Netball in Tonga fights for exposure and recognition Featured
The General Manager of Tonga Netball, Salote Sisifa, was among the participants.
26 December, 2016. Netball officials in Tonga say it's an ongoing challenge for exposure and recognition in the rugby-dominated country.
The inaugural Pacific Women's Sports Leadership Program was held in Port Moresby earlier this month, bringing together 20 women representing 12 sporting organisations throughout the region.
The General Manager of Tonga Netball, Salote Sisifa, was among the attendees and said many of the women are facing the same problems.
"Our main challenge is the recognition and just the attention that rugby gets and as much as we try and the exposures that we're getting internationally but the rugby and boys being around, and government and itself with funding and everything going towards rugby - I don't think we even get one percent of the funding that goes to that," she said.
Tonga is currently without a world netball ranking but is building from the bottom up and entered a locally-based team in the Oceania qualifiers for the World Youth Cup in September.
"Despite it (being) a challenge we also find it a strength in us that we're able to (get by). I think in a sense we are a threat to them because, despite not getting the attention and financial assistance, but we are afloat and we do all this on our own and in our own way," said Salote Sisifa
"Oh yes it's a challenge for us but it builds us, it makes us more determined that we're here and we're here to stay," she said.
-RNZI
5 comments
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Ko e mea eni oku ui koe taupusi hoosi ne anga fefee hoo mou fie kau he lau kau netipolo. Uluaki ai ange hoo mou timi oceania kenau tau moha tau timi local pea tau toki sio ai. Poupou lahi atu au ki hoomou fknetipoloi e finematua he parking BSP kae tokanga naa nau maavae mo honau ngaahi mali he lahi e vainga efiafi kihe pouli. Mou toe mafao atu ke fakamanatu moe ngaahi sipoti fuoloa koe lanita moe panilaulau kae vakaii ka Pooi mo Palenitina ke mai ha seniti mei he Popua Park Foundation ke langa aki hoomou sipoti ke mua ai haa mou rank i Tonga ni pea mou toki feinga atu kihe fakavahaa Puleanga
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Creating animosity in people Salote Sisifa! ! "... we are a threat to them....." Why does it have to be competition? Go plan well, train hard, and play some smart games. Learn from rugby! Tag rugby is a good initiative. We need more people off the couch and play.
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Na'e 'osi 'iai e palani moe fokotu'utu'u 'ae komiti 'a 'Ungatea Kata ke fengaue'aki e Tonga Netball moe Komiti Netball 'ae kau Tonga 'i Auckland, pea ke 'omai ha fanau mei ai ke tokoni ki hono ako'i mo hono langa hake e sipoti ni 'i Tonga. Na'e 'osi kamata ke fai e talanoa moe kau netiball Tonga 'i NZ. Pea fetongi ko eni komiti 'o hu mai a Toa Fakakovikaetau mo Salote Sisifa pea 'ikai 'ilo pe na'e anga fefe e toe holomui 'ae kau NZ. Pea koena 'oku mo'ua pe kinautolu ua ia he folau takai holo he ngaahi fakataha kae 'ikai fai ha me'a ke fakalakalaka e sipoti. Na'a nau netball koaa ''i fe, ke tu'u atu ia koe mataotao fakavaha'apule'anga he netipolo? Kuo tuku e fa'ahinga ia na'e talu 'enau pusiaki'i mo mateaki'i mai e netipolo he ngaahi ta'u lahi, hange ko Bernice, Menitela mo hai fua, ka hu atu fa'ahinga ia na'e 'ikai 'ilo pe na'a nau 'i fe. Kole atu kihe TASA moe Poate Netipolo ke toe fai ha sio ki he Komiti pe 'oku totonu ke nau hoko atu, pe kuo taimi ke fetongi atu a 'eha fa'ahinga te nau lava 'o 'omai e kau Tonga mei NZ mo Aust ke fakaake e va'inga ni, he 'oku ma'u e tamaiki taleniti'ia 'i Tonga ni ka koe 'ikai ke 'iai ha kau faiako mo pa'anga ke fai'aki honau ako'i.
Malo moe 'amanaki 'e fai ha me'a ki he netipolo he vave taha., -
Ko e netipolo 'i muli 'oku kamata ia mei he fangaki'i fanau kei ta'u 5 mo e 6. Kapau leva 'oku tau fiema'u ketau ma'u rank fakavaha'a Pule'anga 'oku fiema'u ia ke tau kamata ako'i e netipoloo kamata mei he lautohi Pule'anga 'o hange pe ko e 'akapulu. Ko e 'uhinga lahi ia 'oku totonu ke tau ala atu ai 'o ngaue'aki 'etau fanau Tonga 'i mulii he kuo nau 'osi 'alu hake kinautolu he system koia.
We need to work smart . Fefe ke tau ngaue'aki 'etau fanau mei muli ke kau fakataha mo 'etau fanau Fakalotofonuaa ke kake'i e netipolo 'i hotau fonuaa. Manatu'i 'oku 'ikai ko e Tonga pe 'oku nofo 'i Tonga, ko e Tonga 'oku 'i he lotoo mo e totoo. 'Oku kaukaua 'a Tonga kapau te tau kau fakataha 'a e Tonga kotoa he Kolope ke langa hake hotau ki'i Fonua.
Pea kapau te tau taafataha pe ki he'etau fanau fakalotofunuaa ke kumi 'aki hatau rank fakavaha'a Pule'anga he netipolo ko 'etau fononga ko ia 'e ki'i looloa ange he 'oku 'ikai ke tau ngaue'aki e ngaahi e ngaahi me'atau kuo 'ata'ataa mai ke tau ngaue'aki ko 'etau fanau Tonga kuo teu'i mo va'inga 'i muli. 'Ofa lahi atu kiate kimoutolu ko e mamahi'i pe hotau fonua ko Tonga. -
'Oku ou tui he'ikai pe lava ke tau fakatatau e 'akapulu mo e netipolo he 'oku 'ikai ke ma'u 'e he netipolo e ngaahi ola lelei 'oku ma'u 'e he 'akapulu. Ko e skills level 'a e netipolo 'oku fu'u kei ma'u lalo 'aupito pea he'ikai pe ke fe'unga ia ke tau ma'u ha rank he ngaahi fe'auhi faka mamani lahi.
Ko e 'akapulu 'oku nau ngaue'aki e kau va'inga Tonga mei Tua'apule'anga he ngaahi fe'auhi fakavaha'a Pule'anga 'o makatu'unga mei ai 'etau ma'u rank mei he ngaahi fe'auhi fakavaha'a pule'anga.
Fefe ke tau fai pehee ki he netipolo ke kake'i hake hotau rank ka tau toki fai ai pe hono langalanga hake e ngaahi ngaue lahi faufaua koena 'oku mou 'uhinga mai kiai. Tokolahi pe fanau Tonga 'i muli te nu fie va'inga ma'a Tonga ke feinga'i ke ma'u hatau rank he netipolo fakavaha'a Pule'anga. Fiema'u e skills Fakavaha'aPule'anga ki he coach mo e kau va'inga kae lava ke nau patosi he levolo Fakavaha'apule'anga.