Touch fine tuning tactics

 RESPONDING to a match situation is the focus of training that the Papua New Guinea men’s and women’s squads are doing, touch national team manager Ian Yaro says.

He said the squads — both comprising 26 players — have been training at the National High Performance Training Centre since last year and have made improvements in their overall fitness and conditioning.

“The sides have been working on their attacking and defending skills, their body movement, ball skills and this is in preparation — not only for the Pacific Games — but for the World Cup in April,” Yaro said.

“The work done at the centre has really helped the players with their body movements, flexibility, coordination and reaction time.

“Most times in game situations, they tend to be slow when resetting for defence but with the kind of training they have undergone, it’s helped them to improve in this area.

He said the national sides had won silver at the 2003 Pacific Games in Fiji but they were aiming to go one better at home.

Yaro said his squad would be aiming to do well at the World Cup and have other lead-up games before the Games.

“We are looking at winning gold medals at the Games in the women’s,  men’s and the mixed doubles,” he said.

A five-day training camp is expected to be held at the Institute of Public Administration next week.

A men’s and the women’s team comprising 14 players each will be picked after the camp and submitted to the PNG Olympic Committee’s Justification Committee for approval.