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Grange pledges full support of Sunshine Girls

Published:Sunday | September 19, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange (right), speaks with Jamaica Netball Association President, Marva Bernard, about the association's plans for its build-up to next year's World Netball Championships, at the minister's office last week. - Contributed

Sports Minister Olivia Grange has pledged full support to the Sunshine Girls, telling leading officials of the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) that her ministry will do all it can to assist the national team to win the World Netball Championships (WNC), which will be held in Singapore in July next year.

Minister Grange's latest expression of support for the Sunshine Girls' bid to become number one in the world came when she met with JNA president, Marva Bernard, and Lorna Lee, JNA marketing executive, at her office last week.

"You can depend on my full support on the 'Road to Singapore'," Grange said, referring to the name of the campaign the JNA will launch shortly as it undertakes the build-up to the World Championships.

Bernard notified the minister of some things they plan to do, that are crucial to the preparation of the Sunshine Girls, noting that the programme would represent a shift from the way they had prepared the senior national netballers in the past.

Cost

The JNA president also said the programme would cost in excess of $50m.

"It is a shift that we must make if we are to win the World Netball Championships. Preparation of the Sunshine Girls will include bringing back to Jamaica renowned Australian coach, Jill McIntosh, from February to May next year; increasing training to four days a week for four hours a day for 35 weeks; and the use of the National Indoor Sports Centre."

She pointed out that increased training time would require the players getting more time off from work, and Minister Grange said she would be willing to assist in getting the cooperation of employers.

Grange said: "I am in agreement with the JNA that we have to shift gears to reach number one, and I will contribute as much as I can and do all that lies within my power to galvanise the country behind the Sunshine Girls."

Bernard added that in the build-up to the World Championships, the Sunshine Girls would compete in the Commonwealth Games in October; participate in a Fast Net competition in Liverpool in England in November; play Australia in Jamaica in January 2011; play against Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados in April, 2011; and go to Australia in May for games against professional teams.