'We can win it all'... Bernard, Grange beam in confidence as JNA beefs up Sunshine Girls' management

 André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

Fresh off their confidence-inspiring 54-51 series-levelling victory over Australia in their third and final Supreme Ventures Sunshine Series Test match inside the National Indoor Sports Centre on Sunday, the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) is moving to strengthen the management structure around the team ahead of this summer's World Netball Championships (WNC) in Singapore.

JNA president Marva Bernard, clearly buoyed by the team's display, believes the team has a genuine shot at the top prize at the WNC.

Jamaica recorded only their seventh win over the nine-time World Champions, after losing the series opener 63-51 last Wednesday and tying the second and penultimate encounter 49-all two days later.

Selection committee

Former national coach Maureen Hall has agreed to chair the selection committee, which also includes Patrick Brissett, Sunshine Girls coach Connie Francis, Vilma McDonald and incoming technical director, Jill McIntosh, who arrives in the island on February 28. McIntosh is a former coach of the Australian team.

Dorothy Hobson has been charged with overseeing the cadre of coaches, including the new additions Oberon Pitterson, C. Lloyd Walker and Minette Reynolds.

Additionally, Hyacinth Smith's responsibilities as team manager for the Sunshine Girls will be increased as the team intensifies its preparation for the July 3-10 tournament.

JNA president Marva Bernard expects the changes to reap immediate benefits and stressed that the change was necessary.

"These changes will guarantee a greater level of efficiency and oversight of the key areas," said Bernard. "The management around the senior team will be strengthened and each person will now get a specific task to focus on. We are flattening the areas of responsibility for the council and putting in key people, who will now have to perform their supervisory role.

"Everybody will have to make the necessary sacrifice to ensure that we have a better shot at realising our dream," Marva added. "It's not business as usual. We need to ensure performance and accountability from the council members, from the coaching staff, and from the players."

Bernard went on to hail the performances of the girls and dismissed the notion that WNC glory is unrealistic.

Stepping things up

"I don't want to say that we are getting ahead of ourselves. I believe that the ball is round and we have proven that on a given day we can beat anyone," Bernard said. "In the last two World Championships we came third, while preparing our team the same way we had been doing it. We have decided to step up our preparations and we are expecting better results.

"This was a very important win and series result for us: We have been saying that the Sunshine Girls can do well, and for this to happen at this juncture in our preparation for the World Championships, it's going to help us in a big way as it relates to self-belief for the girls," Bernard added. "It's certainly a shot in the arm for the programme, and come this World Championships, we intend to be playing in the final match on July 10."

Meanwhile, Sports Minister Olivia Grange also voiced her support for the Sunshine Girls and said she was convinced that the team could finish at the top of the pile in Singapore.

"This performance by the Sunshine Girls is serving notice that they are determined to win the World Championships in July," Grange said through a release yesterday.

"I am mindful that there is still a lot of preparation to be done, but the display in the just-concluded series, coming off a really creditable performance at the Fast Net tournament in England, is a very convincing sign that the Sunshine Girls are serious about creating history by taking the winners' trophy in Singapore."

Grange added: "As I congratulate the Sunshine Girls, the coaches and support staff, I wish to reassure the Jamaica Netball Association of the ministry's support on the Road to Singapore."