# The spirit of Tala: The rapid rise of Tonga's netball team

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-documentary-podcast-487670/the-spirit-of-tala-the-rapid-rise-of-tonga-s-netball-team
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-documentary-podcast-487670/the-spirit-of-tala-the-rapid-rise-of-tonga-s-netball-team.md
Podcast: [The Documentary Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-documentary-podcast-487670)
Published: 2026-07-23T00:30:00+00:00
Episode link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0p00pqv
Audio file: http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/6/redir/version/2.0/mediaset/audio-nondrm-download-rss-low/proto/http/vpid/p0p0779b.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1941

## Resource

In 2014, Tonga had no national netball team, coach, squad, or training facilities. Determined to change that, former television news anchor Salote Sisifa became CEO of Tonga Netball and promised the board that within five years she would build a team capable of competing internationally and reaching the world’s top 10 by 2025. If she failed, she would resign. Alongside, Head Coach Jaqua Pori-Makea-Simpson, Salote propelled Tonga from 42nd to seveth in the world rankings navigating national disaster, the Covid-19 pandemic, and restricted resources along the way. This episode of The Documentary Podcast examines Tonga’s extraordinary journey and how they have become a formidable force on the international stage. Their next milestone is their Commonwealth Games debut in 2026.

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## Transcript

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