Jagindra Primary School has entered three teams in this year’s Nasinu Primary Schools Netball Association competition, marking the school’s first-ever participation in the local netball league. The Nasinu-based school has fielded sides in the under-11, under-12 and under-13 grades, with more than 30 students taking part across the three teams in what school officials describe as a significant step towards broadening extracurricular opportunities.
Coach Litia Fane said the focus for Jagindra’s debut is on giving pupils exposure and building confidence rather than chasing results. “We are not here to win games, but to give a chance to the students to explore, especially when it’s their first time taking part in this kind of event,” Fane said, noting that many of the girls are experiencing organised competitive netball for the first time. She added that the priority is to develop basic skills, teamwork and match experience.
Early signs have been encouraging, Fane said, with noticeable improvement in the teams as the competition has progressed. “Since this is their first time taking part, we’ve seen a lot of improvement in the girls,” she said, praising the players’ enthusiasm and coaches’ commitment. More than 30 students across three grades represent a sizeable turnout for a school traditionally known for strong academic results, underscoring a deliberate shift in emphasis towards more holistic student development.
The school’s entry into the Nasinu competition is part of a broader plan to expand sports offerings at Jagindra Primary. Fane said the school intends to encourage more students to participate in upcoming events and hopes to increase the number of teams in future seasons. “We are so looking forward to this competition. We are also encouraging our girls to fill in more grades for the upcoming events, looking forward to next year’s competition as well,” she said.
Jagindra’s move reflects a wider momentum in the region to reinvigorate primary school sport. Recent school athletic meets in the greater Suva area have shown rising levels of participation, a trend school leaders say helps nurture physical fitness, teamwork and self-esteem among young learners. For Jagindra, which has long measured success by academic outcomes, the expansion into netball signals a cultural shift toward balancing intellectual and physical education.
As Jagindra Primary continues its first season in the Nasinu Primary Schools Netball Association, parents and staff are watching to see how experience gained this year feeds into stronger teams and wider participation next term. The school’s leadership says the aim is to make sport an accessible part of daily school life and to set an example for other institutions to invest in the social and physical development of their students alongside classroom learning.
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