Dress rehearsal for netball champs

Over two hundred volunteers and onlookers, eager to see the building firsthand, spread around the huge auditorium for a different spectators’ view after checking out every nook and cranny.
Volunteer timekeepers were without the electronic controls for the scoreboard, but they made do with digital clocks to keep track of the game between the men’s and the probable team for the Pacific Mini Games.
The ball girls were involved as they were given their instructions by competition manager Patsy Hocking.
Testing, testing, testing … yes even the announcers for the games had to rehearse their part as explained by Tua Pittman. There is a schedule tobe followed from the opening games, through the pool games and on to the finals.
People identified to be MCs during the games include Tua Pittman, Janette Browne, Clee Marsters, Akaiti Puna and Mona Mato with Sean Willis keeping a watchful eye on the audio systems while the WYNC games are on. As well as providing music interludes Sean also has the responsibility of keeping up with the programme, especially synchronising playing various national anthems as required.
The host organisers will continue with preparations until the opening of the games on Monday 10 August with the Cook Islands versus Wales game, the only pool game to be played that day.
From Tuesday 11 to Saturday 15 August, pool games will be played on two courts in the arena with Sunday being a rest day.
The quarter finals start on Monday 17 August, the semi finals on Tuesday, the play-offs for placings 9-12 on Wednesday and the play-offs for placings 1-8 on Thursday ending with the grand final and closing ceremony on Thursday evening.