Rotuma High School is set to return to the 2024 Crest Chicken Fiji Secondary School Netball Championship after a decade-long absence. Fiji Secondary School Netball President Navitalai Naivalu indicated that RHS must first compete in the maritime rally to secure a place in the national tournament scheduled for August 21-23 at the National Netball Centre in Suva.
“There are no automatic qualifiers,” Naivalu stated, noting that schools such as Adi Maopa from Lau, Koro, Gau, and Kadavu have confirmed their participation in the event.
RHS manager Lorraine Wesley confirmed that the school would be competing in the Under-17 division with a squad of 17 players. The journey to Viti Levu posed challenges, requiring the community to collaborate and raise $7,000 to partake in the annual schools netball event.
“We organized fundraising activities with two kava barrels at the Itumuta community hall,” Wesley mentioned.
She expressed hope that her team could arrange friendly matches against Kalabu Secondary and Gospel High schools before the maritime rally on August 19 at the National Netball Centre in Suva. “Our principal has been communicating with the two schools, but we have not received confirmation yet as we just arrived,” she said.
All of their Under-17 players are currently in Year 11. “We will enter as underdogs since there is much for us to learn, and this will serve as a learning experience for the girls,” Wesley added.
While setting expectations, she emphasized the importance of confidence and exposure for her players, as this will be their first time playing in front of other schools. “The rally provides a valuable opportunity for the players to build their confidence and assess their competitiveness.”
Wesley concluded by encouraging RHS alumni to come out in large numbers to support the team.