Tonga’s netball program has achieved a dramatic rise in international standing over the past decade, climbing to an eighth-place world ranking after starting from minimal infrastructure and resources. When Salote Sisifa assumed the role of CEO at Tonga Netball in 2014, the program lacked basic operational elements including a team, coaching staff, and training facilities. The nation’s netball landscape at that time consisted largely of recreational play with minimal competitive structure.
Sisifa committed to transforming the program, pledging to the national governing body that she would resign if significant progress was not achieved within five years. She recruited New Zealand-born head coach Jaqua Pori-Makea-Simpson in 2019, who initially questioned the ambitious goal of reaching the world’s top 10 by 2025. The coaching staff pursued an unconventional recruitment strategy, identifying players with Tongan heritage regardless of whether they had previously visited the nation. One notable signing involved securing star shooter Uneeq Palavi through the persuasive efforts of her Tongan grandmother after initial recruitment attempts proved unsuccessful.
The program’s development was severely tested by multiple crises occurring in early 2022. An underwater volcanic eruption resulted in significant atmospheric effects and subsequent tsunami waves that devastated the island nation, killing four people. These events coincided with Covid-19 pandemic lockdown measures, which arrived in Tonga later than in most other regions. Despite operating without team support, administration, uniforms, and equipment, Pori-Makea-Simpson assembled a squad for the PacificAus Sports series by recruiting players identified through social media, many of whom had never met before gathering at Sydney Airport five days before competition began. The team won gold at that tournament.
Tonga subsequently participated in a World Cup competition in 2023, finishing eighth in South Africa. The team adopted the nickname Tala, referencing a rare bird symbolizing hope. They now make their Commonwealth Games debut on Saturday in Glasgow, facing Australia in their opening match. Coach Pori-Makea-Simpson has emphasized the cultural and spiritual connection binding the team, describing an intrinsic bond that extends beyond conventional athletic camaraderie.
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