Participants from the ADF International Sports Programme celebrate the completion of a week of training, skills development and sporting activities at SINIS
Participants in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) International Sports Programme have welcomed the opportunity to strengthen their sporting knowledge and skills through a week of training, coaching and practical activities hosted at National Sports Council (NSC) facilities.
The programme brought together coaches, umpires, officials, athletes and members of the Solomon Islands sporting community across hockey, netball, tennis and volleyball including sitting volleyball, alongside training in areas including coaching, umpiring, sports injury, first aid and sports strapping.
For participants, the value of the programme extended beyond the week itself, with the knowledge and skills gained seen as an opportunity to strengthen local sport and support the development of future generations.
Raijieli Kibule, team manager for Diesel Netball, said “For me, netball is more than just a sport. It is a safe space for women and girls to come together, build confidence, support one another, and feel that they belong”.
Kibule, who is also involved in netball umpiring and coaching, said she wanted to contribute to improving the quality of the sport by promoting strong standards in coaching and officiating.
“Through umpiring and coaching, I want to help players understand the rules, improve their skills, and experience netball in a positive environment,” she said.
She thanked the NSC and ADF for providing the training opportunity and said the knowledge gained will help coaches, umpires and officials contribute to better-quality netball.
“I believe the knowledge and experience we gain from this training will help us contribute to better-quality netball and create stronger opportunities for the next generation of women and girls,” said Kibule.
Hockey participant Osborn Tabua also highlighted the practical value of the programme, saying the new knowledge and formations learned during the week would benefit both individual participants and the hockey federation.
“Many new things we have learnt throughout this week, including formations, have been very helpful for us individually and as a federation,” said Tabua.
Tabua also acknowledged the NSC as host of the programme and said the knowledge they have gained will also be very helpful to pass on to the next generation in this sport.
Several other participants interviewed during the week also spoke positively about the opportunity to strengthen their practical knowledge, learn new approaches to coaching and officiating, and gain skills that they can take back to their teams, clubs and sporting communities.
Their feedback reflected a common appreciation for the practical nature of the programme and the opportunity to learn directly from experienced ADF sports presenters.
The reflections from participants highlight how the programme provided opportunities to build practical skills, strengthen sporting knowledge and take new ideas back to their respective sporting communities.
As participants return to their clubs, federations and teams, the skills gained through the programme can be applied and shared to support the continued development of sport in Solomon Islands.
-NSC MEDIA
