Australia To Develop Strategic Plan To Help Develop Netball In Malaysia

By Neville D'Cruz MELBOURNE, April 19 (Bernama) -- Netball Australia are developing a strategic and operational plan to help Malaysian netball players to take part in international competitions. Netball Australia's Head of Sport Development and Performance, Anne-Marie Phippard and Participation Manager, Stacey O'Neill spent a week in Kuala Lumpur recently, training 30 Malaysian coaches. "International development continues to be a priority for Netball Australia," O'Neill told Bernama. "With Sydney hosting the 2015 World Netball Championships, Netball Australia is focused on leaving an international legacy within the Asian and South Pacific regions following the tournament in three years' time," she said. Coaches from the Malaysian Netball Association (MNA) attended a two-day workshop which included the delivery of a programme -- JomPi Jaring, based on Netball Australia's junior programme NetSetGO! -- at two centres, before a pilot programme was rolled out in 14 centres throughout Malaysia for girls aged 5-6. Netball Australia provided modified equipment, including size 4 netballs and pimple balls, which quickly became known as Durian balls to assist the young girls with their development. While in Kuala Lumpur, Phippard and O'Neill also held a planning session with key MNA officials, including MNA Secretary Mazidah Musa, and stakeholders to identify the barriers and opportunities that existed, to grow and develop netball in Malaysia. Following the meeting, a strategic and operational plan will be developed by Netball Australia for Malaysia to implement in the lead up to the 2015 world championships in Sydney. -- BERNAMA