Evering taking time to strengthen knee

National senior netball representative Kasey Evering said the rehabilitation on her surgically repaired left knee has been going great and she would be intensifying the process very soon.

Evering, who competed last season for the Canterbury Tactix in the ANZ Championships - which is played in Australia and New Zealand - aggravated her knee injury during a collision with her former national teammate, Carla Borrego, who plays for the Adelaide Thunderbirds, on April 3.

"It has been going good so far because I have been in the gym five days a week 'rehab-ing' and I'm supposed to start running again this week," said the 28-year-old Evering, who was a member of the Sunshine Girls team which finished fourth at the last Commonwealth Games, held in India in 2010.

"The knee is feeling good, but I am concentrating on getting it stronger because I have a programme from my physiotherapist overseas that I am currently working with; and so I am happy with how things are going now," Evering pointed out.

Continuing, Evering said: "I have been doing a lot of squats, leg presses and leg curves; it has been painful so far because this is the second surgery on the knee and I am not rushing it as I am trying to get it right this time."

The lanky defender added that the injury will also cause her to miss this season's ANZ Championships, but she is hoping to be fit in time for the Sunshine Girls' upcoming series against New Zealand in January.

"Jamaica will be playing against New Zealand at the end of January and so this is where I am aiming to make my comeback to the sport," said Evering, who last represented Jamaica in January against the defending world champions, Australia. That series ended in a 1-1 draw.

"I will not be playing in the ANZ this year, because I won't be ready in time when the season starts.

"This is very painful for me, because I love competing with those girls over there at the highest level," Evering said. "However, I just have to refocus on getting myself ready to go back next season."

Evering noted that as part of the rehabilitation process, she plans to represent her club side, Tivoli Gardens, in this year's Super League competition.

"I am going to play in the club leagues so as to get myself back into shape and also to a get a feel of the game again," Evering reasoned.