By Iva Wharton
The Guyana Netball Association (GNA) will be moving to form teams at the school level after the completion of its open league tournament currently being played, according to GNA president Kim Kyte-John.
“Apart from that we are looking to form teams at the tertiary level, GTI already has a team, we are going to work on the UG team and Critchlow Labour College. We are hoping that we will be able to pull off a competition with the three and we are also working on an inter-school competition.”
John said that already several schools have indicated an interest in forming teams and in fact the Berbice High School has formed teams.
According to her, the association is just not looking to attract public schools, but also private schools.
“We have to basically organise that, but we have sent out letters to schools with favourable responses so far.”
John said that having school teams and regular competitions at that level will increase the number of players and that will lift the level of the sport from early on.
Meanwhile, the association, she said, is also working on organizing training programmes for coaches and referees. Those programmes, she said, will have a greater impact on the school programmes which will start next year.
Through the $750,000 agreement with Digicel, the association has been able to fast-track its plans. John said prior to the phone company’s sponsorship, the association was receiving sponsorship from a number of small businesses and individuals to assist with competitions and overseas travel.
John said now that the association has been able to land a large sponsorship deal it has to work on attracting spectators.
She said besides family members and friends, persons have not been known to flock the venues where games are being played.
Tournament Director Warren Wilson added that most spectators have not gravitated to the sport because they don’t know much about it. He said that there are instances where a number of persons have mixed up netball with volleyball.
“You go to other countries like Trinidad, Jamaica or Barbados you would want to know if it is an NBA game being played how people have packed the venues. So our biggest problem right now is the lack of public awareness of the game.
There is real confusion over what netball really is, so many companies have not stepped forward to sponsor competitions when approached.
A company would not really want to sponsor a competition if they know they can’t get returns.”
At present no business, he said, can expect returns because the sport does not attract a large following and also there are no gate fees because spectators are not attending the championship in large numbers.
“Part of the proposal submitted to Digicel is to try and get into communities and let persons know what netball is all about. To show persons that netball is not as boring as some think it is.”
