With national trials now complete, Fiji Pearls head coach Michelle Parsons has outlined the next phase of her plan to rebuild Fiji netball around a formal high-performance programme and stronger local coaching pathways. After weeks travelling the country to assess players and meet communities, Parsons said she is ready to turn observed potential into a structured pathway that can sustain success long after her tenure.
“It is a profound honour to lead a nation where netball is so deeply woven into the community,” Parsons said, calling the trial process both humbling and inspiring. Drawing on more than 20 years of coaching experience in New Zealand and Australia, she told Netball Fiji stakeholders she intends to combine Fiji’s natural athletic flair with the discipline and systems associated with elite programmes to help the Pearls climb the world rankings.
Parsons confirmed national selections will be announced soon. From the pool of trialists she will name the senior Fiji Pearls squad and a set of development squads designed to create a clear pathway for players aiming for national honours. “The real work starts now, building combinations, strengthening systems and creating an environment where players can grow and take ownership,” she said, stressing that the development teams are central to creating depth across the playing group.
To ensure no eligible talent is overlooked, separate trials for overseas-based players will be organised between June and July. Parsons said the additional trials will allow selectors to consider expatriate players while maintaining continuity with the domestic selections already completed. She also acknowledged resource challenges facing the programme but emphasised a focus on “people, purpose and preparation” rather than facilities alone.
A major plank of Parsons’s approach is investing in coach development at the grassroots and provincial levels. “You can’t have a strong tree without deep roots. We need to build depth through development squads and create a sustainable pathway for our players,” she said, adding that empowering local coaches will “strengthen the entire game.” Parsons plans to mentor coaches as part of the high-performance programme so that technical knowledge and professional standards remain in Fiji.
Parsons made clear the aim is long-term sustainability: to leave behind a programme Fiji can continue to grow. “I want to build a high-performance programme that Fiji can continue to grow long after I’m gone. By mentoring players and coaches, we ensure that knowledge stays here,” she said. As selections are finalised and training programmes launched, the Pearls enter a new chapter focused on blending Fijian flair with a more clinical, systems-based approach.
Netball in Fiji remains a deeply rooted community sport, and Parsons’s early work — extensive scouting tours and community engagement during trials — has been presented as the foundation for a professionalised environment that values culture and connection as much as results. The next measurable steps will be the public release of squad lists and the commencement of the high-performance training calendar, as well as the June–July overseas trials that will test the depth of available talent.