MARVETTE Anderson has been involved in netball from she was 12 years old, and she is currently a veteran, coaching players in schools, clubs and at the national level.

Anderson is the assistant national coach of the Jamaica Under-21 team, in the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) programme.

She started playing netball while attending Wolmer’s Girls’ School.

After leaving school, Anderson took up a coaching stint by assisting head coach Patrick Brissett at the Waulgrovians Netball Club in 1990, before occupying the present position of head coach for the “purple and white-clad” Super League team.

She has coached several teams in the Business House Netball Association (BHNA) competition during the 1990s, and inevitably many girls who have transitioned through the age-group ranks to the senior national teams.

According to Anderson, there are so many (players) that she cannot recall most of the names, but the current players, such as Khadijah Williams (Under-16, Under-21 and National Seniors), Simone Gordon, Adean Taylor, Shamera Sterling, Shanice Beckford, and Thristina Harwood come readily to mind.

Williams, Gordon, Beckford, Sterling and Harwood represented Jamaica at the Fast Five Netball World Series in New Zealand

last week.

Anderson has been head coach of The Queen’s School, the Urban Area Junior and Senior League champions, for the past five years.

When asked if Jamaica could become the number one netball team in the world, she did not hesitate to say yes.

“What has really hampered the Jamaica team and players I think is the weather condition at various World Netball Tournaments and Championships. They have to adjust themselves throughout the tournament, and in addition to the long flights, causing jet lag,” Anderson said.

She added that more funds are needed for the players to improve. “Other aspects are they have to leave from work to train or from school, and that is another difficult task…”