Netball in Niue

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Netball in Niue
CountryNiue
National team(s) Niue

Netball in Niue is a popular local sport. Games are most often played by girls on Saturdays between June and August, [1] [2] though games can be played at all times of the year. [2] Most of the netball is played on high school athletic grounds. [3]

Contents

History

Although initially considered a women's sport, the popularity of netball is growing amongst men on the island, as sport is an important way of villages keeping in touch with each other. [2]

There are several words for netball in the Niue language. They include neteplo, pelê neteplo, pelê. [4]

Continuing growth of the game in the region was at times hampered by the fact that the sport is not an Olympic one. For Olympic sports, money can be tapped to help cover costs for inter-island travel for international competitions. The lack of netball being recognized meant it was hard to find money to cover these costs. [5]

Competition

Vanuatu, Tonga, Niue, the Solomon Islands, and the Cook Islands are all very competitive with each other in netball. This competitive streak is fought out at the Pacific Games. [2]

Related Research Articles

Niue Island country in the South Pacific Ocean

Niue is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, 2,400 kilometres (1,500 mi) northeast of New Zealand. Niue's land area is about 261 square kilometres (101 sq mi) and its population, predominantly Polynesian, was about 1,600 in 2016. Niue is located in a triangle between Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands. It is 604 kilometers northeast of Tonga. The island is commonly referred to as "The Rock", which comes from the traditional name "Rock of Polynesia". Niue is one of the world's largest coral islands. The terrain of the island has two noticeable levels. The higher level is made up of a limestone cliff running along the coast, with a plateau in the centre of the island reaching approximately 60 metres above sea level. The lower level is a coastal terrace approximately 0.5 km wide and about 25–27 metres high, which slopes down and meets the sea in small cliffs. A coral reef surrounds the island, with the only major break in the reef being in the central western coast, close to the capital, Alofi.

Netball Seven-a-side ball sport

Netball is a ball sport played by two teams of seven players. Netball is most popular in many Commonwealth nations and according to the INF, netball is played by more than 20 million people in more than 80 countries. Major domestic leagues in the sport include the Netball Superleague in Great Britain, Suncorp Super Netball in Australia and the ANZ Premiership in New Zealand. Four major competitions take place internationally: the quadrennial World Netball Championships, the Commonwealth Games, and the yearly Quad Series and Fast5 Series. In 1995, netball became an International Olympic Committee recognised sport, but it has not been played at the Olympics.

Niuean is a Polynesian language, belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian subgroup of the Austronesian languages. It is most closely related to Tongan and slightly more distantly to other Polynesian languages such as Māori, Samoan, and Hawaiian. Together, Tongan and Niuean form the Tongic subgroup of the Polynesian languages. Niuean also has a number of influences from Samoan and Eastern Polynesian languages.

The Broadcasting Corporation of Niue (BCN), also known as the Niue Broadcasting Corporation, is a government-owned broadcasting corporation in Niue, which operates Television Niue and Radio Sunshine, the country's only television and radio channels. It is based in Alofi. Its general manager and chief editor is Trevor Tiakia. Following the 2011 general election, a specific Cabinet ministry for the corporation was set up. The current minister responsible for the BCN is Joan Viliamu.

Netball in the Cook Islands Overview of the ball sport in the nation

The Cook Islands compete as a part of netball's Oceania region. More than 1,000 players have registered to play the sport. Participation in the game grew during the 1970s. Much of this is possible because of the national governing organisation, the Cook Islands Netball Association which is a member of Oceania Netball Federation. Because of the level of organisation and the game's development, the country has participated at several international events including the Pacific Games, the Commonwealth Games, the World Games, the Oceania Netball Tournament, the World Youth Netball Championship, and the International Challenge Men's and Mixed Netball Tournament. A demonstration of the Cook Islands success can be found by looking at the national team: It is one of the top ranked in the world.

Netball in Fiji Overview of the ball sport in Fiji

Netball in Fiji is a popular sport, with a men's and a women's national team. Netball games are most often played by girls on Saturdays during the winter, though games can be played at all times of the year. Women's participation in netball is comparable to men's participation in rugby.

Netball in Samoa is a popular game, usually played by girls on Saturdays during the winter, though games can be played at all times of the year. The sport started to grow in popularity during the 1970s. The popularity of netball is also growing amongst men on the island.

Netball in Solomon Islands is a popular sport, usually played by girls on Saturdays during the winter, though games can be played at all times of the year.

Netball in Tonga is a popular sport, usually played by girls on Saturdays during the winter, though games can be played at all times of the year.

Netball in Vanuatu Overview of the ball sport in Vanuatu

Netball has a large amount of grassroots support in Vanuatu. Games are most often played by girls on Saturdays during the winter, though games can be played at all times of the year. Continuing growth of the game in Vanuatu was at times hampered by the fact that the sport is not an Olympic one. The Olympic Solidarity Movement provides much access to funding through the International Olympic Committee. For Olympic sports, money can be tapped to help cover costs for inter-island travel for international competitions. The lack of netball being recognized meant it was hard to find money to cover these costs.

Cook Islands Netball Association

Cook Islands Netball Association is the national body which oversees, promotes and manages netball in Cook Islands. The Cook Islands Netball Association is a member of Oceania Netball Federation.

Netball has never been played at the Summer Olympics, but its federation has been recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), since 1995 after a twenty-year period of lobbying. The netball community sees netball's absence at the Olympic Games as a hindrance to the global growth of the game, depriving it of media attention and funding. The IOC requires a high geographical scope for inclusion in the Olympics, but netball is mostly played in Commonwealth countries. When the IOC recognized netball's federation, it opened up sources of funds that the global netball community had not been able to access before, including the (IOC), national Olympic committees and sports organisations, and state and federal governments.

Netball in Oceania

Netball in Oceania is generally regarded as a woman's sport. Women's sports in Oceania have traditionally had a very low profile. Despite this, netball is popular in Oceania, with its growth partly because of New Zealand encouraging the game and providing money for the training of coaches, umpires and other netball development needs. In New Zealand and in neighbouring Australia, netball is one of the most popular sports played by women.

Geography of netball

Netball is a popular participant sport in some parts of the world, particularly in countries of the Commonwealth of Nations. According to the IFNA, over 20 million people play netball in more than 72 countries. IFNA member nations are divided into five regional groups: Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

Niuean cuisine

Niue is an island in the Southern Pacific, mostly inhabited by Polynesians. The plantations are mostly filled with manioc, taro and breadfruit, but banana trees can be found. The wide range of exotic plants in Niue includes taros, pawpaw, coconuts, bananas, yams, cassavas and breadfruits: All are intensively used in the local cuisine.

Niue Athletics Association

The Niue Athletics Association (NAA) is the governing body for the sport of athletics in Niue.

Niue Airline

Niue Airline was an airline in Niue, established in 1990. It serviced the Auckland-Niue route weekly, and later fortnightly, until its closure in 1992. The route was operated by a chartered Air Nauru 737 and carried mail. Flights were sometimes cancelled if passenger numbers or freight was not enough to fund the flight. The airline was majority New Zealand-owned.

1989 South Pacific Mini Games

The 1989 South Pacific Mini Games were held at Nuku'alofa in Tonga from 22 August to 1 September 1989. It was the third edition of the South Pacific Mini Games.

Niue High School is a secondary school in Alofi, the capital city of Niue. It is located on the Alofi-Liku Road and, as of 2010, has 175 students in attendance. The school caters for years 7 to 13. Within the school is the Niue High School Oval, which reportedly has a capacity of 1,000 and is where Niuean association football teams play.

India–Niue relations Bilateral relations

India–Niue relations refers to bilateral relations between India and Niue.

References

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