Forty netball administrators and coaches from Hiri Koiari District have completed the foundational Oceania Sports Education Program (OSEP), becoming another set of competency-based sports administrators and coaches in Central Province to receive professional development directly in their communities through the Oceania National Olympic Committee’s OSEP capacity building program.
The five-day Oceania Sports Education delivered at the Koke Hanua Lodge in Boera Village from October 20-24, addresses a critical gap in PNG’s sports development infrastructure where 80 per cent of community sports organizations operate without formal training.
The initiative directly supports PNG’s preparations for upcoming regional competitions including the Pacific Games.
President of the Hiri Koiari Netball Association, Hoi Koani, expressed her gratitude to the PNG Olympic Committee for facilitating the program.
“This is a blessing and a dream come true for Hiri Koiari Netball Association as it aligns with our goals for capacity building. We sincerely thank the PNGOC for coming down to the community level to deliver this program. We are also grateful to ExxonMobil PNG, the main sponsor of OSEP for this week’s event, and to our local member Keith Iduhu, for his continuous support and funding towards HKNA,” Koani said.
The program graduated 34 sports administrators and 6 community coaches who immediately applied their training by organizing and running a “4-Net Netball Tournament” on the final day.
This hands-on approach demonstrated measurable skills transfer, with participants successfully managing all aspects of tournament planning, officiating, and post-event evaluation.
“It was my first time attending an OSEP course. I’ve learned about the structure of sports organizations and how people should connect and run associations and clubs at the community level. I’m excited to take this knowledge back and apply it in Tubusereia,” said Sere Airi, assistant match coordinator of the Tubusereia Netball Association.
Serah Vagi Lohia, tournament team manager for the Boera Netball Association, who attended the OSEP Community Coach course, also shared her appreciation.
“The OSEP Community Coach course has broadened my understanding of coaching systems in PNG and Oceania. I thank the facilitators for this opportunity and look forward to putting my new skills into practice in Boera,” Lohia said.
Each participant will receive certification recognized by the Oceania National Olympic Committee, providing credentials that enable them to access further training opportunities.