JNA beefs up Sunshine Girls coaching staff

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

Former national player and coach, Oberon Pitterson, is among three top coaches who have been appointed to serve as members of the Sunshine Girls coaching staff by the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA).

The JNA president also stated that former Australia coach, Jill McIntosh, has been appointed its technical director, which means all members of the coaching staff will report to her.

National Under-21, coach C. Lloyd Walker, and national Under-16 assistant coach, Minetth Reynolds, are the other coaches who have been appointed by JNA head, Marva Bernard, to assist with the senior team.

Bernard told The Gleaner yesterday that the appointments take effect immediately and all three persons would be working alongside head coach, Connie Francis, and her assistant, Annette Daley, to assess the special needs of individual players.

"This has to be a united effort because we want a different result, and so we are doing things differently," said Bernard.

"This is a continual process of individual training that some of the Sunshine Girls were receiving before they departed for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, last month," she said.

Bernard continued: "Mr Walker was assigned to work with Sasher-Gaye Henry and Georgia Gordon. Minetth had Jhanielle Fowler and Vanessa Walker, and Oberon had Kasey (Evering) and Kimone Tulloch. And so it is not something that is just born out of now. This is just a continuation and beefing up of our senior programme," Bernard said.

"Connie needs all the help that she can get, and so we are going to give her all the support that she needs to take our team to the top of the podium at all international championships," Bernard said.

Commenting on McIntosh, who had been involved in JNA programmes previously, Bernard said: "Jill has the knowledge and experience to move our programme forward to the next level. All our girls are looking forward to her return because they have recommitted themselves to the programme and they have committed to work very hard in each practice session."

Bernard continued: "Our girls want Jill back because she has a wealth of experience and they have said that they have learnt a lot from her while she was here earlier this year."