OUSA Games: Focus on Samoa

 The Samoan Netball Team

 

TOOWOOMBA – Netball is one of the sports on the competition program of the Northern University Games of Australia. Although netball is not a FISU sport, in this part of the world it is very popular and Australia is the best team of the world according the ranking of the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA).

As this sport is very popular in Oceania in university sport circles and a recognized OUSA sport, Samoa is present at the Games with a mixed netball team in the tournament. Samoa is ranked n°9 in the IFNA ranking. The team lead by Karen Nelson is composed of thirteen members including the Australian coach Angela Jowitt. For their first participation Samoa won a bronze medal!

Under the leadership of Karen Nelson, the newly elected OUSA President after having served two years as Secretary-General, Samoa is playing an important role in structuring international university sports especially among the more remote islands of the Continent.

The National University Sport Federation of Samoa became a FISU member in 2009 after having welcomed the founding meeting of the Oceania University Sports Federation in 2008 in Apia, the island’s capital. So far, Samoa already sent a delegation to the Summer Universiades three times.

(Source: Kolë Gjeloshaj, Director Educational and Development Services)