December 2, 2012
When I was taking a stroll in the village I happened across a netball game. I am not sure if netball has made it to the states yet, but it is a game, played among girls, that is like a cross between basketball (without a backboard) and ultimate frisbee- it is basically basketballs version of softball. Australia and New Zealand have pumped a lot of aid money into Tonga to get the game played here and there are actually village leagues. Our team was playing a village close to town on a netball field they had made a few weeks before. Now, ignoring that fact that I don’t understand the game at all, and that most of the players kicked off their shoes to play barefoot, Tongans playing sports is just strange to watch. Tongans don’t really take anything seriously and seeing that attitude during a competition is kind of strange. All the players had smiles on their faces and laughed whenever they messed up or a bad play was made. It may not seem that weird but trust me, seeing it was kind of peculiar. I am not sure I would ever make it as a coach here, competition just doesn't seem to have the same affect on their culture as it does ours- good or bad I don't know.
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