PRESIDENT of Netball Jamaica Marva Bernard says she is happy with the performance of the Under-16 netball team so far at the 2014 Jean Pierre Youth Tournament in Antigua and Barbuda.

“I am extremely proud of the girls so far, they have lived up to and even in some cases surpassed our expectations. Some of the results I expected, but I had mixed feelings about the score line against Trinidad and Tobago,” Bernard told the Jamaica Observer via e-mail from Antigua yesterday.

She noted that sponsors have played a very important role in the achievements of the team so far, and on their continuing journey in

the tournament.

“Of course all of this would not be possible without sponsors Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS), Gilbert and the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) must also be given credit for their support of the development of netball,” she said.

Bernard said that certain measures had to be taken in order for the girls to be ready for the tournament in terms of coaching, fitness and repeated practice games between the senior Sunshine Girls that would bring “a little challenge” to them.

“Preparation for the tournament started last year and in earnest again in January with new head coach Marvette Anderson. The coaching staff got good support from present and former national senior coaches who came out to assist in various areas, then the fitness trainer Roy Thomas, who joined us in March, included activities being done with the seniors.

“So on any given evening you would see the two squads doing fitness training then on Saturday morning, as is customary, they play matches against the seniors. This type of match competition prepares them to face any team in the Caribbean,”

she said.

Bernard is buoyed by this crop of young players and envisages a bright future for Jamaica’s netball programme.

“The future for netball in Jamaica is very bright, these players have followed in the footsteps of those gone before, credit (must go) to their high school and club coaches, along with their current national coaches, who obviously have laid a solid foundation on which to build and continue the dominance of Jamaica in the region,” Bernard ended.

— Sha’Keil Grant