Sunshine Girls Captain Jhaniele Fowler says her team is confident but not overconfident about their chances of topping the podium at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

Fowler and her team which copped bronze at the 2014 and 2018 Games in Glasgow, Scotland and Gold Coast, Australia, respectively, have always stressed the need to improve their placing and as such, are quietly determined to make it third time lucky at this July 28 to August 8 Games.

The ace shooter, who plies her trade in Australia, headlines an experienced Sunshine Girls unit that include the likes of Shamera Sterling, Shimona Nelson, Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Jodi-Ann Ward, and Latanya Wilson, who also play professionally overseas.

Shanice Beckford, Adean Thomas, Nicole Dixon-Rochester, Khadijah Williams, Rebekah Robinson and Shadian Hemmings, are the other members of the number four ranked Sunshine Girls team.

“There is no doubt that this Sunshine Girls team is a solid team with a lot of depth and potential to topple any team on any given day and win the gold medal, so we are confident but not overconfident,” Fowler told the Jamaica Observer ahead of their departure on Thursday.

“The goal is to win the finals at the Commonwealth Games and then turn our focus to the World Cup next year, but at the end of the day it will all come down to execution. So we just want to go into the tournament confident and prepared to give of our best,” she added.

But while it seems a solid team on paper, Fowler is wary of the limited preparation hurdle which could prove a major sticking point for her team.

Still, she believes their early arrival in Birmingham should assist in bolstering their cohesiveness, fitness and tactical awareness before action begins.

“Yes, we had limited training sessions together as a full team during our preparations and we are mindful of that.

“But I do believe we have done well with the time we had so far, and going into Birmingham a little earlier will also assist us to fine-tune a few things before the tournament as we aim to perform really well and make it to the finals,” Fowler, who has well over 50 caps, noted.

It is said that a good captain must be a fighter and confident but not arrogant, and that is exactly what Fowler represents.

Though Jamaica’s chances of a podium finish will rely heavily on her leading from the front, Fowler insisted that it will require efficient execution on the team’s part to make it happen.

“Ive learnt that there is no one person that makes a team great; greatness is the unity and strength of everyone combined. So we know there’s work to be done and we’re not going to take anything or anyone for granted, so we’re going to study our opponents and take it one game at a time,” said Fowler, who has also won bronze at the Fastnet World Netball Series in 2010.

“We know our mental toughness will be tested but we are excited about the challenge ahead because it will only make us a stronger and better team.

“I’ve always held on to the saying that the price of success is hard work and dedication to the job at hand and the determination that whether we win or lose, we can feel proud knowing we applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. So we are looking forward to it and hopefully we can get to the finals and work our way into the hearts of Jamaicans,” the captain said.

Meanwhile, Wilson, 21, who will be making her first Commonwealth Games appearance, is eager to put her best foot forward to aid the team’s ambitions.

“I’m super-excited to be among these wonderful ladies and I am excited to see what this tournament will offer us,” said Wilson, who is also the youngest member of the team.

“I am in good shape. I am just coming back from Australia so I am pretty confident personally and I am also confident in the team. I know nothing is impossible and we have a team that is more than capable of winning the gold,” the explosive defender noted.

— Sherdon Cowan