PNF Hopeful To Rope In Foreign Female Coach By Year End

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Jul, 2020 ) :Pakistan Netball Federation is hoping to get a female coach from abroad in next four to five months to train the national men team for next year's Netball World Cup, according to the president of PNF, Mudassar Arain.

"We're in talks with some foreign coaches. Hopefully, we'll be able to hire the services of the one by the end of ongoing year," Arain told APP.

Pakistan men team has already earned a spot in the Netball World Cup after claiming silver medal in the Asian Netball Championship in 2018. The flagship event will take place in Australia in October-November, next year.

Although Arain did not disclose the Names of the coaches with whom the PNF top brass was in talks, but tilted his support in favour of a female Australian coach, who he believed could lead Pakistan to a respectable finishing in the event.

"We'd a very good experience with an Australian woman coach in the past. Nothing can be said with sure at this time as who will be our foreign coach, but I personally believe an Australian woman coach has very good credentials for that. She can better prepare our team for the mega event", Arain added.

He said that in the past the PNF twice hired the services of a female Australian coach with the help of Australian High Commission in Islamabad.

He said the federation was overseeing financial obligations and had requested Pakistan sports Board (PSB) to support it for hiring the coach. "Our performance has been outstanding for quite some time, hence we're sure to get a go ahead signal by the board.

" The PNF president said that the federation would also send strong outfits in various international events during the next year.

"We'll be sending our athletes in various other events in 2021, including Asian Indoor Games, Asian Women Netball Championship and Asian Coaching and Umpiring Camp." The Asian Indoor Games are scheduled to be held in June 2021 in Thailand. And according to Arain both men and women outfits will participate in that event.

The Asian Women Netball Championship, which was earlier scheduled to be held in June, 2020 in Korea has been postponed to October, 2021. The event, which will also serve as qualifier for the World Cup will offer a perfect chance to Pakistan women to make it to the mega event by finishing among the top three sides.

Arain said that before all other events some senior male and female athletes would be sent to Sri Lanka in February to attend an umpires and coaches course. "We'll send our senior players in that course as we want to prepare them for coaching and umpiring after their retirement," he added.

He said that the federation was in talks with Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to start a training camp at Pakistan Sports Complex Islamabad in August to prepare the athletes for their future assignments.

"We've told the PSB that we can start training camps in August while adhering to necessary safety measures.

"Till the arrival of the foreign coach, our local coaches will polish players' skills on modern lines. And when the foreign coach will arrive their skills will be further honed", he added.

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