United Through Sport Mauritius set the objective to introduce netball on the island. We first met with Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Recreation who were excited to support our objective. We introduced Keziah Wood our sports development intern specialising in netball, where she had prepared information to provide to the Ministry about the dimensions of a Netball ring and court. This information was warmly accepted by officials and its was agreed the first netball ring would be built on the island ready for the following week for our pilot project work in Point Jerome
First Mauritius Netball Ring
To our amazement on arrival at the Youth and Community Centre, a sport development officer had achieved just that and even took the time to get it painted up ready for coaching. It was clear to see that there was keen interest in this new sport and Keziah began coaching the skills, drills and rules of the game to the youth. After the week long project the feedback from the female participants was that they would like to learn the sport more and would welcome more coaches to the island to coach them the sport. Keziah was pleased with how well the introduction of the sport went and was hopeful more could be achieved.
PE Teacher and Sports Ambassadors Netball Workshop
United Through Sport Mauritius was thrilled to hear from the Ministry of Education and that they were keen to learn about Netball. We organised a special session attended by 15 of the island’s sports ambassadors, coaches, and educators, aimed at sharing comprehensive insights into the sport and exploring ways to incorporate it into school curricula across Mauritius.
This session proved to be an unequivocal success, marked by a culmination that was as entertaining as it was enlightening. The session culminated in an exhilarating game between the coaches themselves, a spectacle that captivated all those in attendance. Witnessing their dedication and enthusiasm, both in learning from our younger female coaches and embracing a new sport, was truly inspiring.
A special thank you is due to our lead netball coach, Keziah Wood, whose dedication and expertise paved the way for us to be able to run this session and distribute netballs, essential equipment, to the coaches. This generous gesture empowers these coaches to take the sport of netball to their respective communities, ensuring that the passion and knowledge continue to ripple outward, enriching the lives of young athletes across the island. Keziah followed up with netball guidance notes and coaching rules in order to provide initial structure to the introduction of the sport.
Our commitment to nurturing the spirit of sportsmanship and inclusivity was reaffirmed through this initiative, as we saw the transformative power of sport extend its reach into the hearts and minds of Mauritian coaches and educators. This experience not only sowed the seeds of netball’s growth but also exemplified the potential for sports to unite, educate, and inspire.
