Panguna’s volleyball refs, coaches given boost

Sports

THE Bougainville Copper Limited company has helped the Bougainville government to improve sports in the region.
BCL said more than 30 participants from different local level governments in the Panguna District have taken a training course for volleyball referees and coaches.
The course is an initiative of the Department of Community Development and BCL helped with meeting the costs.
Andrew Ikufu from the PNG Referees Commission and Graham Kakarouts from the Department of Community Development facilitated the course with support from Fabian Kotsin and Garry Tacussy also from the department.
Ikufu said the one-week course provided a good opportunity to develop new skills and he encouraged participants to learn as much as possible.
Ikufu took the participants through the history and rules of the sport. He said after the course Bougainville would have certified volleyball coaches and referees.
Kakarouts thanked BCL for the support and said that a survey conducted by the department, showed that volleyball was widely played throughout Bougainville but there was a shortage of those with technical expertise to coach teams and referee games.
He said the course was needed because the last volleyball course in Bougainville was conducted in 1983 by Raphael Sapea when there were just four certified volleyball coaches and referees in the region.
At the end of the course, participants were tested on what they learned and certificates were given out.
The National Referees Commission will recognise the certificates.
BCL chairman Sir Mel Togolo said wider participation in sports such as volleyball was somethinghis company was keen to promote.
“We know many young Bougainvilleans like to play the sport and that is something that needs to be encouraged because of the many benefits it brings,” Togolo said.
“Courses such as this help to ensure we have the structures in place to support the development of popular sports like volleyball and we are more than happy to assist in this regard.”