'The focus is on netball'

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

President of the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA), Marva Bernard, said the Sunshine Girls' main concern leading into the XIX Commonwealth Games is their likely performance against all the competing teams.

"Fear is not their concern," said Bernard in an interview with The Gleaner on Monday, prior to her departure for the Games on Wednesday.

"Their concern is how they are going to perform against the top teams, and even against the teams that are not ranked above them, and making sure that they go out there and use all of these games as practice for the tougher teams," Bernard said.

She continued: "I just hope that they stay healthy and all should be well for them. I don't hear them being concerned about the security aspects or anything like that because I know that their focus is on netball," she said.

JNA president optimistic

The Connie Francis-coached Sunshine Girls finished fourth in the last Commonwealth Games, which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 2006. Despite this, the JNA president added that she was very optimistic that they would win a medal at this month's tournament.

"They are very confident because before they left I heard them having a discussion about what it would mean for them to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games," said Bernard. "They also said they were very disappointed with their fourth-place finish in the last Commonwealth Games, and therefore they are very determined to win a medal this time around," Bernard said.

Bernard noted that it has been a short turnaround between their last home series against England and their preparations for the Commonwealth Games, but things have gone well for them.

"We will play Australia in our first game and so we will have to go out there and really play hard to defeat them," she said.

"They did some speed work with Usain Bolt's coach Glen Mills and his assistants, and they also did some mental work to get their minds focused on this long journey ahead of them," Bernard stated. "I know that they are going to do their best. I know that their best is going to take them to a place in the final."