Rigo netball tourney trials U10 division

By JACK AMI
THE Rigo Central netball tournament added a new division into its competition, an Under-10 division, at the Rita Flynn courtsin Port Moresby yesterday.
The tournament to promote rural talents with the games officiated well by the umpires who made the youngsters enjoy their time on court.
The U10 division provided the highlight of the day with some players as young as seven years old were given a platform to play by the Rigo Central Netball Association president Iammo Launa and her executive.
“These are all untapped, raw, hidden talents from Kwalimurubu 1 and 2 and Saroa competing in the three-team competition which ends today with the junior finals,” president Launa said.
“These Under-10 matches were like an exhibition to give the little kids a chance to play,” she said.
“We used this to promote and expose these rural talents with the interest shown by the respective villages but unfortunately only Kwalimurubu and Saroa confirmed their participation.
“I’m proud that this is our base with Rigo Central being one of the largest associations in Central province.
“We have 13 villages taking part and they are Saroa, Kwalimirubu, Kwikila, Kamali, Babagarubu, Alukuni, Galomarubu, Gomore, Gemo, Goulubu, Keapara, Vuutiba and Boregaina which is a good number to manage. We will select our U13, U15, U17 and U21 and announced after the finals today.
Launa said the seniors competition starts tomorrow with the A grade, B grade and Masters which ends on Friday with the finals with training squad to be announced for the national championships in Lae in September.
In related news, stagers of the recently held Kairuku Hiri Netball tournament last week at the Rita Flynn courts have been criticised for running an unsanctioned competition and claiming that players would be picked from from it for the national championships in September. The Netball PNG-sanctioned Kairuku Hiri tournament started yesterday at Gabgaba village.