'International' win proves a breeze
Hong Kong's only outdoor court used solely for netball - at Sham Shui Po Sports Ground - was the venue for an unofficial international as a Hong Kong under-21 development side took on a team from Singapore's Ang Mo Kio Secondary School on a cold, breezy night last week. Hong Kong coped with the difficult conditions the best as they beat their rivals 36-12.
The game of netball has been developing in Hong Kong in recent years; it used to be a common sport at international schools, but was played less often at local schools.
However, more local Chinese players are increasingly playing the sport. St Paul's School (Lam Tin), which has a strong netball team, provided two of its core players for the development side - Form Six student Fiona Lo Leong-yi, 17, and her Form Three teammate Rita Hanronnachai, 15.
The Hong Kong Netball Association organised tours to Singapore last year and this year to help players gain more experience. Connie Wong, coach of the development team, says: 'The players' progress has been pretty good. But I am recruiting and training younger ones now as replacements for many players, aged 18 to 21, who have left the squad to study abroad.'
Fiona, who plays wing defence and goal defence, joined last year's tour. She says: 'The Hong Kong team used Cantonese phrases during the match to keep their tactics secret. The Singaporean players couldn't understand us.'
Rita, who is half-Thai, half-Chinese and plays goal defence, goal shooter and goal attack, took part in this year's tour. She says: 'I have a lot more communication and interaction with my teammates thanks to the tour.'
Maggie Lai Sau-ha - a former StPaul's student who has just started at the University of Hong Kong - plays goal defence and goalkeeper. She was also part of this year's tour. .
Australian International School Hong Kong, in Kowloon, also has a strong netball team. Stephanie Locandro, 18, who has just left the school, plays wing attack, goal shooter and goal attack in the development team. 'I've applied for university in Melbourne and should start in January,' she says.
Stephanie played for Hong Kong at last year's Asian under-21 netball championships in New Delhi; her elder sister, Katrina, played for Hong Kong at the 2008 event. 'If I am good enough to play for Hong Kong in future, I will certainly come back for tournaments,' Stephanie says. 'I hope to make the team for next year's Asian U21 Championships.'
Olivia Bolton, 15, a Year 10 student, who plays goal shooter and goal attack, now leads the school in league competitions organised by the Association of China and Mongolia International Schools. 'We won the league title in Shanghai this year; it is great to keep learning new skills from the Hong Kong development team matches,' she says.
The development side will next play a match on January 16 - against the third-place team at the Hong Kong Inaugural Netball Tri-Nations Tournament, at Kowloon Park Sports Centre.
Admission is free.
