Campbell highlights new rules at INSPORTS seminar - Primary-school competition to shoot off tomorrow

SPANISH TOWN:

Preparations for the Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) St Catherine Primary Schools football and netball competitions got underway as teachers and coaches participated in a seminar hosted by the state agency at the Social Development Commission offices in St Catherine recently.

The session which focused on netball, was led by veteran local coach and one of the most highly regarded international umpires, Sylvester 'Chris' Campbell.

Campbell, who is also an INSPORTS sports officer, held an interactive session with representatives from more than 35 schools ahead of the under-12 netball competition, which will shoot off tomorrow at the Homestead Sports Complex, where each zone in Central St Catherine will participate.

"This session's main focus is to bring participating schools up to speed with the new INF rules to prepare the kids. We are going to discuss the changes and additions as well and strategise how best to interpret and apply them to the game for the under-12 participants," said Campbell.

"It is important for the coaches and kids to have an appreciation of the new rules so that they can grow stronger in the game."

Highlights included a demonstration of new protocol regarding how the area of play is set up, to ensure a smooth game and the safety of the young participants.

FOCAL POINT

The safety of children playing the game is a focal point of INF's new mandate that each team must have a primary medical care provider for the duration of all matches. In support of this, INSPORTS announced that it will provide full medical service for the opening and closing games of the competition.

Additional changes included a reduction in the number of whistle blows to potentially one at the start of the game if it proceeds without incidence. New procedures also include all time-outs reduced to 30 seconds and that at least one leg should be wholly within the centre circle for centre passes.

"It is important for the kids to get a good foundation as we assume that some of them will become Sunshine Girls. What we want is that when they get to the international level their knowledge of the fundamentals and their skills will be of a high calibre so that the most we have to do at that level is help to strategise and work as a team," Campbell observed.

"We are creating that high level of skill at the national level and in our domestic leagues because we are trying to develop a cadre of players that we can choose from to represent Jamaica."

He continued: "We want each parish to get involved in playing netball and from there we will have a grand final. Following the grand final we want to select players for the elite league which is the Berger League and then from there we can select players for the national team."