ni Gerard Peter - @Sports | May 07, 2021
Maituturing na paboritong isport at past time ng mga Filipino ang larong basketball at wala itong pinipiling edad o kasarian – ngunit isang isports ang kumakatok sa pintuan ng bawat isa na halos kapareho ng basketball – ang Netball.
Umaasa ang pamunuan ng Philippine Netball Federation Inc (PNFI) na mas mapapalaki pa ang bilang ng mga manlalaro at national coaches sa bansa, gayundin ang pagkakaroon ng magagamit na regular na pasilidad upang pagdausan ng mga pagsasanay.
Inihayag ni PNFI secretary-general Sae-Ann Gallegos na simula nang ipakilala ang kanilang pampalakasan sa bansa noong 2014 bilang paghahanda sa 2015 SEA Games sa Singapore, aminado itong wala pa silang maituturing na malaking grupo o malawak na populasyon gaya ng pagkakaroon ng iba’t ibang clubs at teams, samantalang naghahanap pa sila ng lugar na maaring tayuan ng kanilang courts, kung saan napipisil nila ang Ninoy Aquino Stadium sa loob ng Rizal Memorial Sports Complex sa Maynila, sakaling matapos ang paggamit rito bilang coronavirus disease (Covid-19) facility.
“It was originated from basketball, and specifically to cater women in general. It is almost the same concept, but we don’t dribble, no running with the ball with 7 players. No ball hoggings because only needs 3 seconds to pass the ball and with no backboards. Our ball is quite smaller at iba rin yung fouls. Although, basically it’s a women’s version of basketball,” paliwanag ni Gallegos, Huwebes ng umaga sa weekly TOPS: Usapang Sports sa Sports on Air kasama sina coach Piao Fedillaga at Eunice Japone.
Idinadag ni Gallegos na plano nilang mas ipakilala pa sa mga unibersidad at eskwelahan ang kanilang pampalakasan, lalo na sa mga kabataan, kung saan naipakilala na nila ito sa St. Paul Quezon City, World Citi Colleges, St. Bridget School, Poveda College, Beacon International School at University of the Philippines Netball Club. “We we’re starting it already and introduce it to schools, but we’re hit by pandemic. Netball is for everyone. We are open to teach them the basics of the sport mostly to younger generations. We want to recruit younger kids and start them young and get involved in the sport,” wika ni Gallegos.
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