Volcanic Eruptions and Grandma’s Persuasion – Tonga’s Way to Glasgow

Tonga consists of over 170 islands and is located in the South Pacific Ocean.

It is about 2,600 miles from Melbourne, Australia and its population of 105,000 can almost fit into the stands of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The archipelago has a national netball team that has fallen into the top 10 world rankings for the past four years, but it has taken a meteoric rise to reach this position.

Sisifa and head coach Jakoa Pori-Makea-Simpson traveled thousands of miles to recruit players, securing their star shooter for a persuasive grandmother.

They still face challenges, with their route – below the senior national squad – having to train in a bank car park.

When Sisifa signed up, she found netball in Tonga was little more than a social sport.

He quickly committed to Tonga to enter a team for the 2015 Pacific Games.

“The score… we were beaten like it was a cricket match,” he recalled.

Like the rugby scorelines perhaps – Tonga lost 88-21 to Samoa and Papua New Guinea 81-27.

Sisifa told the national governing body for netball in Tonga: “Please give me five years. We are going to make some dramatic changes. If it doesn’t work in five years, I will gladly resign.”

The national organization supported Sisifa, so she was able to work.

He needed a coach of international pedigree and so wrote to eight candidates. Only one answered.

New Zealand-born Pori-Meka-Simpson joined in 2019.

Sisifa recalls their candid first conversation: “There was no dollar sign in our name. I said if that’s what you’re looking for, Team Tonga is not the place.”

Then comes the vision of Tonga.

“I said, by 2025, I want Tonga to be in the top 10 in the world,” Sisifa told the BBC World Service.

Pori-Makea-Simpson recalled: “I went… You’re crazy. It’s vulgar, and I’m not sure you understand what the world of netball is like.”

Players of Tongan background were sought after, even though they had never visited the country. This led to some backlash, but Pori-Makea-Simpson felt the players he shared a culture with the Islanders.

“To take them back to Tonga and see them improve and grow with their people, it’s been beautiful,” he said.