Pepes soon to name squad

 THE Pepes squad which participated in a high performance training camp at the weekend will be trimmed to 20 after the selectors finish with them.

Thirty-one players were involved in the two-day camp which started on Saturday in Port Moresby. 

Papua New Guinea Netball president Julienne Leka-Maliaki, pictured, said the federation will have to endorse the names and release the list after they get it from the selectors.

Leka-Maliaki did not give an exact date on when the 20 players who took part in the high performance training camp would be announced but it is sure to be done before the next camp.

The weekend’s camp was conducted by the head coach of the New South Wales Central Coast Academy of Sports Netball programme, Gimanama Rupa-Crowdy, a former PNG Pepe.

The training squad had to go through fitness tests and skills development and testing in this phase one of the camps. These are in preparation for the regional world qualifier in Cook Islands in July.

The 20 players will then go through phase two of the training camp during the Easter weekend in April after which the team will be reduced to 15.

The two-day training also incorporated a bench official training for two officials Toka Aua and Naomi Leka as part of their preparations for next year’s Pacific Games.