This includes West New Britain, East New Britain, New Ireland, Manus and North Solomons.

The Islands Region is a major focus for AFL PNG. From the home of AFL in PNG in Kimbe to the exciting growth areas of Buka and Pomio the Islands boys seem ideally suited to the free running style of AFL PNG’s – Pure AFL.

Of course with so much interest comes a challenge for AFL PNG to be able to support the development efforts of so many volunteers, teachers, parents and former players. Islands kids want to play AFL. Its our job to support their enthusiasm.

Key supporters like Alois Lavu, Graham Pati and the people at Kavagura Development Corporation, Clement Rumina in Buka, Hendrey Pare in Pomio are the foundation of AFL PNG’s development plans in the Islands. They will make it happen.

We hope to see a very strong Islands Regional representation at the Goroka Nationals at U13, 15 and 17 levels. The boys from the Islands will come to win and have their Islands style dominate Binatangs selection. It should be great for footy.

In Early April 08 the National Operations Manager (NOM) did a flying tour of the part of Islands Region. He visited Kimbe, Rabaul and Kavieng. The reason for the trip was to conduct fitness testing of Mosquito and Binatang Squad members and to visit new growth area with the view to appointed additional AFLPNG Staff.

Kimbe / Hoskins

AFL continues to blossom in this area. Schools program are being run in Kimbe and Hoskins. Francis was appointed as the Regional Development Coordinator for the Islands Region. Francis (Rocky) had been assisting us as a volunteer but due to high continued growth AFLPNG needed a permanent structure in the islands. In addition, our Development Officer, Desmond Valuka had been selected in December for a 2008 AFLPNG scholarship in Brisbane. Max Marilag was appointed to take his place and furthermore John Posai was appointed to assist with the expansion into Hoskins.

Members of the 2008 Binatangs and Mosquitoes were put through a series of fitness tests to ensure that a high standard fitness was being maintained across PNG. The results were very surprising and all participants showed that the Islands players were as fit if not fitter than their counterparts in other regions of PNG.

Rabaul

Our volunteer Provincial Coordinator for East New Britain, Robert Nenmale took the NOM to a number of schools where he met some of the principals. Robert is and extremely keen AFL Coordinator and keeps detailed statistics on the children participating in AFLPNG programs. Last year he had 755 kids (352boys & 301 girls) playing AFL at one school and introduced the sport to a number of others. This year he expects the other schools to introduce intra-school competition.

It was school holidays so the opportunity to run Saveman program was not there. However, the NOM was able to address a large group of sports teachers at a Sports Leadership program in Rabaul on AFLPNG school sports programs and gathering by the number of questions asked, they were very interested.

An interesting meeting was held with Mr. Sioni Faiva, the Technical Adviser to the Provincial Education Board for Primary and Secondary schools. In this area there are: 311 elementary schools, 148 Primary Schools and eleven high schools. Primary schools now have sports education as part of their curriculum and they focus on one sport per term. AFL is now one of these sports. 61 Primary schools have been directed to teach AFL as part of term two curriculum.

A meeting was also held with Bennet Manau, Deputy Principal at Kokopo Secondary School who is on the ENB Education Board which has also introduced sports as an educational subject in ENB High Schools. Once again AFL is one of sports. There was already a draw for a five High schools competition commencing in Term two.

With football codes in West, East New Britain and New Ireland provinces school policy is that it has to be a non- contact sport. So in fact they actually play self invented “Auskick rules” or “Recreational footy’. This is in line with current AFL guidelines for Primary school aged children.

Robert will continue to coordinate AFL in Rabaul as a volunteer and will search for a suitable Development Officer to assist him.

Kavieng

Once again the welcome in Kavieng for the National Operations Manager was very warm. Repa Augere has been our volunteer Provincial Development Coordinator for New Ireland. Two former Mosquitoes were interviewed for the position of Development Officer to assist Repa with AFL development in the Kavieng area. Henry Elipas, was appointed. Henry works late shifts at Nusa Resort so has his days free to work in the schools.

Henry has already been busy and ran several clinics in schools last year. Henry also has two sets of jumpers which have been donated to the Kavieng schools competition by Australian tourists at Nusa Resort.

Once again it was school holidays but a level O Coaching Course was for half a dozen teachers and a couple of former Mosquitoes. A training session with forty kids was also conducted to enable the coaches to practice their new skills.

The National Operations Manager was a guest on the local Islands NBC radio station. He recorded a fifteen minute segment on AFLPNG and its aims throughout the Islands Region. This segment was played a number of times during the next week..

2009 New Guinea Islands Regional Championships & Report

Introduction:
New Guinea Island Region as we all know is made up of East and West New Britain, New Island, Manus, and North Solomon Provinces. In fact, in the earlier years apart from Port Moresby the region had been the stronghold of AFL football in PNG. However, due to bad leadership and mismanagement people’s interest was directed to other sporting codes.

However, when the AFL PNG Junior program was introduced in the region in 2004, it started to raise the interest of the people, in particular the children, especially in the West New Britain Province [Kimbe]. Since that time the region has been represented in all divisions of the AFL junior program.

The 2009 regional tournament was recently held at the Hoskins Secondary School grounds and four schools participated: Kalu Primary | Valoka Primary | Kwalakese Primary | Rikau Primary

Unfortunately no schools from the Kimbe area were present.

Moses Kar flew into Hoskins on 24 August, met by Vitus Poka [Theo’s father] Theo and Gramme Pati at the airport and went straight to Theo’s place. Next day He went to check that the Hoskins secondary school oval was available and visit the Principal of the school. He also met with the Hoskins Local Level Government President at the Hoskins station.

The President was kind to support AFL in his District. He made a commitment to fix the oval and have permanent metal posts up for the program next year. He also promised to allocate an office space within the district office complex and include AFL PNG Junior in his 2009 district budget plan. Moreover, said that he will approach local business houses in the Hoskins area to support the program in 2009 and years to come.

While at the meeting, the President made special request to AFL PNG to recognize Hoskins as an AFL Junior Centre in its own right, within the Islands region apart from current Kimbe program. He stressed that interest of AFL is in Hoskins but because of the distance to travel and also not committed AFLPNG staff it kills the interest of AFL in the Province. Therefore, asked AFL PNG to recognize Hoskins as centre next year onwards. Also at the meeting, had couple of community leader and local business personal who supported their President by putting in the same request to AFL PNG. In responses to their request, they were informed that a report would be submitted the AFL PNG Board for consideration.

Kimbe
Moses then traveled to Kimbe next day to sort things out with Francis Crompton and his wife. However, things did not work out as expected. There is currently no AFL junior competition in Kimble. In fact, it did not start at the beginning of the year due to a pay dispute with the current coordinator. Moses was told by local people that kids had to move to other sporting games like soccer, netball rugby league, and rugby union.

Regional Championships

The championship started with official speeches from Hoskins Local Level Government President followed by Coca Cola representative and Hoskins Secondary Principal.

Day one games started at about 10:00am and ended around 5:00. The surrounding Community and Hoskins secondary students packed the Hoskins Secondary school oval to its capacity with school kids from the four schools.

Francis Bai, Theo and his father, Gramm Pati, Willy Isu and sports masters of each school, assisted me.

Next day, losers played for fourth and third placing in each division followed by winners played off for first and second placing.

Day two games ended around 4:00 pm followed by presentation of Auskick bags, Caps and small balls. Bags were given out to best player in all divisions from each school, sixteen bags were given out. In addition, Auskick caps and balls to most improved player and coach’s choice.

At the end of the presentation, 13 children from each division were announced, to represent the Islands Region at the 2009 Nationals in Lae. It was also indicated that Kimbe should select seven kids from each division which did not occur due to last minute change of plan by Kimbe volunteer [Ludwig Gambe], but told Theo’s father to follow up and report back to AFL office Port Moresby.

Recommendations:

• AFL PNG should further investigate the cessation of the Kimbe program.
• If possible, Hoskins District should have AFL centre, it has a good AFL ground and support from the Local Government. I personally support the idea of having Hoskins as a centre, Hoskins is organized.
• Theo’s father [former banker] is capable of running the program; he can operate out of Hoskins and oversee Kimbe to supervise the volunteer.
• Should not announce the Island coordinator position until capable person is identified in the region. Meanwhile volunteers should look after each centre in the region.
• Vitus Poka [Theo’s father] will organize the kids, collect their levies, organize boat, and make necessary arrangements to take the kids over to Lae for the National Championships.

Island Regional Selections: Hoskins

• Kalu Primary School.
• U13: Vincent Kuari ,Junior Max, Kalvin Magi,
• U15: Nicholus Bauba, Simon Inoch, Angelbert Kurogo.
• Girls: Berverlgne Atwea, Klarisa Tomu, Albena K.
• U17: Zelbstin Beua, Sebulou Wartoto, Joas Toringi.

• Valuka Primary
• U13: Micheal Bubu, Peter Saeke
• U15: Theodore Bareoa, Charles Ossie, Justin Theo, Eric Vakakia.
• Girls: Joan Buba, Manwela Bubu, Gloria Voke, Genis Roka.
• U17: Victor Bubu, Neville Kaiwa, Ben Gila.

• Kwalakesse Primary
• U13: Record Gume, Allan Kua, Gideon Moses, Terrance Domi, Eddy Gavaru.
• U15: Ezra Kantu, Jeremy Pidick, Iass Bakani, Ennest Vaha.
• Girls: Terry Luange, Bethsiba Gilo,
• U17: Theo Gavari, Ian Sipa, Sebastin Mow.

• Rikau Primary
• U13: Wilson Koke, Jimmy Dairus.
• U15: Jeddy Poma, Bai Kamoro
• Girls: Gethrude Namui, Julian Kumar, Vicky Bulda, Bethsiba.
• U17: Rabbie Malu, Danny Marava.