Bermuda Netball Association will this weekend launch a recruitment drive to attract junior players in a bid to reverse a recent decline in the sport's popularity.

Youngsters aged between seven and 14, from absolute beginners upwards, who are interested in taking part in training sessions and matches this winter, are invited to Bernard Park on Saturday, for a session to last from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Coaches will divide the youngsters up into teams and organisers hope there will be sufficient interest to initiate a league next year.

The plan is to keep the sessions going on a weekly basis right through until February -- but that is dependent on the level of interest.

BNA Council member Kewanna Swan said: "Right now, netball is more or less a dying sport and the Netball Association are trying to get it up and kicking again.

"The youth league has dwindled to non-existence. And if you don't have a youth programme, you are not going to have players to move up into the adult league or into a national team.'' Swan will be among the coaches attending the session, along with fellow BNA Council members Marva Trott, Penelope Henry and Stacy Grant.

Swan is driven by a passion for netball which originated in childhood.

"Every Saturday, no-one could keep me off the netball courts. I loved the game and I'd like the children to enjoy it as much as I did,'' she said.

"We will be training together as a group and we want to help the children build up their fundamental skills.

"Something similar was tried last year, but the players were being put into different teams every week. That did not help them build up team loyalty or confidence. We will want them to play in the same teams every week.'' Eight teams play in Bermuda's adult netball league and Swan believes there is the capacity to have 16 teams divided into divisions.