Goodman Fielder Fiji (GFF) has partnered with the Fiji Netball Association to sponsor the upcoming Fiji Secondary Schools Netball Championship, scheduled for August 21 to 23 at the National Netball Centre in Laucala, Suva. The event will be referred to as the Crest Chicken Fiji Secondary School Netball Championship.
Vivian Koster, CEO of Netball Fiji, emphasized that this collaboration is part of their efforts to promote netball at the secondary school level. “It not only supports our school-based athletes but also helps grow grassroots netball,” Koster stated. She highlighted the importance of schools in nurturing future Fiji Pearls, mentioning that the current 21 and under squad preparing for the Netball World Youth Cup includes 17 secondary school students.
The championship is expected to feature 132 teams this year, competing across six grades, including a boys’ category. Each grade will have 22 teams representing the best from six regional rallies throughout the country, resulting in approximately 1,980 players participating in the national championship.
Navitalai Naivalu, president of the FSSNA, expressed gratitude for Goodman Fielder’s ongoing support in developing netball in Fiji. “We hope that we will work more with GFF in the future and hope to have a good competition this year,” he said.
Tim Carter, general manager of GFF, expressed excitement about being involved in secondary netball. “We see grassroots netball development as an opportunity to grow, and it is exciting to see males participating in more competitions,” he noted. Carter praised the netball association’s efforts and passion for the sport’s development in Fiji.
He reiterated GFF’s commitment to providing quality, affordable, and healthy protein sources for athletes in Fiji. “We see talent development and students’ aspirations to be future netballers, and if they don’t make it to the elite level, these athletes can still contribute to the sport locally,” he said. The sponsorship aims to empower Netball Fiji to create a platform for local young sporting talents, helping them realize their potential as future representatives in netball.