The Yat Sen Secondary School boys’ netball team got off to a good start in the defence of their Crest Chickens Secondary School Netball Championship title, defeating Noco Secondary School 14-7.
Team captain Jeremy Mar says he is hoping to lead his team in their bid to retain the title for a fourth consecutive year.
The Year 13 student has been playing netball for five years and says the sport has helped him grow both on and off the court.
He says netball has taught him valuable skills and has also helped improve his basketball, particularly his game awareness, footwork and decision-making.
With Yat Sen entering the competition as defending champions, the team’s main goal is to finish first and keep the shield at the school.
However, Mar knows the team still has areas to improve.
He says defence has been one of their main weaknesses, with the team sometimes being penalised for obstruction.
In attack, the players can also rush their movements and need to be more patient.
Despite these challenges, Mar remains confident in his teammates.
The squad has also faced a difficult build-up to the tournament, as the Year 13 players prepare for their external examinations.
He says the team stopped training together for about a week and a half to allow the students to focus on their studies.
For Mar, balancing sport and schoolwork has been one of his biggest challenges, with managing after-school training while finding enough time to study and prepare for exams requiring good time management.
He says the pressure is especially high for Year 13 students, but the experience has taught him how to manage his time and responsibilities.
Despite the break from team training, Mar believes the squad is still in good shape.
Mar says the competition is about more than just winning, as it is also an opportunity to represent the school, support his teammates and show other students that they can balance their academic responsibilities with sport.
He also thanked the supporters and wished all participating schools the best.
In other Championship results, Holy Cross College Girls Under-14 lost to Saint Vincent College 9-7, while Saint Joseph’s Secondary School Girls Under-14 beat Tailevu North College 14-4.
Adi Cakobau School Under-14 beat Dudley High School 12-3, while Levuka Public School Girls Under-19 defeated Nasikawa Vision College 13-11.
