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Sunshine Girls showing no signs of tension... As moment approaches for final selection of World Championships squad

Published:Wednesday | May 25, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Sunshine Girl Kimona Tulloch (second right) holds the ball while Anna-Kay Griffiths positions to take a pass, during the recent Test series against England, at the National Indoor Sports Centre. Both players are among the 15 vying for a place on Jamaica's 12-member World Championships squad, which will be picked tomorrow. - Ian Allen/Photographer

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

With the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) set to announce its 12-member squad for the World Netball Championships (WNC) tomorrow, technical director Jill McIntosh said the players are not showing any signs of tension, as they anxiously await the day of decision.

"They may be nervous, but they don't show it," said McIntosh in an interview with The Gleaner. "The mood in the team is fine and everyone is OK."

McIntosh continued: "We have 15 very good players and it is going to be hard for the selectors. It will be wonderful for those who get in, and the three players that are unsuccessful, it is going to be a sad time for them."

Former national coach, Maureen Hall, Parick Brissett, Vilma McDonald and McIntosh are the members of the JNA selection panel, which will be meeting to select Jamaica's 12-member team for the WNC, which will be held in Singapore from July 3-15.

McIntosh, a WNC-winning coach with Australia, added that the players who will be omitted from the team will not be pushed aside as they will continue to train with the squad right up to their departure for the championships, on June 25.

"They will be reserves and they will be working alongside the rest of the players who will be selected for the championships because, as reserves, they need to be on standby just in case of injuries or illness," McIntosh pointed out.

She noted that the Sunshine Girls will be holding a number of simulation matches in the coming weeks, as they intensify their preparations for the WNC.

"The players have stepped it up a level and they have been working very hard in training to improve every aspect of their game," said McIntosh.

"Everything is on track; the players are all working very hard and everything is running smoothly as it should," she said.

McIntosh stated that catching, passing, movements and one-on-one defending are among some of the key elements of the game that the girls have been working on in practice.

"We played a match last week Friday against the men's team and they played very consistently, and this is where we want them to be, because they need to be very consistent in every game that they play," she noted.