By Shannon Totaram
In an effort to revive netball in the region, Mackenzie High School’s basketball court hosted a one-week netball summer camp aimed at young people aged seventeen to eighteen.
The programme, facilitated by Abdulla Hamid alongside former netball players and other volunteers, attracted over twenty participants eager to learn the fundamentals of the sport.
Throughout the week, participants were introduced to key techniques and strategies of netball, with many gaining their first real exposure to the game.
Valencia Emerson, one of the participants, shared her experience: “It’s been fun and I learnt a lot because before I didn’t know what was netball and now that I’m here I got an understanding for the sport.”
Similarly, Sky Allen noted the learning curve, saying: “I’m getting there… I thought it was just passing balls but it’s passing balls, blocking, and hoops.”
Despite the successful relaunch of the sport, Coach Hamid emphasized the need for more support from the community.
He called on donors, particularly alumni from schools where netball was once popular, such as Multilateral and Linden Foundation, to contribute equipment like hoops to help reintroduce the sport in schools.
“We’re asking those persons that maybe live abroad or still in this country to donate two hoops and equipment for netball at the schools… we’re keeping the same program at Mackenzie High School every Saturday afternoon from three to five.”
The sport of netball has been dormant in the country for over fifteen years, but with the commitment of the Guyana Netball Association and its President, Ailene Bowman, there are significant efforts underway to revive and promote the sport across Guyana.