive Officer Urvasi Naidoo, the four-year old initiative continues to go from strength to strength with more than 4,000 girls having benefited from a programme that empowers women in a region where their role in sport is hardly encouraged.

“The programme was started in Delhi in 2006 to encourage underprivileged women and girls to play netball and improve their self confidence, life skills and assertiveness – some of the by-products of being involved in team sports,” she told SportAccord Daily.

“Today, with the valuable support of our sponsor Standard Chartered, Goal is now in three Indian cities with girls playing in Mumbai and Chennai as well as Delhi.”
Such is the success of the programme, Goal netted the 2009 Best Project by a Sport
Federation or Governing Body at the Beyond Sport awards, while in 2010 it won in the category ‘Sport in the City’ at the Global Sport Forum Awards in Barcelona.

“We’re very proud of the awards as well as the results not only for the girls themselves but also for their families,” added Naidoo. “Women in India are not really encouraged to play sport – there are very few sporting role models – so it’s fantastic that netball can make a difference to their lives.

"While the IFNA and NGOs play their part, Standard Chartered does a lot for Goal and use their staff from some of their Indian offices to volunteer on the project and make them aware of corporate social responsibility.

"Although netball isn’t such a big sport in India, we‘ve been delighted with the reaction and discovered some real talent – one of our girls is Deepali Sharma who is now a Goal coach and will represent India at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.”

As well as the ongoing success of Goal, the IFNA also operates programmes in Africa.
‘African Safari’ sees English netball players visit the continent for a week at a time to coach local competitors, run workshops and operate a ‘train the trainer’ campaign with visits in 2009 reaching Swaziland, Lesotho and Namibia.

This week, however, the netball focus is on SportAccord Convention, an event Naidoo believes she would be “mad to miss.”

“This is only my second SportAccord Convention but as a sporting association we just have to be here. Everyone is at SportAccord Convention and the benefits are huge with a great opportunity to network and discuss important issues.

“Unfortunately IFNA president Molly Rhone could not make it from Jamaica due to the flight restrictions but I lived in Dubai for three years when I worked with the ICC so it’s nice to be back.”

Netball Secures Million Dollar Partnership to Strenghten the sport in the Oceania Region

Last Week the Australian Minister for Sport, Kate Ellis announced a new $2.95 million partnership to build netball development programs and help strengthen Pacific island communities.

The Pacific Sports Partnership was signed in Adelaide at an ANZ Championship match between the Adelaide Thunderbirds and New Zealand team Southern Steel.
Ms Ellis is pictured above signing the agreement with Oceania Netball Federation President Tina Browne, Netball New Zealand Chief Executive Raelene Castle and Netball Australia Chief Executive Kate Palmer.

“Sport has the power to bring people together and deliver great health and social development dividends to communities across the world,” Ms Ellis said.
The initial four year partnership will focus on the Oceania Netball Federation’s member federations of Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

A series of netball development programs will target girls and young women. The sessions will teach netball skills and engage girls in the sport, as a way to build social development in Pacific Island communities.

The partnership will also ensure the development of trained, in-country development coordinators within Pacific netball federations to deliver the programs at a local level.

“Netball is a popular, fun and athletic sport that delivers particular benefits to girls and women. I expect to see a rise in netball participation rates in these countries as a result of this great initiative,” Ms Ellis said.

“The partnership will give players, administrators, coaches and officials the chance to build skills that they can use on and off the court to strengthen their community.”

The Australian Prime Minister announced $26 million in sports-related assistance to the Pacific island countries at the Pacific Islands Forum last year, including $15 million over five years to establish sport partnerships.

Pacific Sports Partnerships sees agreements between the Australian Agency for International Development and the Australian Sports Commission and regional sports federations.

Pacific Sports Partnerships is part of the Australian Government’s Sports Outreach Program, which works with developing countries to deliver inclusive sports programs that help strengthen communities.

Two other Pacific Sports Partnerships are already underway with football and cricket.

Netball around the world - Weekly Round Up

NETBALL AROUND THE WORLD: 9 APRIL 2010

Despite concerns about other sporting venues to be used, the arena for the 2010 Commonwealth Games netball competition has undergone a glittering inauguration by Delhi’s Chief Minister Ms Sheila Dikshit, in front of a select audience of invited dignitaries. And despite the fact that there are still some finishing touches to be made to the Thyagaraj Sports Complex(pictured above), organisers of Delhi 2010 are confident that these will be completed in a matter of weeks. Visitors to the stand-alone venue, which has a capacity of more than 5,800, were able to assess the position of the court, which was marked in temporary pale blue lines for the occasion, as well as visiting the marbled public and backstage areas for athletes, where no expense has been spared. The Commonwealth Games netball competition takes place in Delhi from 4-14 October 2010 and tickets are now available: find out more about the Games at www.cwgdelhi2010.org.

Congratulations to Sri Lanka’s Academy of Netball in Kotte, which celebrates its five year anniversary this week. Established in 2005 to extend awareness of the game across the region, the Academy has already provided coaching and playing opportunities for more than 500 players, thanks to the vision of its founders Miss Thilaka Jinadasa and Mrs. Shyama Cooray.

In Pakistan, the opening ceremony of the Australian Sports Commission Netball Coaching, Development and Tournament Programme 2010 for Under-19 Girls was held in Rawalpindi, in the presence of Australia’s High Commissioner in Pakistan, Mr Tim George. More than 250 players, plus 60 coaches and teachers will attend this year’s programme which aims to increase participation and build knowledge which can then be disseminated across the region.

Representatives of Jamaica Netball this week completed a Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) –sponsored sports administration course, which aims to share expertise and knowledge among sporting organisations and assist in the preparation of teams and individuals for international competition. The topics covered included event planning and management, sources of revenue, sports medicine, doping and the anti-doping policy framework, mass media and sports, budget and money management, working with volunteers and the use of technology in sports.

The Solomon Islands has its first male netball coach, thanks to the support of Netball New Zealand. Jamie Kerry undertook an intensive training programme in New Zealand before being assessed by Silver Ferns assistant coach Wai Taumaunu and will now return to the Solomon Islands to help in developing additional new coaches. Well done Jamie!

This weekend sees the Rivalry Round in the 2010 ANZ Championships, when the five Australian teams in the competition each take on a side from New Zealand. Current league leaders and reigning champions the Melbourne Vixens travel to Christchurch to take on the Mercury Energy Tactix, while last season’s defeated Grand Finallists the Adelaide Thunderbirds host the Southern Steel. In the other matches in the round, the Waikato BOP Magic face the West Coast Fever, the NSW Swifts take on the Haier Pulse and the Queensland Firebirds welcome the LG Mystics to Brisbane. Meanwhile, in the UK, Northern Thunder moved into third place in the Co-operative Superleague table with two weeks of the regular competition remaining, after a 58-37 win over Loughborough Lightning. Surrey Storm still top the table ahead of reigning champions TeamBath, with former champions Mavericks in fourth place. These four teams have already confirmed their places in the end of season play offs

CAS dismisses Fiji appeal


The Commonwealth Games Federation has just released the news that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the case, brought by the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee against the Commonwealth Games Federation, seeking the right for Fiji to participate at the Delhi Commonwealth Games in October this year.

Fiji’s membership was suspended by the Commonwealth Games Federation consequent upon the decision taken by the Commonwealth’s Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) to fully suspend Fiji’s membership of the Commonwealth.

For netball this means that Fiji will not take part in the competition and the next ranked team as at 30th October 2009, Papua New Guinea, has been invited to participate instead.

The netball teams invited to compete at the Delhi Commonwealth Games are:


1.Australia
2.New Zealand
3.England
4.Jamaica
5.Malawi
6.South Africa
7.Cook Islands
8.Samoa
9.Trinidad and Tobago
10.Barbados.
11.Papua New Guinea.
The 12th team will be India as Hosts

Good Luck to all teams from all at IFNA

NETBALL AROUND THE WORLD:

Commonwealth Games Federation President Mike Fennell has expressed optimism that Delhi will put up a first-class show as host of the XIX Commonwealth Games later this year.

"Things are in great shape. We had hoped all the venues would be ready ahead of time so we could test them but they will be completed ahead of the start of the Games," he said at a reception hosted by Jamaica’s Indian Community to celebrate the Queen's Baton Relay 2010 Delhi's visit to Montego Bay. Mr Fennell promised that the Thyagaraj Stadium (pictured above) where the netball event will be held will impress.

The line up for the UK’s 2009-10 Co-operative Netball Superleague was decided this week, when Northern Thunder defeated close rivals Leeds Carnegie 61-39 in the latest round of matches. The Thunder win means that Leeds Carnegie can no longer draw level with them, or overtake them, before the end of the regular season, and ensures that Thunder will qualify for their first play offs in the competition, where they will face Surrey Storm, TeamBath and Mavericks, who have also qualified.

The game against Leeds provided Thunder coach Mike Greenwood with the opportunity to give court time to new signing Anastacia Wilson (pictured) for the first time this season. Wilson, 35, has more than international caps for Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) as a shooter and the tall international is hoping for more exposure to the English style of play ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, for which T&T has qualified.

Another Caribbean star, Jamaican international defender Kasey Evering returned to competition this week, lining up in an unfamiliar position - GA - for Tivoli Gardens in the JNA/Berger Paints Superleague. Sidelined since the World Netball Championships in 2007 with a severe knee injury, Evering was played in attack to ease her back into competition after two surgeries, and she rewarded her side with 18 goals from 24 attempts as Tivoli Gardens cruised past Skibo A 55-22. In the other match in this round of competition, champions Waulgrovians were too strong for new side Cibo, emerging 48-30 winners.

In Uganda, five time club champions NIC retained their national club title last weekend. Undefeated throughout the round-robin competition, NIC’s captain Betty Namukasa and shooter Peace Proscovia were the stand out players for the insurance company’s side. Meanwhile, St Mary’s Kitende retained the national girls’ title, defeating 12 other entries.

Reigning ANZ champions Melbourne Phoenix made it two wins from two games in the 2010 competition after overcoming pre-season form side the Queensland Firebirds 53-46. Two other teams remain undefeated, former champions NSW Swifts – 45-38 victors against Adelaide Thunderbirds – and LG Mystics – 61-50 winners against New Zealand rivals, Haier Pulse. Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic registered their first win of the competition with a 47-41 win over Southern Steel, while the West Coast Fever side was too strong for Mercury Energy Tactix in the final match of the round, emerging 62-44 winners.

Finally, Brunei’s netballers received royal patronage once again this week, when Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab' Rahaman attended and participated in the First Women Netball Open Championship 2010. After intensive competition between the 21 participating teams, the Royal Brunei Police Force defeated Ivy League in the grand final to take the title.

Weekly Netball Update

The Pakistan Netball Federation (PNF) has announced a netball coaching, development and tournament programme for girls aged 19 and under, to be implemented across the country from 2 April – 6 June. The programme, to be staged in collaboration with the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), will start in Rawalpindi and then be rolled out to Gujranwala, Lahore, Quetta, Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Larkana.

In addition to offering coaching tuition for school sports teachers, the programme will ensure that international rules are being adhered to across the country. A tournament, to be played throughout the programme, will allow selection of squads of 12 players from each of the cities, who will take part in the ASC Junior National Girls Championships, to be held in Islamabad from 2-6 June.

The IFNA Board met in Singapore this week, and was very pleased with the progress and preparations made for the World Netball Championships, to be held there in July 2011. IFNA President Molly Rhone, who was impressed with the Singaporeans’ organisational skills and hospitality, will return in December when the draw for the competition will take place. Ticket packages, which were released at the start of the month, are already selling well: for further information and ticket details, please visit www.wnc2011.com.

Ms Rhone has now travelled to Jamaica, as a guest at the 100th ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys/Girls Championships, the biggest track and field competition for schoolchildren in the world. 35,000 spectators will attend over the four day competition, which has been credited with launching the careers of many international stars, including current world sprint champion Usain Bolt.

Netball South Africa has this week announced a significant sponsorship deal, worth approximately R1 million ($134,000 US), with equipment supplier Mitre involved with the South African national side until December 2012.

In other sponsorship news, Netball Fiji is expected to announce a new sponsorship deal this weekend, which will allow the island to participate in the Pacific Cup, to be played in the Cook Islands in June. However, Tanzanian netball’s governing body, Chaneta, has announced that it is struggling to raise the 60 m TZS (approx $44,000 US) required to fund the country’s planned tour for its national side (the Taifa Queens) to the UK in April. Chaneta has named a 20 player squad for the tour, which aims to improve Tanzania’s playing standards ahead of qualifying competitions for the 2011 World Championships.

On the court, the third ANZ Championships started this week, with reigning champions Melbourne Phoenix returning to the court in style, defeating New Zealand’s Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic 48-40 to top the table after week one. The Canterbury Tactix (54-48 against the Central Pulse), Sydney Swifts (50-47 against the Queensland Firebirds), Northern Mystics (55-52 against the Adelaide Thunderbirds) and Southern Steel (46-44 against the West Coast Fever) were the other first round winners.

Goal wins Global Sports Forum Trophy.

We are delighted to announce that that Goal India won a trophy at least week's 2010 Global Sports Forum held in Barcelona. The IFNA CEO was on hand to accept the trophy from the Mayor of Barcelona, Mr Jordi Hereu and Gary Hall, American Olympic Gold Medalist in Swimming, pictured above. The Mayor is on the left in the picture.

This is the first year that Global Sports Forum has given out Trophies to sports projects. Only eight trophies were handed out so we are very proud that Goal won one.

Goal won the Sport and the City Award for initiatives designed to strengthen social cohesion and integration between urban communities and minorities.

Special thanks has to go to the funding partner Standard Chartered Bank, without whom this project would not exist.

Congrats to Naz, and all the Goal girls in India for this award - it really belongs to you.