Netball Stars Celebrated At League’s Closing Ceremony

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, December 12, 2019: The Republic Bank Laventille Netball League celebrated the close of another successful season on Tuesday, December 10, with a ceremony held at the Republic Bank Head Office, Port of Spain. Over 200 players from 20 clubs across Trinidad and Tobago competed in the League this year.

In the B Division, Arima United took first place, followed by the IATF Police Youth Club in second place and the Maraval Police Youth Club in third place. Transcend led the Inters Division while SWWTU Malvern came in second followed by Hill Girls. In the A Division the Police Youth Club took first place while the Southern Netball Academy, and Laventille United followed in second and third place respectively.

Of the many individual players receiving accolades during the course of the evening, it was Tia Bruno’s star that shone most brightly. Not only did she take home the Most Valuable Player trophy for the Police Youth Club, she also won Most Valuable Player of the League overall for the 2019 season.

During her remarks at the awards ceremony, Karen Yip Chuck, Republic Bank’s General Manager, Commercial and Retail Banking, commended the athletes for raising the bar for the League and for setting a positive example for their peers. She noted the many sacrifices that the several of the League’s players regularly make including making the long commute into Port of Spain from San Fernando, Blanchisseuse and Sangre Grande, and encouraged them to keep striving towards their full potential.

Yip Chuck also expressed special thanks to the League’s President, Austrid Rochford and Secretary, Lily Stapleton for both their dedication to youth empowerment and their love for the sport. She explained that the Laventille Netball League and Bank’s Power to Make A Difference Programme were perfectly aligned in their vision for the future of Trinidad and Tobago’s young people especially when it comes to the role of sport in youth development.

Republic Bank has sponsored the Laventille Netball League since its inception and in that time, the League has produced national coaches, international umpires and top players who have made the National Team, including Kalifa McCollin.

The Bank’s support for the League is in keeping with the focus of its Power to Make A Difference Programme which counts the development of youth through cultural development and sport as one of its key pillars. The Bank is also an enthusiastic supporter of the Republic Cup National Youth Football League, the Republic Bank Junior Golf Open Championship, the Republic Bank Jane Young Tobago Junior Golf Programme and the National Secondary School Water Polo League as well several regional sporting programmes across the Republic Group.